INTRODUCTION OF ANALYTE-LOADED POLY(DITHIOCARBAMATE) INTO INDUCTIVELY COUPLED ARGON PLASMAS BY ELECTROTHERMAL VAPORIZATION - SPATIAL EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESULTING DRY PLASMAS

Analyte loaded poly(dithiocarbamate) resin, used in sample enrichment procedures, was introduced into inductively coupled argon plasmas by means of electrothermal vaporization. Net line intensities, radial excitation temperatures, and signal-to-noise ratios were determined as a function of observation height, inner gas flow rate, and forward power. The properties of plasmas fed with dry aerosols were compared with those of plasmas fed with aqueous aerosols. It was observed that excitation condition in dry plasmas notably differ from those in aqueous plasmas. In routine operation, limits of detection for the technique developed are at the pg ml-1 level. © 1990.