Method for displaying absorbance curve of absorbance photometer, absorbance photometer, and program

Abstract

Provided are a method for displaying an absorbance curve of an absorbance photometer, an absorbance photometer, and a program, whereby an absorbance curve with time as the horizontal axis can be displayed so as to be recognizable for each of the measured elements when two or more elements are continuously measured using the absorbance photometer. A method for displaying an absorbance curve using an absorbance photometer, which displays on a screen an absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using an absorbance photometer, said method comprising repeating the following steps for two or more types of elements: a step for heating and atomizing the sample; a step for detecting the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with measurement light corresponding to the element to be measured; a step for determining the absorbance of the element on the basis of the detected amount of transmitted light and a reference amount of light determined in advance; and a step for generating an absorbance curve showing the change in absorbance over time, and displaying the absorbance curve on a screen in a display manner so as to distinguish each of the measured elements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for displaying absorbance curves of an absorbance spectrophotometer, an absorbance spectrophotometer, and a program. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, the display of results from flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAS) measurements was simply a line plotting the real-time signal with time on the horizontal axis and absorbance on the vertical axis (hereinafter referred to as the absorbance curve). Since conventional FAS measurements were performed for each element, this method of displaying absorbance curves was not particularly problematic. However, in recent years, flame atomic absorption spectrophotometers capable of continuously measuring two or more elements have been used. In the case of these spectrophotometers, two or more elements are measured continuously while a single sample is attracted, thus continuously displaying the signal for each element. Therefore, if continuous measurements are performed using the existing method of displaying absorbance curves, it becomes impossible to distinguish which curve is associated with which element. This same problem of elemental indistinguishment arises when displaying absorbance curves using analytical devices other than FAS.

[0003] Typically, as a prior art for visually displaying designated elements on a curve, there is, for example, the technology described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which, corresponding to the designation of two or more elements by a designation unit, a display instruction is output to a display unit to simultaneously overlay two or more markers on the curve, showing the positions of the logical wavelengths or theoretical energy values ​​of the spectra emitted by each designated element, thereby enabling the simultaneous display of markers corresponding to two or more elements.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-318836 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, while Patent Document 1 mentions a spectrum with the horizontal axis set to wavelength or energy level, it does not mention a curve with the horizontal axis set to time.

[0009] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a method, spectrophotometer, and program for displaying absorbance curves of a spectrophotometer, which can display absorbance curves with time as the horizontal axis in a recognizable manner for each element being measured when continuously measuring two or more elements using the spectrophotometer.

[0010] Methods for solving problems

[0011] The present invention comprises the following components.

[0012] (1) A method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer, wherein the method displays the absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using a spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein,

[0013] Repeat the following steps for two or more of the above elements:

[0014] The step of heating the above sample to atomize it;

[0015] The step of detecting the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the measuring light corresponding to the above-mentioned elements to be measured.

[0016] The step of determining the absorbance of the above elements based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount; and

[0017] The step of generating an absorbance curve showing the time-varying absorbance described above.

[0018] Furthermore, the absorbance curves described above are displayed on the screen in a manner that distinguishes each of the aforementioned elements as measured.

[0019] (2) A spectrophotometer that displays an absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using the spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein,

[0020] This spectrophotometer has the following features:

[0021] The heating section heats the sample to atomize it;

[0022] The spectrometer extracts the measurement light corresponding to the elements being measured.

[0023] The detection unit measures the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the aforementioned measurement light.

[0024] The absorbance calculation unit calculates the absorbance of the element based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount.

[0025] The curve generation unit generates an absorbance curve showing the time-varying change of the aforementioned absorbance; and

[0026] The display unit displays the information of the absorbance curve output from the curve generation unit on the screen.

[0027] The curve generation unit displays the absorbance curve on the screen of the display unit in a display mode that distinguishes each of the measured elements.

[0028] (3) A program for performing the steps of a method for displaying the absorbance curve of an absorbance spectrophotometer, wherein the method displays the absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using an absorbance spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein...

[0029] The above procedure is used to cause the computer to perform the following steps repeatedly on two or more of the above elements:

[0030] The step of heating the above sample to atomize it;

[0031] The step of detecting the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the measuring light corresponding to the above-mentioned elements to be measured.

[0032] The step of determining the absorbance of the above elements based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount; and

[0033] The step of generating an absorbance curve showing the time-varying absorbance described above.

[0034] And perform the step of displaying the above absorbance curve on the above screen in a display manner that distinguishes each of the above elements measured.

