Solid sampling by electrothermal vaporization in combination with electrostatic particle deposition for electrothermal atomization multi-element analysis

A novel combination of electrothermal sample vaporization from one furnace and electrostatic deposition of the aerosol on a L'vov platform in a second graphite furnace used for subsequent electrothermal atomization multi-element analysis is described. The aerosol generated by vaporization of liquid as well as solid primary samples is transported to the graphite furnace by an Ar gas flow and is piped into the furnace through the dosing hole via a glass capillary mounted on the autosampler arm of a continuum source coherent forward scattering spectrometer. The deposition on the graphite platform is obtained electrostatically by a corona-like discharge. The near quantitative deposition of the produced and transported aerosol allows optimal direct determination of the transport efficiencies by comparing the signals obtained by measuring liquid samples directly with the spectrometer with signals obtained with samples transferred with electrothermal vaporization and electrostatic deposition. Over all transfer efficiencies up to 30% are observed with liquid primary samples. Results obtained with solid sampling of BCR CRM 189 Wholemeal flour are in good agreement with the certified values. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.