AUTOMATED MULTIPLE FLOW INJECTION ANALYSIS FOR FLAME ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

Nonsegmented continuous flow analysis, termed Flow Injection Analysis (FIA), has been adapted for the automation of sample introduction in flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Automated Multiple Flow Injection Analysis (AMFIA) entails insertion of discrete micro volumes of liquid sample into a constantly flowing solvent stream which is pumped directly into the nebulizer of an atomic absorption spectrometer. This allows analysis of discrete micro volume samples (25 to 300 μL), with high precision (2% RSD), low detection limits (3 ng for Zn and 4 ng for Cu) and speed of analysis (120 to 180 samples per hour). Identical results are obtained on zinc and copper content of food digests and NBS Standard Reference Materials with the AMFIA system and analysis by direct aspiration of the same sample solutions. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.