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AA Sensitivity vs. Detection Limit Technical Note

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72 views2 pages

AA Sensitivity vs. Detection Limit Technical Note

Uploaded by

Uswatul Hasanah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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T e c h n i c a l N o t e

Atomic Absorption

Sensitivity Versus
Detection Limit

The earliest atomic absorption (AA) spectrometers provided results in terms of


percent absorption (%A = 100 – %T). Those early instruments were significantly
less stable than today's modern equipment, and virtually all analyses were
performed with no scale expansion. For most elements, the smallest concentration
which could be detected was that which produced a percent absorption signal
of about 1%A (0.0044 absorbance units) which became accepted as a rough
measurement of performance known as “sensitivity”, a term used with emission
spectroscopy and other techniques. However, improvements in AA systems soon
permitted the use of high degrees of scale expansion, allowing the determination
of concentrations much lower than that represented by the sensitivity value. The
term “detection limit” was coined to mean the lowest concentration that could
be detected by atomic absorption.

The change in the terminology used to describe the smallest detectable quantity
by AA had an unfortunate side effect – the frequent (and erroneous) inter-
changeable use of the terms “sensitivity” and “detection limit”.

The difference between sensitivity and detection limit


Sensitivity is a measure only of signal magnitude, the solution concentration or
weight of an element that produces a signal of 0.0044A (1%A) for continuous
or peak height measurements or 0.0044 A•s for integrated peak area. It is also
known as characteristic concentration with flame AA or characteristic mass with
furnace AA.
Detection limit is a measure of the smallest concentration lower “noise” level (N) of signal B will provide better repro-
which can be determined with a specified precision or ducibility (precision) and allow smaller concentrations to be
reproducibility. Most frequently, the specified precision is accurately measured. Signal B will provide better precision
defined in terms of the concentration producing a signal and detection limits because it has a better (i.e., higher)
equivalent to three times the standard deviation of a series signal-to-noise ratio (S/N).
of blank (baseline) readings or readings for a standard with
a concentration close to the anticipated detection limit. This Greater sensitivity alone will not provide better detection
definition is equivalent to a 99% confidence level. That is, limits or precision as illustrated by signals C and D, which
the answer obtained under these conditions will be correct again are for the same concentration. The system which
99 times out of 100. produced signal C provided twice the signal or sensitivity of
that which produced signal D but also generated twice the
As defined, the detection limit is a function of both signal noise level. The signal-to-noise ratios for the two signals are
strength (or sensitivity) and signal stability. therefore the same (S/N = 8 for each). As a result, perfor-
mance should also be the same for the two systems.
For a visual representation of the difference between
sensitivity and detection limit, refer to the signals below. Sensitivity alone cannot be related to system performance,
Signals A and B represent the same concentration and give since it is only an indication of signal strength. Detection
comparable absorbances or signal (S). The sensitivities are, limits are direct indicators of system performance, since both
therefore, the same. However, the better signal stability or detection limits and performance are functions of the signal-
to-noise ratio.

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