Thermospray nebulization as sample introduction for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A sample introduction system, thermospray nebulizer was coupled to an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. The optimization procedure includes the ICP operation conditions, the capillary temperature, the sample uptake rate, aerosol spray chamber temperature and the cooling water temperature. Under optimized conditions, the sensitivity for 23 elements obtained with the thermospray system is 14 similar to 25 times higher than with a pneumatic nebulizer. The thermospray systems have been shown to improve detection limits an order of magnitude lower than that obtained with pneumatic sample introduction.