DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A LINEAR-FLOW OUTER GAS-FLOW TORCH FOR INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA EMISSION-SPECTROSCOPY

An inductively coupled plasma torch has been developed which utilizes linear coolant gas flows and is operated at reduced applied power levels and argon gas consumption rates. The linear flow torch (LiFT) is constructed by the addition of a machined insert between the outer and intermediate tubing of a conventional tangential flow torch (TaFT). This LiFT configuration has been demonstrated to be capable of providing improved detection limits, in comparison to a TaFT, at conditions of lower power and gas flow. Under those conditions the LiFT was also demonstrated to produce less severe interferences to analyte emission in the presence of an easily ionizable element.