SOME EFFECTS OF LOW ACID CONCENTRATIONS IN INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROMETRY

The effect of HCl, HNO3, and HClO4, was studied at concentrations below 1% ( v v) in inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. An increase in the signal was obtained for HCl with a maximum intensity corresponding to a concentration near 0.001%, in contrast to the depression effect obtained with HClO4. No significant effect was observed for HNO3. These phenomena cannot be explained by a change in nebuliser or transport efficiency. No variation in the aerosol droplet size distribution was found. The only major change observed was the decrease (50%) in the add concentration of the aerosol compared to that of the solution, irrespective of the type of acid or the use of a surfactant. © 1990.