Use of silicon photovoltaic cells to provide a second channel in flame emission photometry.

Sodium and potassium may be measured simultaneously, using a modified Eppendorf flame photometer. After automatic sampling and dilution of the plasma, the potassium content is measured, using the existing Eppendorf optical and photomultiplier system. The sodium emission is measured by three silicon photovoltaic cells mounted behind an interference filter for sodium, sited on the atomiser casing. The outputs from the photomultiplier and from the silicon cells are recorded by two sensitive recorders. Sixty samples an hour may be estimated, using only 0.12 ml. plasma. Reproducibility tests showed a coefficient of variation of 0.4%.