ABSTRACT
Since the introduction of the first commercially available atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) in the early 1960s, there has been an increasing demand for better, faster, higher performance, easier-to-use, and more flexible trace element instrumentation. A conservative estimate shows that today’s marketplace for atomic spectroscopy (AS)-based instruments such as atomic absorption, inductively coupled plasma optical emission (ICP-OES), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) represents over $500M in annual revenue. As a result of this growth, we have seen a rapid emergence of more sophisticated equipment and easier-to-use software. When this is combined with an increase in the number of manufacturers of both instrumentation and sampling accessories, the choice of which technique to use is often very unclear.
