In situ visualization and characterization of aerosol droplets in an inductively coupled plasma

Laser-scattering techniques are utilized for the first time to visualize the aerosol droplets in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch from the nebulizer tip to the site of analytical measurements. The resulting images provide key information about the spatial distribution of the aerosol introduced by direct injection and conventional sample introduction devices: (1) a direct injection high-efficiency nebulizer (DIHEN); (2) a large-bore DIHEN; and (3) a MicroFlow PFA nebulizer with a PFA Scott-type spray chamber. Moreover, particle image velocimetry is used to study the in situ behavior of the aerosol before interaction with the plasma, while the individual surviving droplets are explored by particle tracking velocimetry. Directly introduced aerosols are highly scattered across the plasma torch as a result of their radial motion, indicating less than optimum sample consumption efficiency for the current direct injection devices. Further, the velocity distribution of the surviving droplets demonstrates the importance of the initial droplet velocities in complete desolvation of the aerosol for optimum analytical performance in ICP spectrometries. These new observations are critical in the design of the next-generation direct injection devices for lower sample consumption, higher sensitivity, lower noise levels, suppressed matrix effects, and developing smart spectrometers.