Effect of Carbon Cup Aging on Plasma Zinc Determination by Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract Determination of zinc in blood plasma by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry is discussed, with particular reference to the protocol required for the successful use of the Varian-Techtron Carbon Rod Atomizer. Cup aging is shown to be an important factor in limiting the precision of this analytical technique and ways of minimizing the problem are described. Matrix problems have also been encountered, which precluded the use of aqueous standard curves and the method of standard additions. We propose the use of plasma in preparing standard curves, the values for which are corrected for inherent plasma zinc, as a possible solution to the problem.