[0035] Invention Effects

[0036] According to the present invention, when two or more elements are continuously measured using an absorbance spectrophotometer, an absorbance curve with time as the horizontal axis can be displayed identibly for each element measured. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of an example method for displaying absorbance curves using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display screen displaying an absorbance curve on the display unit.

[0040] Figure 4 This is an illustrative diagram (1) that partially shows an example of how the absorbance curves are displayed differently for each analyte.

[0041] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram (Figure 2) that partially shows an example of how the absorbance curves are displayed differently for each analyte.

[0042] Figure 6This is an explanatory diagram (3) that partially shows an example of how the absorbance curves are displayed differently for each analyte.

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a display screen that shows an absorbance curve differentiated by color for each measured element and displays its color.

[0044] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing a display screen in which the background of the display area of ​​the absorbance curve is distinguished by color.

[0045] Figure 9 This is a flowchart showing the steps of continuously measuring two or more elements on two or more samples.

[0046] Figure 10 It shows the display of the data generated by [the relevant entity]. Figure 9 The diagram shows an example of an absorbance curve obtained from the steps shown.

[0047] Figure 11 This is an explanatory diagram showing how to selectively extract and display the results of measurements on a specific element from the information obtained from absorbance curves obtained from measuring more than two samples.

[0048] Figure 12 It shows that Figure 11 The diagram shows the results of measurements for a specific element, displayed in addition to the time axis information, categorized by each element. Detailed Implementation

[0049] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are for illustrating one embodiment of the present invention and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention. Furthermore, not all structures described in each embodiment are necessarily necessary to solve the problems of the present invention. In addition, in each drawing, the same reference numerals are used to label the same structural elements, thereby showing the correspondence.

[0050] <First Implementation>

[0051] Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer will be used as an example of an absorbance spectrophotometer, but the types of absorbance spectrophotometers are not limited to this.

[0052] (Structure of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer)

[0053] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100. The atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 is configured to include a control unit 101, an operation unit 102, a display unit 103, a storage unit 104, an IF (interface) unit 105, and a measurement unit 110.

[0054] The control unit 101 provides overall control of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100. The control unit 101 performs analysis and processing, for example, based on instructions from the measurement unit 110 regarding sample measurement actions and the obtained measurement results. The control unit 101 can be configured to include devices such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 101 can also be configured to perform various functions by reading and executing various programs stored in the storage unit 104.

[0055] Furthermore, the control unit 101 receives setting parameters and various information via the operation unit 102, and operates the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 based on this information. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the control unit 101, which controls each part of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100, is used to comprehensively control each part. However, it is also possible to configure a separate control unit for each part, which cooperate to operate the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100. Additionally, this embodiment shows an example of a device structure where the control unit 101 and the measurement unit 110 are integrated. However, this is not a limitation; the control unit (e.g., an information processing device) and the measurement unit can also be configured as separate devices, which cooperate to perform the operations described later.

[0056] The operation unit 102 includes a user interface (UI) for receiving various instructions and settings from the user of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100. The display unit 103 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display panel that displays measurement results, input parameters, etc. It should be noted that a touch panel display, etc., integrating the operation unit 102 and the display unit 103, can also be used. The storage unit 104 is a storage area that holds various programs, setting data, databases, measurement data, etc., used in the measurement operations of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100. The storage unit 104 is, for example, composed of storage devices including HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The input / output unit 105 is an input / output interface consisting of a communication unit or the like for communicating with external devices.

[0057] The measuring unit 110 measures the sample based on instructions from the control unit 101. The measuring unit 110 is configured to include a hollow cathode lamp 111, a burner 112, a diffraction grating 113, a slit 114, and a detector 115. In addition, two or more reflective members are provided in the optical path of the light from the hollow cathode lamp 111, which serves as the light source.

[0058] The hollow cathode lamp 111 functions as a bright light source for the measuring unit 110 and can be installed and removed from its fixed socket. The hollow cathode lamp 111 is a hollow cathode lamp that emits the inherent bright line spectrum of the metal element used in the hollow cathode; two or more types of lamps exist corresponding to the type of element used in the cathode. In this embodiment, two or more types of hollow cathode lamps 111 can be installed simultaneously, and the hollow cathode lamp 111 used can be switched according to the element of the object being measured. The hollow cathode lamp 111 controls the amount and timing of emitted light based on instructions from the control unit 101.

[0059] The burner 112 has the function of burning the sample to be measured into an atomic state, and operates as an atomization unit using the so-called flame method. Here, the flame method is used as an example of atomization method for the sample, but it is not limited to this. Other atomization methods can be cited, such as the graphite furnace method, the hydride generation method, or the reductive vaporization method. The sample atomized by the burner 112 is irradiated with light based on the bright line spectrum of the hollow cathode lamp 111.

