Abstract
The effect of atomizer design, purge hydrogen flow rate and atomizer temperature on the sensitivity of arsenic in quartz tube atomizers was investigated. A variety of atomizers of two basic designs (externally heated or unheated flame-in-tube atomizers and externally heated “flameless” atomizers of different dimensions) were employed. The following conclusions have been drawn from the experiments and thermodynamic equilibrium calculations: factors influencing analyte transfer prior to atomization include surface temperature, atomizer dimension and gas flow; the decay of free analyte atoms is controlled by the pattern of gas flow; in a T-shaped atomizer, there is an important zone of turbulence in the junction, whereas a laminar flow pattern prevails in the remaining part of the tube; substantial decay takes place within the turbulent zone; and the decay in the laminar zone is significant only for low gas flow rate and in broader tubes. Decayed As species are volatile and can be completely reatomized in an additional flame downstream in the atomizer. They cannot be reatomized, however, in a heated atomizer without a separate oxygen inlet. Emerging possibilities for improvement of sensitivity and for a reduction of atomization interferences by optimizing the design of quartz tube atomizers are discussed.
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