Effect of anions on atomization temperatures in furnace atomic-absorption

Atomization temperatures have been measured for silver, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, tin and zinc. The effect of various anions on the atomization temperatures of these metals has been examined. Of the anions investigated which were added as acids, only phosphate affected the atomization temperatures. For elements which atomized at a lower temperature than tin, phosphate addition resulted in an increased atomization temperature but those which atomized at a higher temperature than tin were not affected. These observations suggested that there are two mechanisms of atom formation in the graphite furnace. The first involves reduction of the metal oxide by carbon and is applicable only to compounds which can form oxides at temperatures lower than those required for the reduction process to occur. The second mechanism is direct decomposition of the metal compound to give metal atoms and is applicable to compounds of higher thermal stability which decompose at temperatures higher than those required for the reduction process.