Multi-energy calibration applied to atomic spectrometry

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Traditional calibration methods often require numerous standard solutions and can be affected by matrix effects.
• Developing efficient and accurate calibration strategies is crucial for reliable quantitative analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel calibration strategy called Multi-energy calibration (MEC).
• To demonstrate the applicability and advantages of MEC across different atomic spectrometric techniques.

Main Methods:

• MEC utilizes a fixed analyte concentration and multiple transition energies for calibration.
• It involves preparing two solutions: one sample-standard mixture and one sample-blank mixture.
• Instrument responses are monitored at multiple wavelengths for each analyte, with calibration curves generated from these signals.

Main Results:

• MEC was successfully applied to ICP OES, MIP OES, and HR-CS FAAS.
• Six analytes were accurately quantified in complex matrices like food and beverages.
• Results showed comparable or improved accuracy against traditional calibration methods (external calibration, internal standardization, standard additions).

Conclusions:

• MEC is a simple, fast, and efficient matrix-matching calibration method.
• It requires minimal calibration solutions, reducing preparation time and potential errors.
• The method is versatile and applicable to techniques with simultaneous or fast sequential multi-signal monitoring capabilities.