Patent ID: 6391647
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for atomic absorption spectroscopy of an analyte which is contained in a sample to be analyzed and which is converted into free atoms in an absorption volume of an atomizer, comprising the steps of:(a) position- and time-dependent measuring of the atomic absorption over a cross-section of the absorption volume, (b) simultaneous determination of surface temperatures of the atomizer, characterized by the steps of: (c) reconstructing a temperature field over the cross section of the absorption volume on the basis of the surface temperatures determined, (d) determining position- and time-dependent numbers of particles of the absorbing atoms of the analyte on the basis of the measurements of the position- and time-dependent atomic absorption and an absorption profile that has been theoretically determined, said absorption profile taking into account effects influencing a line profile of the analyte and the reconstructed temperature field, and (e) determining the time-dependent total number of the absorbing atoms of the analyte on the basis of the position- and time-dependent numbers of particles.