Inductively coupled plasma--atomic emission spectroscopy: an evaluation of the use of nitrogen--argon admixtures as plasma discharge atmospheres

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6429362· OSTI ID:6429362

Zalewski, J. C.

The effects of the use of nitrogen in either the plasma coolant or aerosol carrier gas flows on the physical and spectrochemical properties of the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) were examined. While the plasma operated with nitrogen in the coolant flow exhibited a stability comparable to that of the argon plasma, the use of nitrogen in the aerosol carrier gas flow resulted in a plasma that was less stable. The detection limits obtained for the three plasmas exhibited a similar trend. In addition, the use of nitrogen--argon admixtures in the plasma coolant gas flow yielded an increase in both the net analyte and the background emission intensities when the corresponding argon and nitrogen--argon plasmas were operated under various conditions. Furthermore, the effect of aluminum on the Ca II (393.4 nm) spectral line was reported for the 1000/1 Al/Ca molar ratio. At an observation height of 15 mm, the signal depressions were 4 and 14% for the nitrogen--argon and the argon plasmas, respectively. The above experimental evidence suggested that the operation of the ICP with an Ar--N/sub 2/ coolant gas might be hotter than the argon plasma currently in use in this laboratory. The demountable plasma torch designed in collaboration with K. Olson yielded detection limits for 15 elements and 19 spectral lines that were approximately within a factor of two of those obtained with the torch of fused quartz design. The design also appeared to offer a more readily initiated plasma discharge. The experimental evidence presented supports the utilization of nitrogen--argon admixtures in the plasma coolant gas flow as alternate discharge atmospheres for inductively coupled plasma--atomic emission spectroscopy. In contrast, the experimental evidence shows that there is a deterioration in both physical and spectrochemical properties of plasmas operated with a nitrogen aerosol carrier gas.

• Research Organization: Ames Lab., IA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 6429362
• Report Number(s): IS-T-834
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400104* -- Spectral Procedures-- (-1987)
ARGON
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
EVALUATION
FLUIDS
MIXTURES
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE GASES
SPECTROSCOPY