Flame Photometry:

With this course you have so far learnt about the spectroscopic techniques of analysis based on the molecular spectroscopies. Within the present and the further few units, you would learn about spectroscopic techniques based on atomic spectroscopies. In atomic spectroscopy, an element present within a sample is converted to gaseous atoms or elementary ions in a procedure known as atomisation that might be brought about through any of the available methods. The absorption of the radiation through the vapourised atoms in the ground state and emission or fluorescence emission of suitably excited state forms the primary of different kinds of atomic spectroscopies. Collectively, an atomic spectroscopic method could be used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of about 70 elements within a huge variety of samples of biological, clinical, and environmental origin.  These techniques are quite convenient, quick, and selective and offer sensitivities within the parts per million (ppm) to parts per billion (ppb) range.

This unit concerns flame photometry that refers to the measurement of the EM radiation in UV-VIS range emitted through the vapourised atoms after they are electronically excited through the thermal energy of the flame. It is a wasy, rapid and inexpensive method for routine analysis of alkali and alkaline earth metals such as, potassium, sodium, calcium, lithium, or barium in environmental, clinical and biological samples especially within biological fluids and tissues. The convenience, speed and associative freedom from interferences have made flame photometry techniques of choice for the determination of these elements that are otherwise hard to determine. Along with the help of more sophisticated instruments, a method has also been applied on the determination of several other elements, along with varying degree of success.