Flame Atomic Emission Spectrometry

This chapter discusses the flame atomic emission spectrometry. This chapter also discusses the theory associated with the production of excited state atoms but will limit discussion to instrumentation and applications associated with the use of flames as atom reservoirs (flame emission or flame photometry). The flame atomic emission spectrometry can be used to identify and quantify a variety of elements that are important to the studies on enzymes and metalloproteins. Clearly, these detection limits vary significantly and this method of analysis is limited in its application to the analysis of individual elements with low excitation energies. Detection limits are also expressed as nanomoles of element, and if it assumed that elements activate, block, or are required by enzymes or metalloproteins in stoichiometric amounts, then this table can be used to define the minimum amount of enzyme or metalloprotein required for analysis by flame atomic emission spectrometry. The major disadvantage of all atomic spectrometric methods of analysis is that, they provide no information of the oxidation state of the element or its speciation.