AUTOMATIC CORRECTION OF ABSORPTION PULSES IN ZEEMAN GRAPHITE-FURNACE ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

An algorithm is proposed that permits automation of the method describ ed earlier (Spectrochim. Acta 47B, 1411 (1992)) for restoration of rev ersed (with dips) absorption pulses in Zeeman graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The algorithm has been tested on two elements , Ag and Cd. Optimal algorithm parameters, namely the required number of smoothing points by the technique Of SAVITZKY and GOLAY (Anal. Chem . 36, 1627 (1964)) and the criterion of the dip appearance, were chose n. The results of automatic search for the dip region boundaries have been found to coincide with the visual localization of the dip. The ma ximum relative standard deviation of 5.6% for Ag and 3.3% for Cd was f ound to correspond to pulses with a barely discernible dip. The progra m was written in BASIC for the Data Station 3600 computer.