The application of resonance lamps as monochromators in atomic absorption spectroscopy

Since the spectrum of the resonance radiation from an atomic vapour consists only of those spectral lines which are absorbed by the vapour, resonance lamps can serve as monochromators for isolating those lines whose intensities are measured in atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Resonance lamps in which the atomic vapour is produced by indirect electrical heating of the appropriate metal in a rare gas at reduced pressure are suitable as monochromators for use in the determination by atomic absorption measurement of low-melting-point metals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, thallium and lead. Similar techniques offer attractive possibilities for the construction of simple calorimeters for specific determinations.