Mathematical correction of systematic temporal background-correction errors for graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract

The time interval separating the sample and reference measurement gives rise to background-correction errors when the background is changing rapidly. Use of one, two, three or four reference points produces temporal error functions proportional to the first, second, third and fourth derivative, respectively. Combining the appropriate error function and the reference absorbance profile, the error associated with each absorbance value can be computed. The resulting error profile can be used as a diagnostic tool or can be subtracted from background-corrected absorbances to provide a temporally corrected absorbance profile.