The importance of fuel gas composition in the atomic-absorption spectrophotometric determination of magnesium

Abstract

The specifications for commonly used “low temperature” fuel gases permit wide variations in composition. The effect, on the determination of magnesium in nickel, of using two samples of “propane” of differing compositions is considerable, and the use of acetylene is advocated. The results emphasise the need for a complete specification of flame conditions to be given when reporting sensitivities and interference susceptibilities in atomic-absorption procedures when using flame atomisation.