ASSESSMENT OF A MICROWAVE-INDUCED PLASMA GENERATED IN ARGON WITH A CYLINDRICAL TM010 CAVITY AS AN EXCITATION SOURCE FOR EMISSION SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SOLUTIONS

A cross-flow pneumatic nebulizer with spray chamber was directly coupled to a microwave-induced plasma (MIP) generated with a cylindrical TMO010 cavity in argon flowing through an alumina capillary. The detection limits of 15 elements were determined with 23 spectral lines and the interference effect of KCl on these spectral lines was measured. The results were compared with those reported in the literature for MIP systems based on conventional or newly designed cavities, and incorporating desolvation facilities. A comparison was also made with an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and a capacitively coupled microwave plasma (CMP) for which the reported results were obtained under spectrometric conditions that closely matched those used in the present work and for which the rate of sample injection into the plasma was approximately the same as that used here. © 1978.