It enables the quantitative and qualitative determination of metallic and some nonmetallic elements in various types of samples through a high-temperature plasma.
Benefits
The structure and operation of the instrument allow to:
- determine the concentration of elements at trace levels, down to parts per billion (ppb) or even parts per trillion (ppt)
- simultaneously analyze multiple elements in a single sample
- achieve rapid, high-throughput analysis due to high ionization and detection rates
- handle samples of different natures, including solids, liquids, and gases.
Structure
The main elements that constitute the instrument are:
- Plasma generator
- Nebulizer to convert the liquid sample into aerosol
- Plasma flashlight in which the aerosol is ionized
- Optical system for separating and detecting the light emitted by the ionized elements
- Detector to measure the intensity of the emitted light
- Data management system for analyzing and recording the results.
How it works
The sample to be analyzed is introduced into the nebulizer, which converts it into aerosol. This aerosol is transported into the plasma flashlight by a carrier gas, usually argon. Inside the flashlight, the aerosolized sample is ionized at extremely high temperatures (up to 10,000 K). Elements in the sample emit light at characteristic wavelengths as they return to the fundamental state. The optical system separates the emitted light according to wavelengths, and the detector measures the intensity of the light, which is proportional to the concentration of the elements in the sample. The collected data are analyzed and recorded by the data management system.
