Abstract | An overview of the versatility and use of the graphite furnace for elemental trace analysis of liquids and solids using spectrochemical detection is presented. The analytical performance of conventional graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is compared to other popular state of the art spectrochemical techniques with respect to detection power, precision, sample compatibility and throughput. Some applications of the graphite furnace to practical problem solving in trace analysis are highlighted, including its use with atomic absorption, coherent forward scattering, laser excited atomic fluorescence, laser enhanced ionization and coupled methodologies. Prospects for future use and evaluation are given. |
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