[0060] The diffraction grating 113 functions as a beam splitter, separating light to obtain monochromatic light of the desired wavelength. The diffraction grating 113 is configured such that the angle of light reception can be adjusted under the control of the control unit 101. More specifically, the diffraction grating 113 is mounted on a rotary drive mechanism (not shown), and the orientation of the grating surface of the diffraction grating 113 is changed by driving the rotary drive mechanism, thereby extracting monochromatic light of any wavelength from the incident light. The rotary drive mechanism may include, for example, a motor and a reduction gear mechanism. It should be noted that... Figure 1 In the example of the beam splitter shown, a reflective diffraction grating is illustrated, but a transmissive diffraction grating or a prism, or other beam splitting element, can also be used. The slit 114 adjusts the resolution of the measurement unit 110. The slit 114 is configured to function in the optical paths before and after the diffraction grating 113, adjusting the resolution of the measurement unit 110 in each optical path. The detector 115 receives light from the slit 114 and detects its intensity. The parameters of the detected light intensity are communicated to the control unit 101.

[0061] Therefore, in the measuring unit 110 of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 of this embodiment, the light of the bright line spectrum emitted from the hollow cathode lamp 111 forms an optical path that passes sequentially through the sample atomized by the burner 112, the slit 114, the diffraction grating 113, the slit 114, and the detector 115.

[0062] (Control parameters)

[0063] The atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 (flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer) of this embodiment can continuously measure two or more elements in a single sample, and appropriate control parameters are set according to the element being measured. These control parameters include various settings such as the measurement wavelength, the slit width of the slit 114, the flow rate of the fuel gas in the burner 112, the type of hollow cathode lamp 111 used for measurement, the lighting current of the hollow cathode lamp 111, and the applied voltage of the detector 115. It should be noted that the settings are not limited to these, and sometimes other settings are also included.

[0064] Specific actions to change the control parameters of the above-mentioned settings include, for example, adjusting the flow rate of fuel gas supplied to the burner 112 using a valve (not shown); and mechanically controlling the angle of the diffraction grating 113 when setting the measurement wavelength according to the element being measured. Furthermore, by performing various actions such as changing the slit width based on the rotation of the slit 114, installing or removing the hollow cathode lamp 111, adjusting the lighting current based on the current adjustment unit (not shown), and changing the voltage applied to the detector 115 based on the voltage adjustment unit (not shown), the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 is changed to measurement conditions corresponding to each control parameter.

[0065] <First Implementation>

[0066] (Control Processing)

[0067] The absorbance of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer based on this embodiment is generally measured according to the following steps (1) to (5).

[0068] (1) The sample is heated to atomize the elements.

[0069] (2) Detect the transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized element with the measuring light corresponding to the measured element.

[0070] (3) The absorbance of an element is determined based on the amount of transmitted light detected and the amount of reference light calculated in advance.

[0071] (4) Generate an absorbance curve showing the time change of absorbance.

[0072] (5) Repeatedly perform (2) and (3) on two or more of the above elements.

[0073] (6) Display the absorbance curve on the screen in a way that distinguishes each element measured.

[0074] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of an example method for displaying absorbance curves using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The steps of this process can be... Figure 1 The control unit 101 shown reads and executes the program stored in the storage unit 104, or it can be executed manually.

[0075] First, the control unit 101 receives the instructions related to the measurement and sets the measurement conditions (step S1, hereinafter referred to as S1). The instructions related to the measurement here may include the designation of the element to be measured, the measurement order, etc. There are no particular limitations on the element to be measured, for example, at least one of the 69 elements (Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Te, Cs, Ba, La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Th, U) that are designated as metallic elements. Regarding the instructions related to the measurement, for example, the control unit 101 can provide a UI (User Interface) screen to the user via the display unit 103, and the instructions can be generated based on the information entered by the user observing the UI screen. Alternatively, the instructions related to the measurement can be received based on information registered in a pre-set list.

[0076] Then, based on the received instructions, the control unit 101 sets the measurement sequence and control parameters for the specified measurement elements. If the control parameters corresponding to the above-mentioned measurement elements are stored as a database (DB) in the storage unit 104, the control unit 101 can read them from the storage unit 104 and set the control parameters corresponding to the measurement elements specified in S1.

[0077] Next, the control unit 101 adjusts each part of the measurement unit 110 according to the set measurement sequence and control parameters of the measured elements (S2). That is, the measurement unit 110 adjusts the type of hollow cathode lamp 111 used for measurement, the lighting current of the hollow cathode lamp 111, the setting of the measurement wavelength based on the diffraction grating 113, the slit width of the slit 114, the flow rate of the fuel gas in the burner 112, the applied voltage of the detector 115, etc., to achieve measurement conditions corresponding to the initially measured elements.

