LASER-ABLATION SAMPLING WITH INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROMETRY FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PROTOTYPICAL GLASSES

Laser ablation sampling is Presented as an alternative to dissolution procedures for elemental analyses of prototypical glasses using induct ively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. These glass samples were prototypes of vitrified waste products from the Savannah River T echnology Center. The samples were not translated or rotated during la ser sampling, but were repetitively sampled at a single spot using a K rF excimer laser with a 10 Hz repetition rate. The time-dependent mass ablation rate was measured and is discussed. Silicon, the major eleme nt in the matrix, was used as an internal standard, and excellent prec ision (s(r) = 1-3%) was obtained. Quantitative analysis was demonstrat ed using known prototypical glass compositions.; Preferential vaporiza tion was investigated by comparing measured elemental ratios using a n anosecond excimer laser (lambda = 248 nm) and a picosecond Nd:YAG lase r (fourth harmonic, lambda = 266 nm).