Application of an automatically triggered digital integrator to flame atomic-absorption spectrometry of copper using a discrete nebulisation technique

Abstract

A signal integrator with an automatic trigger and a voltage to frequency (V/F) counter was applied to the flame atomic-absorption spectrometry of copper using a discrete nebulisation technique. When an injection volume larger than 50 µl was used, there was a good linear relationship between the absolute amount of copper and the integrated value, irrespective of the copper concentration and the injection volume. There was also a linear relationship between the ratio of the integrated value to the aspiration time and the copper concentration, irrespective of the injection volume. The relative standard deviation of the measurement was less than 4%, even with an injection volume of 20 µl. This method was applied to the determination of copper in standard biological samples (NBS-SRM 1577 Bovine Liver and 1566 Oyster Tissue). The results agreed well with the certified or reported values.