The Use of Modern Atomic Spectroscopy in Industrial Analysis

Abstract

Industrial laboratories are being forced to develop faster, more accurate and precise but less expensive analytical methods. This paper describes one laboratory's learning process over the past 20 years. The changes that occurred by changing from wet chemistry and arc/spark emission spectroscopy to atomic absorption spectrometry to manual and then automated plasma spectroscopy are described. The rationale of choosing a particular plasma spectrometer is explained along with how to automate specimen introduction, computerize data collection, and display results of a running analysis. An algorithm used to improve results is also described. A number of different methods that were developed for the new methodology are described. These methods cover a wide range of topics such as plating bath analysis, steel analysis, precious metals analysis, comparisons to fire assaying, analysis of impurities in titanium dioxide (TiO2), and solders. Along with these methods are some time studies that demonstrate the economic rational for buying this type of instrumentation.