Role of solution equilibria in atomic-absorption spectroscopy

The interference effects observed in series of absorption studies using nitrous oxide/acetylene or air/acetylene flames are interpreted in terms of the nature of the chemical species present in solution. The elements studied include Nb, Ta, Ti, Y, V, W and Ni, and species shown to influence the atomic absorption include hydrofluoric, phosphoric and sulphuric acids, the ions of Ca, K, Al, Fe and Mn, and compounds such as EDTA and ammonium acetate.