Flame atomic emission determination of rubidium in mineral and well waters using methane-air flame as excitation source.

The rubidium content of some well and mineral waters has been determined by flame atomic emission spectrometry using the methane-air flame. Effects of the flame and of instrumental parameters (flame composition, the observation height, spectral bandpass of the monochromator) on the emission of rubidium in methane-air flame was studied and optimized. The best results were obtained using the 780.0 nm rubidium line at the observation height of 11 mm, with the flame composition of 1.12 (relative stoichiometric units, RSU) and the slitwidth of 0.6 mm. The effect of Na, K, Ca and Mg on the emission of rubidium was studied too. The detection limit of 2.3+/-0.9 mug l(-1) was obtained, in the presence of 200 mg l(-1) Cs, at a significance level of 0.05, using the two-step Neyman-Pearson criterion. The rubidium content of waters has been determined directly using both external calibration curve and standard addition method. With background correction results agree between these two methods.

Analytical characterisation of a capacitively coupled plasma torch with a central tube electrode.

A new type of radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma torch is presented. The torch electrode geometry is coaxial with a tubular central electrode and one or two outer ring electrodes. The argon plasma is generated at 275 W radiofrequency power and 27.12 MHz and it has a very good stability and a low gas consumption of 0.4 l min(-1). The nebulized sample is introduced through the tubular electrode into the core of the annular shaped plasma thus achieving a better atomisation and a lower background. The limits of detection for 20 elements are in the range of ng ml(-1) and the dynamic range between 2.5 and 3.5. The best results are obtained with the torch with two outer ring electrodes.

Characteristic temperatures and electron number densities in an R.F. capacitively coupled plasma.

The excitation temperatures of Ar and Fe, the ionization temperatures of Ar and Ca and the electron number densities have been determined for a radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma in the tip-ring electrode geometry. The temperatures and the electron number densities possess their maximum value close to the electrodes.

The analysis of conductive solid samples by r.f. capacitively coupled plasma at atmospheric pressure.

A radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma (rf CCP) with tip-ring electrode geometry has been used for the analysis of Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, and V in low and medium alloyed steel. The sample is used as one of the electrodes of the plasma torch. The influence of plasma power, argon flow rate and distance between the electrodes on the analytical signals has been studied. The limits of detection are in the range of 0.001 to 0.048%. The dynamic range is three orders of magnitude.

Analytical performance of an r.f. capacitively coupled plasma for atomic emission with tip-ring electrode geometry.

A low to medium power radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma is characterized as spectral source for atomic emission. The signal to background ratio and the limits of detection were determined for 19 elements as a function of the plasma torch geometry and the observation point.