A personal view of the development of solid sampling emission spectrochemical analysis

The development of emission spectroscopy and its application is closely connected with the analysis of metals and related materials. Therefore, this short review mainly will pay homage to metal analysing laboratories. Some highlights of the 170-year period of development will be given here. The examples of solid sampling techniques applied to the analysis of metals or related oxides in the micro range have originated in the author's laboratory over the past 30 years. Thirty years ago, when ICP emission spectroscopy was first described and atomic absorption spectrometry was introduced for practical analysis, very precise and accurate emission spectrographic methods were being used successfully. Micro-sampling of solids took place by are or spark vaporization including laser ablation, and detection was achieved by photographic plate exposure. After closure of these sections of analytical laboratories and retirement of the very experienced operators, a long period of development was started, enhanced by the new techniques of AAS and ICP spectrometry. The result of this development makes the two techniques available for application to microanalysis, together with the old spectrographic methods. ICP is chiefly of interest because of its multielement capability. The success of the 30-year development of emission spectroscopic methods related to direct microsampling is characterized by obtaining a greater quantity of precise data in a shorter time but no improvement of accuracy can be seen up to now.