Automatic flow system for the sequential determination of copper in serum and urine by flame atomic absorption spectrometry Original Research Article

In this work, a fully automated flow system exploiting the advantages of the association of multi-pumping, multicommutation, binary sampling and merging zones, to accomplish the sequential determination of copper in serum and urine by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, is described. The developed flow system allowed multiple tasks, such as serum samples preparation (samples and standard solutions viscosity adjustment), serum copper (SCu) measurement, urine copper (UCu) pre-concentration and its subsequent elution and measurement, to be carried out sequentially. The implemented flow manifold presented a modular configuration consisting on two quasi-independent modules, each one accountable for a specific sample manipulation and whose combined operation under computer control enabled the determination of copper in a wide concentrations range.