A Large Bore-Direct Injection High Efficiency Nebulizer for Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry

Abstract

A large bore-direct injection high efficiency nebulizer (IB-DIHEN) is introduced that is less prone to capillary blockage and optimally operates at low nebulizer gas pressures compared with the conventional DIHEN used for inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometries. The aerosol quality is examined using a two-dimensional phase Doppler particle analyzer (2D PDPA), and analytical figures of merits are acquired by ICP mass spectrometry. Compared with the DIHEN, the LB-DIHEN produces larger droplets, but the velocity distributions and mean droplet velocities are narrower and lower, respectively, providing longer residence times for the droplets in the plasma. High RF power (1500 W), low nebulizer gas flow rates (0.25-0.35 L/min), and low solution uptake rates (80-110 microL/min) are required to operate the LB-DIHEN at optimum conditions for ICPMS. Detection limits and sensitivities measured with the LB-DIHEN are superior to those of a conventional nebulizer-spray chamber combination, but precision is inferior. The performance of the LB-DIHEN is further explored in the determination of trace elements in an herbal extract.

Sample introduction systems for the analysis of liquid microsamples by ICP-AES and ICP-MS

“…In fact, it has been shown that only 45% of the aerosol volume produced by the DIHEN is contained in droplets whose diameters are lower than 10 µm [224]. Studies of the measurement of the spatial distribution of aerosols generated by this nebulizer demonstrated that droplets with diameters as high as 30 µm were located at the outermost aerosol cone regions [225].…”

“…Injection Nebulizer (LB-DIHEN) [224]. In this new design, the sample capillary and the gas annulus area have been enlarged with respect to the initial DIHEN version.…”

A pulse-synchronized microplasma atomic emission spectroscopy system for ultrasmall sample analysis

“…In contrast, a high-sensitivity analytical system for trace elements in ultralow volume samples, such as specic living cells, is expected to provide insight into cancer generation mechanisms and differentiation processes of pluripotent cells. Direct injection nebulizers (DINs) [4][5][6] and direct injection high-efficiency nebulizers (DIHENs) [7][8][9][10][11] have been developed to reduce sample consumption. These nebulizers reduce the memory effect and enhance the sample introduction efficiency.…”

High throughput sample introduction system for the analysis of drinking waters and wastewaters by ICP-MS

“…34 The large bore direct injection high efficiency nebulizer (LB-DIHEN) 35 was designed to reduce its susceptibility to blockage; however, the larger inside diameter of the nebulizer capillary produces a relatively large droplet size distribution which degrades both the precision and detection limits.…”