Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a study on miniaturized instruments for analytical chemistry with a microplasma as the excitation source.Design/methodology/approachThe atmospheric pressure glow microdischarge could be ignited inside a ceramic structure between a solid anode and a liquid cathode. As a result of the cathode sputtering of the solution, it was possible to determine its chemical composition by analyzing the emission spectra of the discharge. Cathodes with microfluidic channels and two types of anodes were constructed. Both types were tested through experimentation. Impact of the electrodes geometry on the discharge was established. A cathode aperture of various sizes and anodes made from different materials were used.FindingsThe spectroscopic properties of the discharge and its usefulness in the analysis depended on the ceramic structure. The surface area of the cathode aperture and the flow rate of the solution influence on the detection limits (DLs) of Zn and Cd.Originality/valueConstructed ceramic structures were able to excite elements and their laboratory-size systems. During the experiments, Zn and Cd were detected with DLs 0.024 and 0.053 mg/L, respectively.
Highlights
Increasing environmental pollution highlights challenges for new solutions for its protection by monitoring contamination in real time and directly in the place where it occurs
The aim of the present work was to: miniaturize a typical laboratory discharge setup, improve ceramic chips lately reported by Macioszczyk et al (2016a, 2017a) and fabricate a ceramic structure for stable operation of He microAPGD between a solid anode and a flowing liquid cathode (FLC)
The device was based on the He microAPGD excitation source, microAPGD was ignited between the solid anode and the FLC solution
Summary
Increasing environmental pollution highlights challenges for new solutions for its protection by monitoring contamination in real time and directly in the place where it occurs. Usefulness of the present measuring systems satisfies the needs of laboratory facilities but due to their dimensions, it cannot be used in situ or their use may be difficult. Miniaturization of systems to the labon-chip level can serve as one of the solutions to this problem. Lab-on-chip systems are currently based on silicon, glass and ceramic substrates, using various microelectronic techniques for their processing. Ceramic systems are suitable to be used in aggressive environments, for example, during plasma generation in various discharge gases.
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