[0078] When the adjustment is complete, the measuring unit 110 detects the reference light intensity (S3) which serves as the reference for the light intensity via the detector 115. This reference light intensity is the light intensity detected under conditions where a blank solution without the element to be measured, such as pure water, is supplied; for example, the light intensity at the measurement wavelength emitted from a hollow cathode lamp is detected. This reference light intensity information is input to the control unit 101 as the baseline BL1 of the absorbance curve (reference). Figure 2 Import information based on the provided data.

[0079] Then, the measuring unit 110 mixes the atomized sample with fuel gas (and combustion-supporting gas) and delivers it to the burner 112, using the flame of the burner 112 to heat the sample and atomize the elements (S4).

[0080] Next, the measuring unit 110 begins to output the detection data detected by the detector 115 to the control unit 101 (S5). That is, the transmitted light obtained by irradiating the flame containing the sample with the emitted light from the hollow cathode lamp 111 passes through the slit 114 and the diffraction grating 113 and is detected by the detector 115. Then, the control unit 101 receives the measurement result of the amount of detection light output from the detector 115, and the control unit 101 begins to measure the absorbance based on the obtained detection data (S6).

[0081] The absorbance measurement performed by the control unit 101 identifies the type of analyte and other detection data (S7). Following a pre-set measurement order for the analytes, absorbance curves are generated sequentially, with the display mode corresponding to the type of analyte. The absorbance curve information generated by the control unit 101 is output to the display unit 103, which displays the input absorbance curve information on a monitor (S8). For this measurement operation performed by the measurement unit 110 and the control unit 101, the output of detection data and the generation and display of the absorbance curve Prf are continuously performed in real time during a predetermined measurement period for each analyte. Then, after the predetermined measurement period, if there is an analyte to be measured next, preparation for that analyte measurement begins, and the above measurement operation is repeated until the measurement of all analytes is completed (S9, S10).

[0082] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display screen DS1 displaying the absorbance curve Prf on the display unit 103. The display screen DS1 shown here includes a graph of the absorbance curve Prf, with time representing the horizontal axis and absorbance representing the vertical axis. Here, the transition period Tp from time t0 to t1 until the detection data stabilizes is not treated as absorbance measurement data for the measured element (the initial measured element: Ni).

[0083] In the DS1 display screen, the absorbance curves Prf are distinguished by different colors for each element being measured. For example, if the order of element measurement is Ni, Na, Cd, Pb, K, Cr, the portion of the absorbance curve Prf corresponding to Ni is displayed in black (Bk). Furthermore, Na, measured subsequently, is displayed in red (RD), Cd in blue (BL), Pb in purple (VL), K in green (GR), and Cr in pink (PK). It should be noted that... Figure 4In order to simplify the explanation, the absorbance curves Prf of each measured element are schematically shown with a certain absorbance by a thick solid line, but in reality, the curves showing the same measured values ​​as Tp during the transition period are displayed.

[0084] In the above-described measurement and display steps, after continuing the measurement of the initial element (Ni) and the display of the absorbance curve Prf, the measurement unit 110 adjusts each part of the measurement unit 110 to the measurement conditions corresponding to the next element (Na) according to the predetermined measurement sequence of the elements (S10). Then, the steps from the atomization of the elements for each element to the display of the absorbance curve Prf performed by the measurement unit 110, the control unit 101, and the display unit 103 are repeated (S4 to S8).

[0085] After all elements have been measured, the measuring unit 110 preferably detects a reference light quantity (S11) that serves as a reference for the light quantity using the detector 115. This reference light quantity, together with the result measured in step S3, serves as the baseline BL2 of the absorbance curve Prf (refer to...). Figure 3 Import information based on the provided data.

[0086] After implementing the above steps, Figure 3 The entire absorbance curve Prf is displayed on the display unit 103. According to this display method, even when two or more elements are measured consecutively, the absorbance curve Prf is displayed in a different color for each element. That is, the absorbance curve Prf is displayed separately for each element, allowing the user to clearly distinguish the measurement results for each element. As a result, even when measuring two or more elements consecutively, the absorbance curve Prf can easily identify the measurement results for each element, preventing the user from misidentifying the type of element. Furthermore, since the measurement results for two or more elements of the same sample can be confirmed simultaneously, it is easy to determine whether the intensity of the absorbance curve Prf relative to the baseline BsL (the line connecting baselines BL1 and BL2) originates from the sample. Moreover, by including the initial transition period Tp in the absorbance curve Prf, the reliability of the measurement results for the element can be easily confirmed.

