Evaluation of thermal lens detection in flow injection with high background absorbance

Abstract

This work describes the use of thermal lens spectrometry as a detection technique for the determination of terbium with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol by flow injection. The results, obtained for aqueous and aqueous methanolic solutions, are compared with those previously obtained with a conventional spectrophotometric detector. They are discussed with respect to the dependence of the thermal lens effect on the flow, the solvent composition and the background absorbance.