Analytical Capabilities of a Grand Spectrometer in Analysis of Solutions Using Inductively Coupled Plasma

Abstract

It has been shown that Grand spectrometers based on a hybrid assembly of BLPP-2000 photodetector arrays produced by VMK-Optoelektronika can be used for atomic emission spectral analysis of solutions using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). For the prototype of a Grand-ICP spectrometer consisting of a Grand spectrometer, RF plasma generator, and RF (radio frequency) power supply the following analytical characteristics were determined: element detection limit, long-term stability linear ranges of calibration graphs for several elements, and optimal operating parameters of the RF generator. The linear concentration range of analyte elements is 105 when using a single analytical line of the element. The long-term stability is less than 2% in 6 h without using an internal standard. The detection limits are comparable to those of modern ICP spectrometers with an axial plasma view and lie in a range of sub-microgram per liter. It has been found that the effect of superposition of the spectral lines of the plasma background, for example, OH molecular lines or others, on the analyte lines can be eliminated by subtracting the blank sample spectrum from the analyte spectrum using Atom software. The analytical characteristics of the spectrometer allow the use of the device both for developing new ICP-based systems and for restoring the performance of defective ICP spectrometers.