TECH Brief 11 – Statistical Comparison of Analytical Results of Mn in a Steel Sample by AAS using an External Standard Addition Calibration

This short study highlights that there is no significant statistical difference in the precision between the observed % Mn results for a steel test sample determined by an external calibration and standard addition method using AAS. However, the significant difference in mean % Mn results suggests potential issues in the analysis methodology. The suggestion to improve sensitivity of Mn and include at least six standards with the standard addition method is made. This study underscores the importance of employing a linear calibration and utilising statistical significance tests when comparing results from distinct approaches.