Automated simplex optimization for monochromatic imaging inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy

摘要

This article is an electronic publication in Spectrochimica Acta Electronica (SAE). the electronic section of Spectrochimica Acta Par; B (SAB). The hardcopy text is accompanied by a drskette with data files and text files with the hardcopy paper in Word for Windows 2 0 and ASCII format, and a disclaimer The text details the purpose of the work and the appendix provides essential information for accessing the diskette and using programs and data. An automaied simplex optimization program was written in an attempt to relieve the monotonous human effort required to optimize an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopic (ICP-AFS) instrument. The program controls the operating conditions of a solid-state ICP while a monochromatic imaging spectrometer collects two-dimensional response images In the work described in this article, four of the most important ICP operating parameters are optimized automatically: radio frequency (rf) power, intermediate Ar flew rate nebulizer fiow rate and sample uptake rate Optimization of these parameters is based first on the response of the Ca II net signal and independently on the response of the Ca II net signal-to background noise ratio (S/N_b) Since the best height and orf-axis positions of the designated response are known from the optimal two-dimensional response image, two spatial parameters are indirectly optimized through use of a CCD camera Optimal operating conditions are reported for the CA II net signal and Ca II S/N_B as well as the Mg II 'Mg I ratio.