Use of light scattering to detect nebulisation transport interferences in analytical atomic spectrometry

Abstract

The spray chamber of a flame atomic absorption spectrometer has been fitted with two perpendicular side-arms with end windows. The aerosol was irradiated with white light through one window and the scattered light from the sample aerosol monitored through the other. Scattered light provided a useful method for monitoring changes in aerosol transport and provided a basis for automatic error warning. However, the range of use was confined to conditions under which the aerosol size distribution was reasonably constant.