The effect of graphite tube condition on measured trace Pb concentrations in ETAA studies

This investigation evaluated the variation in the quantitative parameters o f ETAA by comparing data recorded with fired (old) and new graphite tubes ( furnaces) under identical experimental conditions. It was discovered that t he results (for Pb) for a tube that was fired a 100 times varied significan tly with those obtained for a new tube. This led to the inference that it w ould be appropriate to include the replicate number of firings in reported data associated with ETAA investigations.