Survey of the diffusion process in atomic absorption spectrometry with the platform-in-furnace technique

Abstract

The diffusion process is the most important atom transport mechanism in electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption spectrometry (ETA-AAS) with the platform-in-furnace technique. Under specific experimental conditions it can be assumed that it is the only mechanism of atom removal if the loss of atoms through the injection port is ignored. We have investigated this type of loss mechanism in a graphite furnace with a platform by measuring the diffusion coefficient, calculated from the final part of the absorbance versus time curves and the area of those curves at different temperatures, for a series of elements chosen for their different atomisation temperatures ranging from 1000 to 3000 K.