EXCITATION TEMPERATURE AND ANALYTICAL PARAMETERS FOR AN ETHANOL-LOADED INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION SPECTROMETER

The effect of ethanol concentrations on the excitation temperature of an inductively coupled plasma was determined from hydrogen emission si gnals. Increasing the ethanol concentration resulted in an initial inc rease in excitation temperature. This temperature reached a maximum wh en 15% v/v ethanol was nebulized, then decreased with further increase in ethanol concentration, The analytical parameters of sensitivity, d etection limits and background equivalent concentration for Pb, Cd, Al , Cr, Fe, Na, Mn, Mo and V were correlated to the effects caused by th e ethanol within the plasma. The sensitivity in the determination of a ll the elements increased with increasing ethanol to a maximum of 15% ethanol, the amount of increase depending on the element. The flow rat e of the aerosol carrier gas was of greater importance when ethanol wa s present in the solvent than when pure water was the solvent. Improve d detection limits were obtained when the plasma was operating under o ptimum conditions and the samples were in 15% ethanol solutions.