HIGH-EFFICIENCY NEBULIZER FOR ARGON INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY

A new pneumatically driven, high-efficiency nebulizer (HEN) is explore d for argon inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Ar ICP-MS) f or elemental analysis of aqueous samples. The new nebulizer operates a t very low solution uptake rates (10-100 mu l min(-1)). Analytical per formance indices for nebulization with the HEN are presented for three Ar ICP-MS systems in terms of detection limits, precision, ratio of d oubly charged-to-singly charged ion, oxide ion-to-analyte ion ratio, a nd ion kinetic energies. These characteristics also are compared with those of typical conventional pneumatic nebulizers (PN) that function at higher solution uptake rates (1-2 ml min(-1)), Detection limits (pp t) similar to those realized by conventional PNs are obtained for aque ous solution introduction. In general, short-term and long-term precis ion of the HEN for Ar ICP-MS are better than the results for the conve ntional PNs.