What Are The Advantages of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy?
The quantities of specific elements may be determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS. The process involves a precise absorption spectrum by gaseous atoms, either by spraying a mixture into flames (FAAS) or evaporation in a carbon tube (CFAAS).
What is the Function of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy?
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) is frequently utilized for trace metal assessment of a diverse variety of sample kinds in natural sciences, food service, and chemical production industries.
This is done for impurities or pollutants monitoring and assessment management. And also the quick evaluation of natural resources. Agilent atomic absorption spectroscopy can also be used to examine biological fluids like blood samples, among many other things.
How does Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry Work?
As an analytical method, flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (Flame AAS or FAAS) was first introduced to the public in the 1960s. However, its development dates back to 1952. The technique’s dependability and ease of use have kept it in use since then. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) is an analytical method for determining the concentrations of individual elements in a given sample.
AAS operates because each kind of atom (and ion) preferentially absorbs light of a certain wavelength. The atom takes the energy (light) when this particular wavelength of light is delivered. The atomic electrons transition from their ground state to their excited state. By measuring the quantity of light absorbed, one may determine the relative abundance of an element in a given sample.
Types of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
The kinds of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy are listed below (AAS)
Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS)
Analysis using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) is often used to measure metal concentrations in solutions down to the ppm (parts per million) or ppb (parts per billion) levels. The metal ions are dispersed into a thin spray and then sprayed into a hot flame.
This reduces the metallic ions to their atoms, which then absorb radiation from a component hollow cathode light in a selective manner. Limitations in sensitivity, the inability to test several elements simultaneously, and linearity are the primary issues with this method. The method has proven to be a good and reliable tool for everyday mental calculations.
Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (GFAAS)
If you need to detect very minute amounts of metal (>1 ppb) in tiny sample volumes, GFAAS is the way to go. Instead of using a flame to atomize the material, a thin carbon tube is employed. This increases the amount of atomized material and raises accuracy and detection limits since spectral interference from the flame is eliminated.
Advantages of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy(AAS)
Below are the advantages of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).
1. It provides accuracy in all aspects
Atomic absorption is indeed one procedure that provides findings that deviate very little from the actual values. Atomic absorption is often performed at a rate of between 0.5 and 5%.
2. It shows a sensitivity that is vital in the process
Since the spectrophotometer is widely used in industry, measuring with high sensitivity is crucial. AAS can detect substances down to parts per billion, allowing it to quantify quantities as low as a fraction of a gram. This is important in the field of medicine, for instance, while attempting to determine the number of residues of poisons or materials present in medicines or inside the patients.
In the pharmaceutical industry, it aids in the detection and removal of impurities and unwanted byproducts. AAS is used in the food and agricultural industries because it can detect a number of trace elements like cobalt and molybdenum, both of which may be beneficial or harmful. Since AAS does away with this needless expenditure, it is more budget-friendly than other methods.
3. It is inexpensive and more convenient than other methods
The primary benefit of AAS is that it delivers high productivity, and quantitative examination of the metal concentrations of materials at a low cost and with little training requirements. Because of this, it may be put to many different uses.
4. The convenience of accessing it
The Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) instrument is dependent on the absorption of light and photon radiation. Both are readily available to many people and may be used for various purposes.
Reasons to Use Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)
Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA spectroscopy) is a widely acknowledged and well-established method for examining metals. It’s still widely used since it’s simple to implement and yields precise and sensitive results. Importantly, the running expenses of AA spectrometry are low.
AA spectrometry further simplifies analysis since it is less susceptible to interferences than ICP-OES or ICP-MS. Many internationally accepted protocols for analyzing metals recommend using an AA spectrometer.
Science and Technology Combined
Because of the extreme sensitivity of AAS methods, no contaminating factors must be introduced while preparing blanks, benchmarks, and samples. One of the most used methods in analytical chemistry nowadays is atomic absorption spectroscopy. It is because the method has enough sensitivity for several purposes and is largely interference-free for identifying most metals and their derivatives.
