LOW-PRESSURE INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE FOR MASS-SPECTROMETRY

The generation of a low pressure Ar inductively coupled plasma has bee n successfully performed without any modification to the torch box of a commercial inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. A water-coo led, low pressure torch and interface, designed to allow sampling for mass spectrometry, are described. Using gas chromatography sample intr oduction, it was possible to measure the analytical signal for a sampl e of 1-bromononane. The background spectrum contained many of the poly atomic ions seen for atomospheric plasmas, thought to be due to small leaks in the vacuum seals.