The influence of chlorine on the intensity of metal atomic lines emitted by an electrolyte cathode atmospheric glow discharge.

The effect of different matrix anions in the solution on the intensity of metal atomic lines was investigated. A significant increase in intensity was found for chloride anions compared with nitrate and sulfate anions. This effect was even greater when the appropriate acids were applied. A further enhancement of the metal line intensities could be observed when HCl was used in the solution phase and simultaneously elemental chlorine was mixed with atmospheric air at levels up to 6-10 vol.%. This double effect was especially high for the Cu, Ni and Pb resonant atomic lines at higher chlorine-to-air ratios in the gas phase, and the W-anode tip was destroyed by chemical burning. The application of volatile organic chlorine compounds (carbon tetrachloride and chloroform) in the gas phase, even without any acidification, also caused an enhancement of the metal line intensities. The experimental results can be attributed to the different rates of the ion-ion (positive metal ion-negative chloride ion) and the positive metal ion-electron recombination processes taking place in the cathode dark space of the discharge plasma, yielding neutral metal atoms for excitation. This study is important for the on-line measurement of heavy metals in liquids.

Operating mechanism of the electrolyte cathode atmospheric glow discharge.

Cathode fall ( U(cf)), cathodic current density and atomic emission intensities originating from metal salts in the electrolyte cathode were measured as a function of different discharge parameters. Emission intensities in function of cathode fall indicate a potential barrier in the sputtered mass flux. This means that the primary particles of the cathode sputtering are of positive charge and the cathode fall including its internal variables is the most important factor. The measured current density and the U(cf) as a function of pressure are in accordance with the low pressure data in the literature. The observed decrease of the U(cf) with decreasing pH was explained by a model in that the secondary electron emission coefficient of the cathode (gamma) is controlled through a reaction net of competing reactions of different electron scavengers involving the hydroxonium ions of the cathode solution. The model revealed two different electron emission processes of the electrolyte cathode, an emission coupled with hydrated electrons is dominating below pH 2.5 while a proton-independent emission of poor efficiency is working above pH 3. Our model fits to the reported yields of the ultimate products both in the solution and in the gas phase and offers a calculation of gamma and U(cf) in the function of the cathode acidity. The model provides two other independent gamma calculation methods based on product analysis data.

Use of non-selective reagents in direct thermometry.

A method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of sulphide and thiosulphate with non-selective reagents on the basis of the difference in their heats of reaction. Iodine solution was used as one reagent and bromine water as the other. An error diagram has been calculated and the theoretical errors compared with those obtained in practice.