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Ethanol loading in an inductively coupled plasma
1Department of Chemistry and Physics, Technikon Pretoria, P/B X680, Pretoria, South Africa.
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
|June 1, 1996
Summary
Adding ethanol to plasma solutions significantly alters key parameters. Aqueous solutions show increased excitation temperature and electron density, enhancing sensitivity, while organic xylene solutions experience decreased electron density and signal reduction.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Plasma Physics
Background:
- Plasma-based analytical techniques are crucial for chemical analysis.
- Understanding solvent effects on plasma parameters is essential for method optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of ethanol addition on plasma fundamental and analytical parameters.
- To evaluate the influence of aqueous versus organic solvents on these plasma changes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of plasma using techniques sensitive to excitation temperature and electron number density.
- Introduction of varying ethanol concentrations into aqueous and organic (xylene) solutions.
Main Results:
- Ethanol in aqueous solutions led to increased excitation temperature, electron number density, and H(alpha) line intensity.
- Ethanol in xylene resulted in decreased electron density and overall signal reduction.
- Sensitivity improved with ethanol in aqueous solutions but decreased in xylene solutions.
Conclusions:
- Ethanol's effect on plasma parameters is solvent-dependent.
- Aqueous ethanol mixtures enhance plasma analytical performance, while xylene mixtures diminish it.