[0087] It should be noted that, regarding the color differentiation of the measured elements, the greater the difference in at least one of the hue, chroma, and brightness of adjacent colors in the measurement order, the easier they are to identify, and therefore, this is preferred.

[0088] Figures 4-6 This is an illustrative diagram that partially shows examples of how the absorbance curves Prf are displayed differently for each analyte. Besides, as shown... Figure 4As shown in the DS1 display, in addition to displaying the absorbance curve Prf in different colors for each range C1, C2, C3 of each measured element, it can also be displayed as follows: Figure 5 As shown in the DS2 display, the absorbance curve Prf is set to display different line types for each element measured. The line types can include solid lines, dotted lines, dashed lines, single-dotted lines, double-dotted lines, etc., as well as varying line thicknesses. In this case, since the measurement order is known, the different colors and line types of the absorbance curve Prf indicate when the measured element has been switched, clearly indicating which part of the absorbance curve Prf represents the measurement result of which element.

[0089] Alternatively, it can be like Figure 6 As shown in the DS3 display, labels indicating the element name are displayed for each measured element. For example, the portions of the absorbance curve Prf that indicate the measurements of Ni, Na, and Cd are indicated by leaders, arrows, etc., and the name, symbol, and other information of the measured element are displayed at the base of the leaders or arrows. In other words, the identification information corresponding to the measured element is added to the absorbance curve Prf for display. Figure 6 The image displays the absorbance curves Prf for the measured elements, including "Ni", "Na", and "Cd", allowing users to easily understand the corresponding absorbance curves.

[0090] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an example of a display screen DS4 showing the absorbance curve Prf differentiated by color for each measured element and displaying its color. Figure 7 also with Figure 3 Similarly, the color distinctions of the absorbance curve Prf are schematically represented using thick lines, but in reality, the display color of the absorbance curve Prf varies depending on the element being measured. The absorbance curve Prf itself and... Figure 3 The same applies as shown, so its description is omitted. In this display screen DS4, the legend 11, which serves as identification information, is arranged from top to bottom according to the measurement order of each measurement element. Regarding the display of the measurement elements in legend 11, if all measurement elements are displayed on the screen from the start of the measurement, the user can easily grasp the progress of the measurement, such as which element the current measurement is in the overall measurement. Alternatively, only the measured elements may be displayed in legend 11; there is no particular limitation on the display method.

[0091] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of display screen DS5, which shows the background of the display area for the absorbance curve Prf differentiated by color. As described above, as the measurement proceeds, the absorbance curve Prf is displayed sequentially along the horizontal axis (time axis) on the display screen according to the measurement order of the measured elements. In this display screen DS5, the absorbance curve Prf is... Figure 3The background (substrate) of each measurement element's display interval, arranged along the horizontal axis (t1-t2, t2-t3, t3-t4, etc.), is set to a different color depending on the measurement element. Thus, the absorbance curves Prf are displayed sequentially on different colored substrates for each measurement element. In this case, the absorbance curves Prf can be displayed in a monochrome format as before, or they can be set to a color that is easily visually identifiable based on the background color. In addition to setting the background to different colors, it can also be set to different concentrations (depths), patterns (e.g., checkered patterns, square patterns, etc.), or at least one of the colors, concentrations, and patterns can be different.

[0092] The above absorbance curve Prf can also be displayed by combining the above-mentioned color differentiation, line type changes, labels, legends, backgrounds, etc.

[0093] <Second Implementation Method>

[0094] In the first embodiment, an example of continuously measuring two or more elements in a single sample is shown. Next, in the second embodiment, an example of continuously measuring two or more elements in two or more samples will be described.

[0095] Figure 9 This is a flowchart showing the steps of continuously measuring two or more elements on two or more samples to obtain the absorbance curves Prf. Figure 10 It shows the display of the data generated by [the relevant entity]. Figure 9 The illustrated steps are shown in the schematic diagram of an example of the display screen of the absorbance curve Prf obtained by the steps shown in DS6.

[0096] Figure 9 The flowchart shown includes step S21 for measuring two or more test samples in the setting of the measurement conditions, and is consistent with the first embodiment described above. Figure 2 Except for the fact that, after steps S2 to S9, two or more samples are continuously measured through steps S22, S23, and S24 (S24 is the same as S11), it is similar to... Figure 2 The flowchart shown is the same. Therefore, steps S21, S22, and subsequent steps are explained here.

