Effect of heating rates in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

The peak and integrated absorbances of Mo, V, Al, Ni, Cu, Zn and function of the rate of heating of the graphite tube in a modified HGA 2100 atomizer are reported. The increase in peak absorbance with heating rate is correlated with the activation energy of the rate-determining step in the atomization process. Integrated absorbances of relatively volatile elements decreased exponentially with increasing heating rates, whereas those of relatively involatile elements, such as Mo and V, increased exponentially increasing heating rates. Characterization times of the absorption pulse are discussed and their applicability to analysis of real samples is assessed.27 refs.--AA