Atomic Absorption Spectrometers

Atomic absorption spectrometers are used to determine the concentration of an element in a sample. Atomic absorption spectrometers are used in the pharmaceutical industry during drug development. In atomic absorption spectrometry, a sample is atomized, usually by a flame or graphite furnace, and dispersed into the light. A detector measures the amount of absorption in the sample and compares it to a reference with a known concentration of the element in question to determine its concentration in the sample. Some of the specifications to be aware of before purchasing an atomic absorption spectrometer are its wavelength range, what type of atomizer it uses, if it can do multiple tests for multiple elements, and if it has a single beam, double beam, or both types of light source.