Volatile element and compound quantitative analysis method - has closed loop with microwave excited oxygen and argon plasmas

摘要

The appts. for the quantitative determination of volatile elements and compounds, esp. Mercury consists of a quartz diffuser chamber (20) with specimen holder (27), partially enclosed by a wave-guide (62) driven from a microwave generator (61). After evacuation by a vacuum pump (52), Oxygen is introduced (11) at a press. of 10 Torr and an Oxygen plasma established by high-frequency excitation. The vapourised element, e.g. Mercury passes out of the diffuser into a quartz tube containing a gold mesh (33) with which it forms an amalgam. The amalgam is heated by induction (34), after the Oxygen supply has been cut off and the appts. has been purged with Argon (12), within 10 seconds to 400 deg.C. The vapourised Mercury is directed into an exciter (45) where an Argon plasma is established. Analysis is carried out by a spectrometer (71, 72).