[0097] In this embodiment, in S21, the number of samples to be measured is set, and the elements to be measured and the measurement order of each element are specified as described above. Then, for the first sample to be measured, after the measurement of all predetermined elements is completed (S10), the measured sample is replaced with the next prepared sample (S22, S23). Next, following the same steps as for the first sample to be measured, the measuring unit 110 is adjusted according to the elements to be measured (S10), and the processing of steps S4 to S9 is performed. Then, absorbance curves Prf for two or more samples and two or more elements are generated sequentially and continuously, and the generated absorbance curves Prf are displayed on the display unit 103.

[0098] Thus, for example, the results of determining two or more elements in a total of five samples SP1 to SP5 become Figure 10 The display screen DS6 is shown. In the absorbance curve Prf on the DS6 display screen, the measurement results for samples SP1 to SP5 are arranged in their measurement order. Within each sample, the measurement results for two or more elements are arranged in their measurement order. Thus, the absorbance curve Prf becomes a continuous curve showing the measurement results for two or more elements according to the number of samples. In this case, the absorbance curve Prf is also displayed in a way that differentiates each measured element by color, allowing the user to easily identify the type of measured element. Furthermore, based on the repetition period of the color-differentiated curves arranged in the measurement order, the measured samples SP1 to SP5 can be easily identified. It should be noted that the initial sample SP1 can also be used as the sample for setting the baseline BsL.

[0099] The above are examples of displaying the absorbance curve Prf by color differentiation. However, it can also be used to display changes in the above line types, labels, legends, backgrounds, etc., or they can be combined appropriately for display.

[0100] The atomic absorption spectrophotometer of this embodiment has the function of measuring two or more samples using the measuring unit 110 while simultaneously displaying the absorbance curve Prf generated by the control unit 101 in real time on the display unit 103. In addition, the control unit 101 may further have the following function: after measuring two or more samples, storing the information of the obtained absorbance curve Prf as curve data in the storage unit 104, and reading out the curve data after measurement and reproducing it on the display unit 103.

[0101] In this case, curve data can also be generated that stores information such as the absorbance curve Prf under display modes differentiated by color and for each measured element. Alternatively, information such as the detection data of the absorbance curve Prf can be generated as curve data, and additional metadata can be generated to change the display mode for each measured element. In the latter case, since the display mode information does not affect the raw absorbance data, the display mode can be easily changed to any other display mode, improving the convenience of data confirmation after measurement.

[0102] In addition, the content displayed by reproducing the absorbance curve Prf stored in the curve data can be in various ways.

[0103] Figure 11 This diagram illustrates how to selectively extract and display the results of measurements for a specific element from absorbance curves of two or more samples. In the regeneration display example shown here, the control unit 101 reads the curve data stored in the storage unit 104, extracts only the result for Ni from the stored absorbance curve Prf, and displays the horizontal axis position as is. The types of elements displayed can be arbitrarily set, and the types of samples displayed can also be arbitrarily set.

[0104] Figure 12 It shows that Figure 11 The diagram shown illustrates how the determination results for a specific element are displayed for each element, excluding the time axis information. In this case, the types of elements displayed can be arbitrarily set, as can the displayed samples. This display method facilitates comparison of the determination results for the desired element for each sample.

[0105] <Other Implementation Methods>

[0106] The structure of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 shown in the above embodiment is an example, and further structures can be provided to improve measurement accuracy, measurement sensitivity, etc. For example, the atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 may also include a magnetic field generating unit for generating the Zeeman effect. By performing Zeeman effect-based correction, the signal stabilization time can be shortened, thereby shortening the measurement time (the time required for stabilization) and ensuring data stability. It should be noted that the structure of the magnetic field generating unit for generating the Zeeman effect can use a known structure, for example, it can be configured to include a permanent magnet.

[0107] Furthermore, while the above embodiment uses an atomic absorption spectrophotometer 100 as an example, it is not limited to this and can also be an ICP emission spectrometer (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer; ICP-OES). In this ICP emission spectrometer, for example, argon plasma at 6000–10000 K is used as the light source. A mist-like solution sample is introduced into the plasma to emit the inherent spectrum of the element. The type of element is determined based on the emitted spectrum, and the concentration of the element is calculated based on the intensity of the emitted light. In this device, when continuously measuring two or more elements and displaying the measurement results on the horizontal axis as time, by displaying the absorbance curve differently for each element, the user can clearly identify the measurement results for each element even when continuously measuring two or more elements.

[0108] Furthermore, in this invention, it can also be achieved by the following process: using a network or storage medium, a program (or application) for implementing the functions of one or more of the above embodiments is supplied to the device, and one or more processors in the computer of the device read out and execute the program.

[0109] Alternatively, it can be implemented by a circuit that performs more than one function, instead of a program. It should be noted that examples of circuits that perform more than one function include ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays).

