Specialized Microflow Nebulizers with Desolvation Techniques

Specialized Microflow Nebulizers with Desolvation Techniques 

Microflow or low-flow nebulizers, which were described in greater detail in Chapter 3, are being used more and more for routine applications. The most common ones used in ICP-MS are based on the microconcentric design, which operate at sample flows of 20-500 pL/min. Besides being ideal for small sample volumes, the major benefit of microconcentric nebulizers is that they are more efficient and produce smaller droplets than a conventional nebulizer. In addition, many microflow nebulizers use chemically inert plastic capillaries, which makes them well suited for the analysis of highly corrosive chemicals. This kind of flexibility has made low-flow nebulizers very popular, particularly in the semiconductor industry, where it is essential to analyze high-purity materials using a sample introduction system that is free of contamination.  

Practical Guide to ICP-MS A Tutorial for Beginners, Second Edition 

Such is the added capability and widespread use of these nebulizers across all application areas that manufacturers are developing application-specific integrated systems that include the spray chamber and a choice of different desolvation techniques to reduce the amount of solvent aerosol entering the plasma. Depending on the types of samples being analyzed, some of these systems include a low-flow nebulizer, Peltier-cooled spray chambers, heated spray chambers, Peltier-cooled condensers, and membrane desolvation technology. Some of the commercially available equipment include the following  

FIGURE 17.12 A schematic of the Apex sample inlet system (courtesy of Elemental Scientific Inc.). 

There is an extremely large selection of these specialized sample introduction techniques, so it is critical that you talk to the vendors so they can suggest the best solution for your application problem. They may not be required for the majority of your application work, but there is no question they can be very beneficial for analyzing 

---

Specialized Microflow Nebulizers with Desolvation Techniques... 

Specialized microflow nebulizers coupled with desolvation techniques... 

---