Lead Analysis by Flame Atomic Absorption (FLAA)

Lead in solution may be readily determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The method is applicable to drinking, surface, and saline waters, wastewater, extracts, industrial waste, soils, sludge, sediments, solid wastes, air samples, dust wipes, paint chips, and any other solid wastes.

A sample is aspirated and atomized in a flame. A light beam from a hollow cathode lamp is directed through the flame into a monochromator, and onto a detector, that measures the amount of absorbed light. Absorption depends upon the presence of free unexcited ground-state atoms in the flame. Because the wavelength of the light beam is characteristic of only the metal being determined, the light energy absorbed by the flame is a measure of the concentration of the lead in the sample.