Developments on the Front End of Your ICP

1
Developments on the Front End of Your ICP

• Optimizing Performance and Reliability of ICP-AES
  and ICP-MS

2
ICP Sample Intro Advances

• Advances in Concentric Glass nebulizers
• Low-Flow Microflow nebulizers
• Advances in Cyclonic Spray Chambers
• New RF Coils

ICP Front-end Developments
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Concentric Glass Nebulizers

• Self-aspirating via Bernoulli principle
• High precision
• Small mean droplet size
• Small orifices
• Not applicable to all samples

ICP Front-end Developments
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VitriCone Capillary
ICP Front-end Developments
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Concentric Glass NebulizersInternal Capillary
Comparison
VitriCone
Drawn Capillary

• Rugged thick-walled conical construction
• Machined from heavy stock
• Uniform internal channel
• Nebulizer conformity

• Thin-walled capillary
• Drawn glass from tubing
• Variable internal channel

ICP Front-end Developments
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Nebulizer Specifications
ICP Front-end Developments
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Nebulizer MaintenanceEluo Nebulizer Cleaner

• Rugged plastic construction
• Large volume barrel
• Nebulizer locking mechanism
• Remove stubborn clogs
• Maintain with daily cleaning

ICP Front-end Developments
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Low-Flow Nebulizers

• Small mean droplet size
• Reduced solvent in the plasma
• Increased sampling efficiency
• Reduced oxide formation
• Increased efficiency of excitation and ionization

ICP Front-end Developments
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Applications of Low-Flow Nebulizers

• Limited sample volumes
• Volatile samples
• Reduced oxide interferences in ICP-MS
• Expensive waste disposal
• ICP-MS-LC interface

ICP Front-end Developments
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Comparison of Nebulizer Efficiency
EFFICIENCY
UPTAKE RATE (ML/MIN)
ICP Front-end Developments
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Comparison of Nebulizer Signal
Conikal
MicroMist

• 0.050ml/min uptake
• 50 efficient
• .025ml/min in the plasma
• .025ul/min to waste

• 2ml/min uptake
• 2 efficient
• .040ul/min in the plasma
• 1.96 ml/min to waste

ICP Front-end Developments
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Range of Low-Flow Nebulizers
Uptake Rates (ml/min)
Composition

• 0.050
• 0.100
• 0.200
• 0.400
• 0.600

• Glass - MicroMist
• PFA - OpalMist
• Polyimide - PolyCon

ICP Front-end Developments
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Cyclonic Spray Chambers

• Quickly removes large droplets
• Less opportunity for agglomeration of small drops
• Improved homogeneity of sample mist
• Greater efficiency

ICP Front-end Developments
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Spray Chamber MechanismCyclonic
ICP Front-end Developments
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Twister Cyclonic Spray Chamber

• Internal baffle further filters droplet size
• Slightly less efficient
• Smaller mean droplet size decreases noise
• Baffle height precisely controlled

ICP Front-end Developments
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Decreased Dead Volume Spray Chamber Adaptor

• Inert plastic material
• Nebulizer port oversized
• No opportunity for solution pooling

ICP Front-end Developments
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Helix O-ring Free Spray Chamber

• PFA ferrule seals spray chamber
• Solution contacts only PFA and glass
• Available for all glass spray chambers
• Even less opportunity for pooling

ICP Front-end Developments
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New RF Coils

• Available in 3 surfaces
• Copper (base) for economy
• Silver plated for efficient RF transfer
• Gold plated for corrosion resistance

ICP Front-end Developments
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Specifications of a Good RF Coil

• Roundness
• Appropriate coating
• Application of the coating
• Coil spacing
• Proper installation and alignment

ICP Front-end Developments
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RF CoilsInstallation Alignment Kit

• Alignment jig
• All tools required

CD ROM with graphical instructions
ICP Front-end Developments
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Benefits of Using a Good Coil

• Longer life of PA tube and FETs
• Longer life of torches
• Potentially higher intensities for hard lines
• Improved ionization for refractories

ICP Front-end Developments
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Choosing the Right Parts
Nebulizers
Spray Chambers

• Conikal
• MicroMist
• Slurry
• SeaSpray
• Quartz VeeSpray
• PolyCon
• OpalMist
• Ceramic VeeSpray

• Tracey
• Twister
• Cinnabar
• Twinnabar
• Borosilicate glass
• Quartz
• HF Resistant
• Jacketed

ICP Front-end Developments
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Selection Guides Simplify The process Of
choosing The correct Parts for
each Application
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Nebulizer Selection for HF
ICP Front-end Developments
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Nebulizer Selection for non-HF
ICP Front-end Developments
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Spray Chamber Selection (Organics)
ICP Front-end Developments
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Spray Chamber Selection (Aqueous)
ICP Front-end Developments