Analytik Jena Provides Direct Solid AAS without Sample Preparation

Conventional methods of elemental analysis can only process liquid samples and solids are subject to a time consuming sample preparation process. Analytik Jena‘s solid AA® technology offers an interesting alternative to this problem using direct solid AAS.

Solid samples in powder form, granulates and fibers, but also paste-like materials such as cream, sludge or viscous oils can usually be analyzed directly in the graphite furnace without any need for sample preparation. Heterogeneous samples are merely reduced to a smaller size and homogenized prior to the analysis.

SSA 600 - fully automated solid sampler
An autosampler for the fully automated analysis of up to 84 samples! Simply dose the samples onto the sample carriers. The autosampler automatically weighs in the sample using the integrated microbalance with a precision of 1 μg and transports it into the graphite furnace and back to the sample tray. The process does not require supervision. Dosing and weighing of the sample can be controlled comfortably via the operating keys on the autosampler. The sample mass is imported directly into the software. Additional software routines, such as the automatic clean-out and taring of all sample carriers, simplify the operation in the daily routine.

Equipped with an additional liquid dosing unit, the SSA 600 offers the highest possible degree of automation for routine and research. The autosampler does not just weigh and transport the samples automatically, it also carries out the calibration with liquid standards and the addition of a modifier, reducing the user‘s effort to a minimum.

The Analytik Jena graphite furnace systems can be converted from liquid to solids analysis in just a few minutes – the unlimited use of both techniques is guaranteed. All functions are integrated in the operating software. Additional modules are not required. Easy, software-guided routines allow a simpler adjustment of the autosamplers and guarantee a reliable sample supply.

If solid samples are analyzed directly, the amount of work and time required for the sample preparation is reduced to a minimum. Apart from saving time, there are several other main advantages:

• Analysis of the original sample
With solid AA® your samples can be analyzed without additional reagents. Consequently, the risk of contamination of these samples caused by blank values is reduced significantly. Dilution errors or analyte loss during sample preparation and storage are impossible.

• Wide measurement range
The dilution, which invariably accompanies a digestion, is not required in the solid AA® technique. As a result, the relative measurement sensitivity can easily be increased by at least a factor of 10 compared to the solution analysis.

• Analysis of small sample quantities
solid AA® is a micromethod. Therefore, a sample weight of approximately 50 μg is sufficient for element determination. Consequently, precise measurements can be carried out for such applications as well.

• Avoiding harmful reagents
Since the analysis via solid AA® usually occurs without reagent addition, not only costs are reduced. The use of digestion reagents that may pose a health risk or a risk to the environment, as is often necessary for the dissolution of refractory samples, is not required. Chemical waste is thus kept to a minimum.

• Simple handling
Paste-like, sticky materials that are difficult to dose are simply placed on the sample carrier and weighed in directly. Weighing errors due to particles left on the weighing boat can thus be avoided.

• Fast results
With solid AA® many samples can be analyzed directly without any additional preparation. As a result, analysis results are available after only a few minutes.