How hot is ICP plasma?
ICP-OES, also referred to as ICP-AES (atomic emission spectroscopy), utilizes a plasma torch, a device that causes gas to ionize and become electrically conductive in a state known as plasma. This plasma torch burns at ~ 7000 K, much hotter than the flame in a traditional FAAS setup (~ 2100–2700 K).
How plasma is generated in ICP?
To generate plasma, first, argon gas is supplied to torch coil, and high frequency electric current is applied to the work coil at the tip of the torch tube. Using the electromagnetic field created in the torch tube by the high frequency current, argon gas is ionized and plasma is generated.
What does the plasma do in ICP-MS?
The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) is an ionization source that fully decomposes a sample into its constituent elements and transforms those elements into ions. It is typically composed of argon gas, and energy is “coupled” to it using an induction coil to form the plasma.
What is a typical temperature for an argon plasma used in a ICP-MS?
6–7000°K.
The ICP is a stable argon plasma heated by inductive coupling of argon cations and free electrons, but is perhaps best thought of as simply a hot flame. Temperature measurement indicates that the plasma has a temperature approaching 6–7000°K.
Why does the plasma not melt the instrument?
The hot temperature means that new argon flowing into the plasma is ionized, which maintains the plasma. The plasma is kept from melting the walls of the quartz tube by an additional tangential flow of argon along the walls of the tube.
Why Nitrogen gas is used in ICP?
Nitrogen gas flows, in the range from 0.2 liter per minute to 7 liters per minute, are used to purge the optical section of the ICP-AES, in order to guide away gases that might disturb the emission measurement process.
Why is argon gas used in ICP?
Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reaches much higher temperatures than a combustion flame (>8000 K). Argon plasmas are conventionally used to provide a high-temperature, high-stability excitation source in ICPAES.
What does inductively coupled plasma do?
What is the plasma torch on ICP-OES?
Why is argon gas used in ICP-MS?
Argon gas dilution significantly improves plasma robustness allowing the direct analysis of high matrix samples such as undiluted seawater using the iCAP Q ICP-MS. Optimum performance for high IP analytes in such samples is only possible however, after online addition of water vapor and carbon.