Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, AAS
The Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) is a precision analytical instrument used for the quantitative determination of metal and metalloid elements in samples, based on the principle that ground-state atoms absorb light at characteristic wavelengths. Since its introduction in the 1950s, it has become the "gold standard" for trace and ultra-trace metal analysis in fields such as environmental monitoring, food safety, pharmaceutical and healthcare, geology and mining, petrochemicals, and materials science. Its core advantages include high selectivity (each element has a specific absorption line), high sensitivity (achieving detection limits down to ppb or even ppt levels), and relatively straightforward operation.