Atomic Spectrometry Update—Atomic Emission Spectrometry

Abstract

This review describes developments in all aspects of atomic emission spectrometry, including fundamental processes and instrumentation, reported in the Atomic Spectrometry Updates References in JAAS, Volume 9 (94/1–94/C3502) and Volume 10 (95/1–95/182). The full references, names and addresses of authors can be readily found from the Atomic Spectrometry Update References in the relevant issues of JAAS. However, as an additional service to readers, an abbreviated form of each reference quoted (except those to Conference Proceedings) is given at the end of the review.

During this review period, work on both the fundamental aspects and applications of dc arcs continued to be reported demonstrating that this source still has an important place in analytical spectrochemistry. In contrast, there has been a continual decline in reports on spark techniques. Dc, rf and boosted glow discharges are an active area of research and this source is now being used in conjunction with modern array spectrometers.

Laser ablation and laser-induced emission spectrometry continue to attract attention, but in the case of laser ablation, most of the work is being carried out with MS detection. Although the convenience of YAG lasers has made them the preferred source, the benefits of working in the low UV wavelength range have persuaded workers to adopt the excimer laser in spite of it requiring complex gas handling arrangements.

Once again this year, the use of array detector spectrometers for ICP-AES has been widely reported and chemometric techniques for spectral analysis continue to grow in popularity. There has been further work on the effect of organic solvents and on the use of individual droplets to study desolvation, vaporization and ionization processes in the ICP. It has been noted that there has been a large drop in reports of work on sample introduction, however, the activity level is probably much the same as before, but with the emphasis now on MS detection.

There has been a considerable increase in reports related to the use of the MIP, but this is almost entirely due to applications involving its use as a detector for GC. The direct introduction of liquid samples into the MIP continues to be reported, but the inevitable dominance of the ICP for this purpose is not yet threatened. There have been a few reports on applications of the DCP, but it appears that the use of this source is probably in terminal decline.