Interference by a substance that produces a signal by a similar mechanism to the analyte, which
in the given procedure (including the apparatus used) can not be distinguished from
the signal given by the analyte. For example, in a colour reaction with an organic
ligand by also reacting with the ligand and producing a coloured compound absorbing at the
same
wavelength as the compound produced by the analyte or in an atomic spectrochemical analysis
by absorbing or emitting at the same
wavelength as the analyte.
Source:
PAC, 1983, 55, 553
(Recommendations for the usage of selective, selectivity and related terms in analytical
chemistry)
on page 554