Flame Photometer: Principle,

Components & Working

Procedure

(DSE2, for semester V)

11.02.2021

By
Dr Subhra Mishra
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry
Kharagpur College
Introduction:
• During 1980s Bowling Barnes, David Richardson, John Berry and Robert
Hood developed an instrument to measure the low concentrations of
sodium and potassium in a solution.
• They named this instrument as Flame photometer.
• The principle of flame photometer is based on the measurement of the
emitted light intensity when a metal is introduced into the flame.
• The wavelength of the colour gives information about the element and the
colour of the flame gives information about the amount of the element
present in the sample.

• Flame photometry is one of the branches of atomic absorption

spectroscopy.
• It is also known as flame emission spectroscopy.
• Currently, it has become a necessary tool in the field of analytical
chemistry
• Flame photometer can be used to determine the concentration of
certain metal ions like sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium and cesium
etc.
• In flame photometer spectra the metal ions are used in the form of
atoms.
Principle of Flame photometer

• The compounds of the alkali and alkaline earth

metals (Group II) dissociate into atoms when
introduced into the flame.
• Some of these atoms further get excited to even
higher levels. But these atoms are not stable at
higher levels.

• Hence, these atoms emit radiations when returning

back to the ground state. These radiations
generally lie in the visible region of the spectrum.
Each of the alkali and alkaline earth metals has a
specific wavelength.

For certain concentration ranges,

The intensity of the emission is directly proportional to the number of atoms returning
to the ground state. And the light emitted is in turn proportional to the concentration
of the sample.
Parts of flame photometer
A simple flame photometer consists of the following basic components:

Source of flame: A Burner in the flame photometer is the source of flame. It can be
maintained in at a constant temperature. The temperature of the flame is one of the
critical factors in flame photometry.
Ex: Total consumption burner, laminar flow burner

TOTAL CONSUMPTION BURNER

• Due to the high pressure of fuel and oxidant the sample solution is aspirate
through capillary and burnt at the tip of burner
• Hydrogen and oxygen are generally employed as fuel and oxidant.
• The advantage over other is the entire consumption of sample,
• It’s dis advantage is the production of non uniform flame and turbulent.
PREMIX BURNER
• Inthis burner the sample , fuel oxidant are
thoroughly mixed before aspiration and reaching to
flame
• The main advantage of is the uniformity of flame
produced.
• The main disadvantage is the heavy loss of mix up
to 95%.
Simple colour filters: The reflections from the mirror pass through the slit and reach the
filters. Filters will isolate the wavelength to be measured from that of irrelevant emissions.
A simple flame photometer contains a filter wheel and when a particular elements has to
be analysed the specific filter is selected.

Photo-detector: The intensity of radiation emitted by the flame is measured by photo

detector. The radiation emitted by the elements is mostly in the visible region. Hence
conventional detectors like photo voltaic cell or photo tubes can be used. In a flame
spectrophotometer, photomultiplier tube is used as detector. These electrical signals are
directly proportional to the intensity of light.
Working procedure:

• Both the standard stock solution and sample solution are prepared in fresh distilled water.

• The flame of the photometer is calibrated by adjusting the air and gas. Then the flame is
allowed to stabilize for about 5 min.
• Now the instrument is switched on and the lids of the filter chamber are opened to insert
appropriate colour filters.
• The readings of the galvanometer are adjusted to zero by spraying distilled water into
the flame.
• The sensitivity is adjusted by spraying the most concentrated standard working solution
into the flame. Now the full scale deflection of the galvanometer is recorded.
• Again distilled water is sprayed into the flame to attain constant readings of
galvanometer. Then the galvanometer is readjusted to zero.

• Now each of the standard working solutions is sprayed into the flame for three times
and the readings of galvanometer are recorded. After each spray, the apparatus must
be thoroughly washed.
 Liquid sample
↓
Formation of droplets
↓
Fine residue
↓
Formation of neutral atoms
↓
Excitation of atoms by thermal energy
↓
Emission of radiation of specific wavelength
↓
λ& Intensity of emitted radiation measured
• Calculate the mean of the galvanometer reading.
• Plot the graph of concentration against the galvanometer reading to find out the
concentration of the element in the sample.
The oxidants in flame photometer are mainly air, oxygen or nitrous oxide. The temperature
of the flame depends on the ratio of fuel and oxidant.
The processes occurring during flame photometer analysis are summarized below:

Desolvation: Desolvation involves drying a sample in a solution. The metal particles in the
solvent are dehydrated by the flame and thus solvent is evaporated.

Vaporization: The metal particles in the sample are also dehydrated. This also led to the
evaporation of the solvent.

Atomization: Atomization is the separation of all atoms in a chemical substance. The metal
ions in the sample are reduced to metal atoms by the flame.

Excitation: The electrostatic force of attraction between the electrons and nucleus of the atom
helps them to absorb a particular amount of energy. The atoms then jump to the higher
energy state when excited.

Emission: Since the higher energy state is unstable the atoms jump back to the ground state
or low energy state to gain stability. This jumping of atoms emits radiation with characteristic
wavelength. The radiation is measured by the photo detector.
Scheibe-Lomakin equation describes intensity of light emitted with the help of following
formula:
I = k × cn
Where:
I = Intensity of emitted light
c = Concentration of the element
k = Proportionality constant
At the linear part of the calibration curve n~1,
then I = k × c. In other words, the intensity of emitted light is directly related to
the concentration of the sample.
Applications of flame photometer
• Flame photometer can be applied both for quantitative and qualitative
analysis of elements. The radiations emitted by the flame photometer are
characteristic to particular metal. Hence with the help of Flame photometer
we can detect the presence of any specific element in the given sample.

• The presence of some group II elements is critical for soil health. We can
determine the presence of various alkali and alkaline earth metals in soil
sample by conducting flame test and then the soil can be supplied with
specific fertiliser.

• The concentrations of Na+ and K+ ions are very important in the human body
for conducting various metabolic functions. Their concentrations can be
determined by diluting and aspirating blood serum sample into the flame.

• Soft drinks, fruit juices and alcoholic beverages can also be analysed by
using flame photometry to determine the concentrations of various metals
and elements.
• Used in determination of calcium and magnesium in cement.
• Used in determination of lead in petrol.
 Advantages of flame photometer

• The method of analysis is very simple and economical.

• It is quick, convenient, selective and sensitive analysis.

• It is both and qualitative and quantitative in nature.

• Even very low concentrations (parts per million/ppm to parts per billion/ppb
range) of metals in the sample can be determined.

• This method compensates for any unexpected interfering material present in the
sample solution.

• This method can be used to estimate elements which are rarely analysed.
Disadvantages of flame photometer
In spite of many advantages, this analysis technique has quite a few disadvantages:

• The accurate concentration of the metal ion in the solution cannot be measured.

• It cannot directly detect and determine the presence of inert gases.

• Though this technique measures the total metal content present in the sample, it does not
provide the information about the molecular structure of the metal present in the sample.

• Only liquid samples may be used. Also sample preparation becomes lengthy in some
cases.

• Flame photometry cannot be used for the direct determination of each and every metal
atom. A number of metal atoms cannot be analysed by this method. The elements such
as carbon, hydrogen and halides cannot be detected due to their non-radiating nature.