[0110] Thus, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Combining the various components of the embodiments with each other, and making changes and applications by those skilled in the art based on the description in the specification and known technologies, are also part of the present invention and are included within the scope of protection.

[0111] As stated above, the following matters are disclosed in this specification.

[0112] (1) A method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer, wherein the method displays the absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using a spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein,

[0113] Repeat the following steps for two or more of the above elements:

[0114] The step of heating the above sample to atomize it;

[0115] The step of detecting the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the measuring light corresponding to the above-mentioned elements to be measured.

[0116] The step of determining the absorbance of the above elements based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount; and

[0117] The step of generating an absorbance curve showing the time-varying absorbance described above.

[0118] Furthermore, the absorbance curves described above are displayed on the screen in a manner that distinguishes each of the aforementioned elements as measured.

[0119] Based on this configuration, when continuously measuring two or more elements using a spectrophotometer, the absorbance curve with time as the horizontal axis can be displayed on the screen in a way that allows identification of each element being measured.

[0120] (2) The method for displaying the absorbance curve of the spectrophotometer according to (1), wherein,

[0121] The absorbance curves described above were repeatedly generated for two or more of the above samples.

[0122] The above screen displays a merged curve formed by arranging two or more of the aforementioned absorbance curves in the order of measurement.

[0123] Based on this configuration, the absorbance curves of two or more samples are arranged and displayed on the screen in the order of measurement, allowing users to easily identify the type of element being measured. Furthermore, users can easily identify the sample being measured based on the repetition period of the curves arranged in the order of measurement.

[0124] (3) The method for displaying the absorbance curve of the spectrophotometer according to (1) or (2), wherein the display method includes displaying the absorbance curve in different colors for each of the above elements.

[0125] Based on this composition, the absorbance curves for each element are displayed on the screen in different colors, making it easy for users to visually identify the measurement results for each element.

[0126] (4) The method for displaying the absorbance curve of the spectrophotometer according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the display method includes displaying the absorbance curve in different line types for each of the above elements.

[0127] Based on this structure, the absorbance curves for each element are displayed on the screen using different line types, making it easy for users to visually identify the measurement results for each element.

[0128] (5) A method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the display method includes a method of displaying by adding identification information corresponding to the above-mentioned elements to the absorbance curve.

[0129] Based on this structure, the identification information of each element is displayed on the screen, so users can easily visually identify the measurement results of each element.

[0130] (6) A method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the display mode includes a mode for displaying the background of the display portion of each of the above elements in at least one of different colors, concentrations, and patterns.

[0131] Based on this structure, different backgrounds are displayed on the screen for each element, making it easy for users to visually identify the measurement results for each element.

[0132] (7) The method for displaying the absorbance curve of the spectrophotometer according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the reference light intensity is measured at any of the following times: before the initial measurement of the element, or both before the initial measurement of the element and after the last measurement of the element.

[0133] The above absorbance curve includes the detection results of the above reference light amount.

[0134] Based on this configuration, by incorporating information about the reference light intensity into the absorbance curve, the user can grasp the amount of change from the baseline when displaying the absorbance curve. Therefore, the user can easily determine whether the intensity of the absorbance curve originates from the sample.

[0135] (8) The method for displaying the absorbance curve of the spectrophotometer according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein curve data containing information of the absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of the two or more elements is stored in the storage unit.

[0136] The absorbance curve, which reads the curve data from the aforementioned storage unit, is reproduced and displayed on the aforementioned screen.

[0137] Based on this configuration, by storing the curve data in the storage unit, the curve data can be read out at any time, and the absorbance curve can be reproduced and displayed on the screen.

[0138] (9) The method for displaying the absorbance curve of the spectrophotometer according to (8), wherein information of the portion of the absorbance curve corresponding to the specified element is extracted from the curve data read from the storage unit.

[0139] The extracted absorbance curve information is reproduced and displayed on the above screen.

[0140] Based on this configuration, the absorbance curve information of the specified element can be selectively reproduced and displayed on the screen, making it easy to compare the measurement results for the element to be identified.

[0141] (10) A spectrophotometer that displays an absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using the spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein,

[0142] This spectrophotometer has the following features:

[0143] The heating section heats the sample to atomize it;

[0144] The spectrometer extracts the measurement light corresponding to the elements being measured.

[0145] The detection unit measures the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the aforementioned measurement light.

[0146] The absorbance calculation unit calculates the absorbance of the element based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount.

[0147] The curve generation unit generates an absorbance curve showing the time-varying change of the aforementioned absorbance; and

[0148] The display unit displays the information of the absorbance curve output from the curve generation unit on the screen.

