Method and apparatus for concentrating a selected element for atomic spectroscopy

A method and apparatus are disclosed for concentrating a selected element of a sample in a furnace or electrothermal atomizer for atomic spectroscopy. The apparatus includes a heating receptacle comprised of materials capable of withstanding the temperatures of atomization of such a sample. The apparatus further includes a means for heating the receptacle to the temperatures of atomization and a means for selectively cooling a selected location of the receptacle to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the desired element in order to selectively condense the element at the location. The method includes the steps of heating a sample within a heating chamber to a temperature above the vaporization temperature of the selected element or species containing the selected element, maintaining or cooling a selected location of the heating chamber or furnace to a temperature below the vaporization temperature of the selected element in order to condense the selected element at the desired location, removing much of the remaining vaporized portion of the sample and particulate matter from the heating chamber, and then reheating the selected location to vaporize the element for measurement by spectroscopy.