Definition of Atomic absorption spectroscopy

Although atomic absorption spectroscopy dates to the nineteenth century, the modern form was largely developed during the 1950s by a team of Australian chemists. They were led by Alan Walsh and worked at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation) Division of Chemical Physics in Melbourne, Australia. The technique typically makes use of a flame to atomize the sample, but other atomizers such as a graphite furnace are also used. Three steps are involved in turning a liquid sample into an atomic gas:

1. Desolvation – the liquid  solvent is evaporated, and the dry sample remains
2. Vaporisation – the solid sample vaporises to a gas
3. Volatilisation – the compounds making up the sample are broken into free  atoms.