Glossary
Elemental digestion before analysis

Instrumental blank; instrumental blank

Quantity of material measured in the absence of sample introduction. Instrumental blank may result from a memory effect.

Preparation blank

Quantity of material measured after the complete chemical protocol has been followed in the absence of a sample. The preparation blank may result from contamination of reagents, laboratory equipment or the working environment.

Nugget effect

High concentration of certain elements in a small area of a material.

Flux; flux

Substance used to facilitate the fusion of certain bodies.

Alkaline fusion; alkali fusion

Method of dissolving major, minor or trace elements by mixing a flux with a sample.

ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy)

Spectrometer used to characterize materials by measuring the radiation emitted after excitation.