MONODISPERSE DRIED MICROPARTICULATE INJECTOR - A NEW TOOL FOR STUDYING FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES IN INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMAS

Spatially and temporally resolved inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emi ssion intensities produced when samples are introduced by the monodisp erse dried microparticulate injector (MDMI) are reported for the first time. The MDMI produces monodisperse droplets of controllable size on demand and reproducibly introduces the droplets into an ICP with 100% efficiency. Emission intensity peak heights and peak areas (in time) had a relative standard deviation of 1-6% except near the point of ana lyte particle vaporization. Sr atom emission intensity appears to be h igh only when the analyte particle is being vaporized. Analyte particl e vaporization times were less than 80 mu s. By variance of the furnac e temperature and the gas flow rate through the furnace, the drop size can be controlled. The height in the plasma where analyte particle va porization occurs can be controlled from below the load coil to more t han 30 mm above the load coil.