Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.

In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and to differentiate this technique from the AAS with flame, the limits of each technique in detecting metallic and trace elements in petroleum analysis were compared. With the aid of selected examples, the determinations of one or several elements by each of the AAS techniques were contrasted. From the multitude of petroleum products, the main groups of heating oils, fuels, lubricants and feedstocks were selected for this purpose. The data for choosing the optimum technique in a specific case is presented in tabular form.