Development and Evaluation of Direct Solid Sampling Methodologies for Plasma Gun-ICP AES

Abstract

Our approach towards the direct elemental analysis of solid materials has involved the development of a high-energy pulsed plasma device (a plasma gun) for solid sampling. Material sampled by the plasma gun (PG) is then transported into a conventional ICP for re-excitation and atomic emission measurements. We will describe this tandem plasma source (PG-ICP) and discuss the parameters controlling sample atomization, transport, and excitation. We have applied this source towards the analysis of refractory solid materials and will present results of determinations of various elements in NIST SRM’s (e.g., silica brick, brick clay, river sediment) as well as other refractory materials (USGS reference rocks, zeolites, ca.). Calibration involves the use of only pure elemental standards (no matrix matching) for powder samples delivered from an alcoholic slurry into the plasma gun. The potential for analyses of bulk solids will be discussed and initial results presented.

1998 FACSS Conference; Austin, TX, U.S.A.