MODIFICATION OF A COMMERCIAL ELECTROTHERMAL VAPORIZER FOR SAMPLE INTRODUCTION INTO AN INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETER .1. CHARACTERIZATION

Modifications to a commercial graphite furnace were made for its use a s a sample introduction device with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICPMS) and to allow simultaneous measurement of the ato mic absorption and mass spectrometric signals. The effect of the inter nal Ar carrier gas flow, the total Ar carrier gas flow, and the vapori zation temperature on the integrated ion intensity for Ag was studied. An absolute limit of detection of 0.23 pg was obtained for Ag when va porization took place from a graphite platform in the presence of sodi um chloride chemical modifier. The utility of simultaneously measuring electrothermal atomization atomic absorption (ETAA) and ETV-ICP mass spectrometric signals was demonstrated by investigating the interferen ce of MgCl2 on the determination of Mn by ETAAS. This study provided d irect evidence for preatomization loss of Mn when vaporized in the pre sence of MgCl2.