Use of an electrostatic preconcentration system to identify interferences in atomic-absorption spectrometry

Interference effects can be identified by deviations from ideality of the slopes of the concentration curves generated with an electrostatic trapping system. The technique is employed to detect spectral interferences in atomic-absorption measurements, due to the presence of sodium chloride, and caused by imperfect background correction. The electrostatic trap is found to be a particularly convenient means of obtaining the required concentration curves because the device gives a ready control of the concentration factor, reliable performance for a range of different solutions, and ease of use in dealing with the necessary number of samples.