- Quantitative determination of major and trace elemental consituents in various sample types

- Qualitative elemental analysis

- Rapid determination of concentrations of alloying elements in steels and other alloys

- Elemental analysis of geological materials

- Determination of trace impurity concentrations in semiconductor materials

- Wear metals analysis in oils

- Determination of alkali and alkaline earth concentrations in aqueous samples

- Determination of calcium in cement

- Form: Conducting solids (arcs, sparks, glow discharges), powders (arcs), and solutions (flames)

- Size: Depends on specific technique; from approximately 10 ^-6 g to several grams

- Preparation: Machining or grinding (metals), dissolution (for flames), and digestion or ashing (organic samples)

- Some elements are difficult or impossible to determine, such as nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, halogens, and noble gases

- Sample form must be compatible with specific technique

- All methods provide matrix-dependent responses

- 30 s to several hours, depending on sample preparation requirements

- X-ray fluorescence: Bulk and minor constituent elemental analysis; requires sophisticated data reduction for quantitative analysis; not useful for light elements (atomic number 9)

- Inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy: Rapid quantitative elemental analysis with parts per billion detection limits; samples must be in solution; not useful for hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, halides, and noble gases

- Direct-current plasma emission spectroscopy: Similar in performance to inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy

- Atomic absorption spectroscopy: Favorable sensitivity and precision for most elements; single-channel technique; inefficient for multielement analysis