Optimization of temperature in carbon-furnace atomic emission spectrometry with commercially available electrothermal atomizers

For instruments without automatic background emission correction, optimization of the applied temperature may be necessary to achieve the lowest analyte detection limits. Optimum temperatures of less than the maximum available are reported for most elements with commercially available instruments in which the heating rate and the final temperature are subject to independent control. Temperature optimization, however, has little effect on furnaces in which the final temperature and the rate of heating are controlled solely by the same applied voltage. Improved emission detection limits are reported for many elements as a result of temperature optimization.