U. Engel et al., Direct solid atomic emission spectrometric analysis of metal samples by anargon microwave plasma torch coupled to spark ablation, SPECT ACT B, 54(9), 1999, pp. 1279-1289
Spark ablation has been combined to microwave plasma torch atomic emission
spectrometry for the direct analysis of compact metallic samples. The mater
ial is ablated by a medium voltage spark (450 V, 370 Hz) in a point-to-plan
e configuration and swept into a 100-W, 2.45-GHz argon microwave discharge.
The microwave plasma is observed end-on and the radiation analysed with a
polychromator. The detection limits for Fe, Ni, Pb and Sn in brass, Cr, Cu,
Ni, Mn, Mo, Si and V in steel and Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Si and Zn in aluminium w
ith the microwave plasma torch in the case of measurements with a polychrom
ator are in the mu g/g range and by a factor of up to 20 higher than those
obtained with spark ablation coupled to inductively coupled plasma atomic e
mission spectrometry using a high resolution sequential spectrometer. The s
tability of the emission signal depends on the element studied and relative
standard deviations usually are between 0.5 and 3.5%. In the case of low-a
lloy steels, the linearity and the precision of the calibration could be im
proved by internal standardisation. Several elements (Cr, Cu, Ni, Si and V)
could be determined in a steel sample (BAS SS 410/1) with high accuracy an
d precision. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.