• Working and applications of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometers

     

     

    There is no denying the fact that scientific and technological advancements are pressing forward in the 21st century to provide imaginative solutions to the age-old dilemmas. The industrial sector is booming with advancements and the credit goes to the wonders of applied physics and analytical chemistry. Among all the analysis techniques, AAS is a reckoned name whose origins date back to the mid-19th century. Despite the antiquity of the scientific process, the recent advancements in technology have enabled scientists to make atomic absorption spectrophotometers more efficient and reliable. The evolution, as well as the principle and applications of AAS, are quite interesting. So let’s dive into the facts!
     

    History and the current state of AAS

     
    AAS as an analytical concept was proposed by Walsh in the year 1955. A hollow cathode lamp was used by him as an excitation source and for the atomizer, a combustion flame was used. Post this discovery, during the 1960s, several alternative atomization procedures were developed. The idea behind the process was developed to analyze the atomic vapor and then pass the radiator of the right wavelength in order to excite atoms into an excited electronic level from their original ground state.
     
    Currently, atomic absorption spectrophotometers have turned to be precious techniques for the detection of trace elements in an analytic sample because of the low detection litmus, easy-to-use nature, low investments, high specificity, and low running costs. The perks make AAS a generally accepted and most suitable method for single element analysis.
     

    How atomic absorption spectroscopy works?

     
    AAS systems test the concentration of specific gas-phase atoms within a provided gas sample by testing the amount of light that is absorbed by the free ions within the sample. In the AAS procedure, a sample is exposed to light at a certain wavelength and then the amount of light that is absorbed by the sample is tracked.
     
    In a nutshell, AAS is the study of how energy and light interact with matter and as the process needs the atom to be in the gaseous state, the liquid or gas samples has to be vaporized within the sample before the atomization process. The vaporization is done by using two fundamental methods as listed below:
     
    #1 Flame atomizers where a sample is first evaporated and then vaporized ad converted and gaseous molecules.
     
    #2 Electrothermal atomizers also known as graphite furnace atomizers that use graphite tubes to heat samples and atomize them in the gaseous state.
     
    The principles of AAS are frequently used in agriculture, the study of environmental sciences as well as in forensics and pharmaceutical industries to identify and analyze the presence of potentially toxic, unnecessary, or extra elements in a sample.
     

    The bottom line

     
    Analytical Chemistry has found its profound applications in a diversified range of fields. A wide range of industries utilizes the principles of analytical chemistry to determine the concentration of a certain element in a given sample. In the field of Analytical Chemistry, AAS has its widespread applications and perks. The process has yielded numerous benefits in various chemical analysis procedures and the applications of the technique are expected to rise in the upcoming years!
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