[0149] The curve generation unit displays the absorbance curve on the screen of the display unit in a display mode that distinguishes each of the measured elements.

[0150] Based on this configuration, when continuously measuring two or more elements using a spectrophotometer, the absorbance curve generated by the curve generation unit can be displayed on the screen of the display unit in a display method that allows identification of each element being measured.

[0151] (11) A program for performing the steps of a method for displaying the absorbance curve of an absorbance meter, wherein the method displays an absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using a spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein,

[0152] The above procedure is used to cause the computer to perform the following steps repeatedly on two or more of the above elements:

[0153] The step of heating the above sample to atomize it;

[0154] The step of detecting the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the measuring light corresponding to the above-mentioned elements to be measured.

[0155] The step of determining the absorbance of the above elements based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount; and

[0156] The step of generating an absorbance curve showing the time-varying absorbance described above.

[0157] And perform the step of displaying the above absorbance curve on the above screen in a display manner that distinguishes each of the above elements measured.

[0158] Based on this configuration, when continuously measuring two or more elements using a spectrophotometer, the absorbance curve can be displayed on the screen in a manner that allows identification of each element being measured.

[0159] Symbol Explanation

[0160] 11. Legend

[0161] 100 Atom Spectrophotometer

[0162] 101 Control Department

[0163] 102 Operations Department

[0164] 103 Display Department

[0165] 104 Storage Department

[0166] 105 IF Department

[0167] 110 Measurement Department

[0168] 111 Hollow Cathode Lamp

[0169] 112 Burner

[0170] 113 Diffraction grating

[0171] 114 Slit

[0172] 115 detector

[0173] BsL baseline

[0174] Display screens for DS1, DS2, DS3, DS4, DS5, and DS6

[0175] Prf absorbance curve

Claims

1. A method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer, wherein the method displays the absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using a spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein, Repeat the following steps for two or more of the aforementioned elements: The step of heating the sample to atomize it; The step of detecting the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the measuring light corresponding to the element being measured. The step of determining the absorbance of the element based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount; as well as The step of generating an absorbance curve showing the time-varying absorbance. Furthermore, the absorbance curve is displayed on the screen in a manner that distinguishes each of the measured elements.

2. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 1, wherein, The absorbance curves are generated repeatedly for two or more of the samples described above. The screen displays a merged curve formed by arranging two or more absorbance curves in the order of measurement.

3. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The display method includes displaying the absorbance curve in different colors for each of the elements.

4. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The display method includes displaying the absorbance curve in different lines for each of the elements.

5. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The display method includes adding identification information corresponding to the element to the absorbance curve for display.

6. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The display method includes displaying the background of the display portion of each of the elements in at least one of different colors, intensities, and patterns.

7. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The reference light intensity is detected at any of the following times: before the initial measurement of the element; or both before the initial measurement of the element and after the last measurement of the element. The absorbance curve includes the detection results of the reference light quantity.

8. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The curve data, which includes information about the absorbance curves obtained by measuring the absorbance of the two or more elements, is stored in the storage unit. The absorbance curve, from which the curve data is read, is reproduced and displayed on the screen.

9. The method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer according to claim 8, wherein, Information about the absorbance curve corresponding to the specified element is extracted from the curve data read from the storage unit. The extracted absorbance curve information is reproduced and displayed on the screen.

10. A spectrophotometer that displays an absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using the spectrophotometer, wherein... This spectrophotometer has the following features: A heating section that heats the sample to atomize it; The spectrometer extracts the measurement light corresponding to the element being measured; The detection unit measures the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the measuring light. The absorbance calculation unit calculates the absorbance of the element based on the detected amount of transmitted light and a pre-calculated reference amount of light. The curve generation unit generates an absorbance curve that shows the time-varying absorbance. as well as The display unit displays the information of the absorbance curve output from the curve generation unit on the screen. The curve generation unit displays the absorbance curve on the screen of the display unit in a display manner that distinguishes each of the measured elements.

11. A program for performing the steps of a method for displaying the absorbance curve of a spectrophotometer, wherein the method displays an absorbance curve obtained by measuring the absorbance of elements contained in a sample using a spectrophotometer on a screen, wherein... The program is used to cause a computer to perform the following steps repeatedly on two or more of the elements described: The step of heating the sample to atomize it; The step of detecting the amount of transmitted light obtained by irradiating the atomized sample with the measuring light corresponding to the element being measured. The step of determining the absorbance of the element based on the detected amount of transmitted light and the pre-calculated reference amount; as well as The step of generating an absorbance curve showing the time-varying absorbance. And perform the step of displaying the absorbance curve on the screen in a display manner that distinguishes each of the measured elements.

Images