A Guide to Flame Photometer Analysis

The estimation of the alkali metals by flame photometry is by far its most important application in routine chemical analysis. For this widespread requirement, low temperature flame photometry provides the most reliable and convenient procedure available. This technique has considerable appeal; in the clinical chemistry field it provides a rapid and reliable means of estimating Sodium, Potassium and Lithium in body fluids. However, the estimation of the alkali and alkaline earth metals is commonly required in a simple matrix, which does not lend itself to simple and direct analysis involving only a dilution step, e.g. Sodium in fuel oil. This application note provides an overview to the successful analysis of a wide variety of sample media by providing in detail a large selection of procedures using flame photometry from which other methodologies may be appended with relative ease.