Flame atomic absorption (FAA) spectrometry and graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA) spectrometry are used to?

Flame atomic absorption (FAA) spectrometry and graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA) spectrometry are used to?

• A. Detect lead in environmental samples
• B. Measure humidity
• C. Determine lead in soil by spectroscopy
• D. Identify color of paint

Answer: (C)

Atomic absorption techniques measure how much light a sample absorbs at a wavelength specific to a metal, allowing us to quantify that metal’s concentration. In flame AAS, the sample is atomized in a flame, which is good for a range of concentrations but less sensitive than the graphite furnace approach. In graphite furnace AAS, the sample is placed in a small graphite tube and heated stepwise, providing much higher sensitivity and lower detection limits, which is especially helpful for trace amounts of metals like lead in solid matrices. These methods are used to determine lead content in environmental samples, including soil. That makes the option about determining lead in soil by spectroscopy the best fit, since it directly reflects using AAS to measure lead in a common environmental matrix. Humidity and paint color aren’t measured by these metal-detection techniques, which focus on elemental concentrations rather than physical properties or appearances.

Atomic absorption techniques measure how much light a sample absorbs at a wavelength specific to a metal, allowing us to quantify that metal’s concentration. In flame AAS, the sample is atomized in a flame, which is good for a range of concentrations but less sensitive than the graphite furnace approach. In graphite furnace AAS, the sample is placed in a small graphite tube and heated stepwise, providing much higher sensitivity and lower detection limits, which is especially helpful for trace amounts of metals like lead in solid matrices.

These methods are used to determine lead content in environmental samples, including soil. That makes the option about determining lead in soil by spectroscopy the best fit, since it directly reflects using AAS to measure lead in a common environmental matrix. Humidity and paint color aren’t measured by these metal-detection techniques, which focus on elemental concentrations rather than physical properties or appearances.