Trace element determination using static high-sensitivity inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Conventional inductively coupled plasma (ICP) sources for optical emission spectrometry (OES) are known for high argon gas consumption.
• Trace element determination requires sensitive and robust analytical techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a low-flow, air-cooled ICP design for OES with axial plasma viewing.
• To evaluate the analytical capabilities of this new ICP-OES system for trace element determinations.
• To compare its performance against conventional ICP torches.

Main Methods:

• A novel low-flow, air-cooled ICP torch with axial plasma viewing was designed and implemented.
• Optimization of various parameters including torch position, radio frequency (rf) power, air cooling, gas flow rates, and ultrasonic nebulization (USN) parameters.
• Evaluation of limits of detection (LOD), linear dynamic range, and accuracy using certified reference materials (CRMs).

Main Results:

• The low-flow ICP design achieved a total argon consumption of only 0.6 L min(-1), a substantial reduction from conventional sources.
• Optimized parameters yielded LODs competitive with conventional ICP-OES systems.
• Accurate determination of Co, Cr, Mn, and Zn in CRMs with high recovery rates (98-108%) was achieved.
• A linear dynamic range of three to five orders of magnitude was observed.

Conclusions:

• The developed low-flow, air-cooled ICP-OES system offers a highly efficient alternative to conventional ICP sources.
• The system demonstrates excellent analytical performance for trace element determination, comparable to traditional methods.
• Its reduced gas consumption and robust performance make it suitable for various analytical applications, including environmental monitoring.