Automatic sample deposition in flameless analysis

Apparatus for automatically depositing predetermined reproducible amounts of aerosol samples into a furnace atomizer of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, with said atomizer being provided with an aperture, comprising

• a nebulizer-mixing chamber device in communication with a sample container containing sample to be analyzed,
• means for depositing aerosol sample from said device through said aperture into said furnace atomizer, said means having communication with said device, and
• means for controlling the amounts of aerosol samples being deposited to assure that the deposited amounts are reproducible comprising
• a fluidic switch operatively connected between said device and said means for depositing aerosol samples whereby aerosol deposition takes place only during the time period when said fluidic switch establishes communication from said device to said means for depositing aerosol samples.

In an apparatus for depositing an aerosol sample to be analyzed into a furnace atomizer of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, said atomizer having an introduction aperture, the improvement comprising

• a means for controlling the amount of aerosol sample being deposited through said introduction aperture into said furnace atomizer comprising
• means defining a delivery passage having a delivery port at the forward end thereof designed to be introduced into said introduction aperture, and an inlet port at its other end designed to be connected to a nebulizer-mixing chamber device operable to produce an aerosol mist,
• a further port in said delivery passage defining means between said delivery port and said inlet port, and
• diverting means in communication with said further port for diverting aerosol sample from said delivery port.

Apparatus for depositing an aerosol sample to be analyzed into a furnace atomizer of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, said atomizer having an aperture, comprising in combination,

• means for aspirating sample material from a sample container and into a nebulizer-mixing chamber device,
• means for depositing an aerosol sample from said nebulizer-mixing chamber device through said aperture into said furnace atomizer, said means having communication with said chamber device, and
• means for controlling the amount of aerosol sample being deposited into said furnace atomizer comprising
• means defining a delivery passage having a delivery port at the forward end thereof designed to be introduced into said aperture, an inlet port at its other end designed to be connected to said nebulizer-mixing chamber device operable to produce an aerosol mist,
• and in which said means for controlling the amount of aerosol sample being deposited into said furnace atomizer comprises
• a further port in said delivery passage defining means between said delivery port and said inlet port, and
• diverting means in valved communication with said further port for diverting aerosol sample from said delivery port.

Apparatus for depositing an aerosol sample to be analyzed into a furnace atomizer of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, said atomizer having an aperture, comprising in combination;

• means for arranging and successively transporting a plurality of sample containers containing samples to be analyzed on a sample-supporting device,
• means for aspirating the samples seriatim from said plurality of sample containers and into a nebulizer-mixing chamber device,
• means for depositing an aerosol sample from said nebulizer-mixing chamber device through said aperture into said furnace atomizer, said means having communication with said chamber device, and
• means for controlling the amount of aerosol sample being deposited into said furnace atomizer comprising means for diverting aerosol sample from said aperture until aerosol mist equilibrium is achieved.

A method of depositing a predetermined reproducible amount of aerosol sample into an analysis cell of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer or the like comprising the steps of

• nebulizing a sample in a mixing chamber,
• achieving equilibrium while removing nebulized sample from said chamber, and
• after equilibrium is achieved, delivering for a set time interval said nebulized sample from said mixing chamber to said analysis cell,
• permitting thereby a predetermined reproducible amount of said aerosol sample to be delivered from said chamber to said analysis cell.

A method of automatically depositing predetermined reproducible amounts of aerosol samples into a furnace atomizer of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer comprising

• aspirating a sample from a sample container, nebulizing and mixing said sample in a chamber,
• achieving equilibrium while removing nebulized sample from said chamber,
• after equilibrium is established, delivering for a set time interval said nebulized sample to said furnace atomizer,
• permitting thereby the deposition of predetermined reproducible amounts of aerosol samples into said furnace atomizer.

Sample apparatus for depositing sample material into an analysis cell of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer or the like comprising:

• a nebulizer for nebulizing sample material to be analyzed,
• transport means for transporting a stream of nebulized sample material between said nebulizer and said analysis cell and having a delivery port for communication with said analysis cell, and
• control means for controlling the amount of nebulized sample material delivered to said analysis cell, said control means being coupled to said transport means and having a first condition in which a stable flow of nebulized sample through said transport means is established with nebulized sample being diverted from said delivery port, and
• a second condition in which said stable flow of nebulized sample material from said nebulizer through said transport means is maintained with nebulized sample flowing to said delivery port for delivery to said analysis cell.