Method properties
Atomic absorption spectrometry

In SAAF, sensitivity is usually expressed in terms of characteristic concentration. This represents the concentration, in mg/dm ³, or µg/dm³, which produces an absorption signal with a value of 0.0044 uA (corresponding to an absorption of 1% of the light emitted). Due to the introduction of a precise sample mass into the atomizer, SAAE sensitivity is represented by the analyte mass that generates a signal of 0.0044 uA in peak height or 0.0044 uA · s in peak area. This is the characteristic mass (m₀), which is usually expressed in picograms (1 pg = 10 ^-12 g).

Sensitivities in SAAF and SAAE are shown for some elements in the table