This paper reports on activation energies measured during copper and manganese atomization in a graphite furnace in the presence of large amounts of nitrate and sulfate matrices. It also deals with activation energies corresponding to the decomposition of these matrices and to the atomization of their metal, i.e. Na, Ca or Mg. These results were obtained from Arrhenius-type calculations carded out on specific and non-specific absorbance values. Atomization was achieved under a very high gas flow which allowed us to get to the source function. Some of the calculated energies were compared to reaction energies deduced from tables of thermodynamic data.