Laminar-flow torch for helium inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

Journal Article · Tue Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Anal. Chem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac00173a025· OSTI ID:6357611

Tan, H; Chan, S K; Montaser, A

Helium inductively coupled plasmas (He ICPs) operated at atmospheric pressure, possess two advantages compared to Ar ICPs for atomic emission spectrometry (AES) and mass spectrometry (MS). First, for the elements tested so far, the detection powers for the He ICPs are superior to those for an Ar discharge. Second, the emission background spectra of the He ICPs are quite simple in the red and the near-infrared regions, thus reducing the spectral interference problems encountered with the determination of halogens and other nonmetals. Relatedly, certain mass spectral interferences noted in the detection of monoisotopic elements are eliminated when helium is used as the plasma gas instead of argon. For the most recent studies of He ICPs, the authors used a tangential-flow torch to form an annular plasma at forward power of 1500 W with a total helium gas flow of 8 L/min. The present study is concerned with the formation and preliminary characterization of a He ICP using a laminar-flow torch. The total helium gas flow for this torch is less than 2 L/min. Studies of plasmas formed in laminar-flow torches are important because of the possibility to reduce one major source of noise resulting from the rotation of the plasma gas in tangential-flow torches.

• Research Organization: George Washington Univ., Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6357611
• Journal Information: Anal. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Anal. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 60:22; ISSN ANCHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400102* -- Chemical & Spectral Procedures
BROMINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
DATA
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLAMES
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GAS FLOW
GASES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HELIUM
INFORMATION
ION SOURCES
LAMINAR FLOW
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC BROMINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PLASMA
RARE GASES
RF SYSTEMS
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR FLUORIDES