On Sensitivity and Detection Limit with Reference to Flame Spectrometry

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Abstract
Apparently and amazingly, the concepts of sensitivity and detection limit are still a matter of debate among flame spectroscopists. Probably the papers on this issue by Willis1 and West2 and certainly some misleading statements would have been left unwritten, if these authors had taken the elementary precaution of consulting the pertinent literature3-7 or an appropriate textbook8. Surely there is no need to resort to “normal English usage”2 when discussing well-defined scientific concepts. No doubt, most of the confusion stems from the fact that the pioneering articles have been written in German and from the lack of a consistent English, terminology. One frightening example is offered by Ramirez-Muñoz9 who introduces no less than sixteen different terms, freely interchanging sensitivity and detection limit. But perhaps, it is not too late to restore the damage.