Reply to 'Comment on 'Matrix effect of aluminium, calcium and magnesium in axially viewing inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry' by George C.-Y. Chan and Gary M. Hieftje, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2008, 23, DOI: 10.1039/b719988k

摘要

Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) has greatly matured worldwide as an analytical technique. Unfortunately, a diminution of fundamental studies dedicated to accomplish a full comprehension of the analytical signal generation process in ICP-AES in the last few years has been observed, in comparison to work reported in the years 1970-1990. Specifically, many questions on excitation mechanisms and the plasma-related matrix effect remain without convincing answers. Our article was intended to contribute in some degree to the elucidation of those complex issues, suggesting mechanisms that could explain in a qualitative fashion, the observed matrix effect. First at all, we wish to thank the detailed and rigorous work developed by Chan and Hieftje on our article. Essentially, we agree with all the comments. In the following sections, we will try to analyze some of the observations made. We have adopted a similar structure to the Chan and Hieftje comment in order to facilitate our response.