Sample records for plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

  1. Matrix-Assisted Plasma Atomization Emission Spectrometry for Surface Sampling Elemental Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Xin; Zhan, Xuefang; Li, Xuemei; Zhao, Zhongjun; Duan, Yixiang

    2016-01-01

    An innovative technology has been developed involving a simple and sensitive optical spectrometric method termed matrix-assisted plasma atomization emission spectrometry (MAPAES) for surface sampling elemental analysis using a piece of filter paper (FP) for sample introduction. MAPAES was carried out by direct interaction of the plasma tail plume with the matrix surface. The FP absorbs energy from the plasma source and releases combustion heating to the analytes originally present on its surface, thus to promote the atomization and excitation process. The matrix-assisted plasma atomization excitation phenomenon was observed for multiple elements. The FP matrix served as the partial energy producer and also the sample substrate to adsorb sample solution. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of metal ions were achieved by atomic emission measurements for elements Ba, Cu, Eu, In, Mn, Ni, Rh and Y. The detection limits were down to pg level with linear correlation coefficients better than 0.99. The proposed MAPAES provides a new way for atomic spectrometry which offers advantages of fast analysis speed, little sample consumption, less sample pretreatment, small size, and cost-effective. PMID:26762972

  2. Cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc determination in precipitation: A comparison of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and graphite furnace atomization atomic absorption spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Reddy, M.M.; Benefiel, M.A.; Claassen, H.C.

    1987-01-01

    Selected trace element analysis for cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in precipitation samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission Spectrometry (ICP) and by atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace atomization (AAGF) have been evaluated. This task was conducted in conjunction with a longterm study of precipitation chemistry at high altitude sites located in remote areas of the southwestern United States. Coefficients of variation and recovery values were determined for a standard reference water sample for all metals examined for both techniques. At concentration levels less than 10 micrograms per liter AAGF analyses exhibited better precision and accuracy than ICP. Both methods appear to offer the potential for cost-effective analysis of trace metal ions in precipitation. ?? 1987 Springer-Verlag.

  3. Investigation of an alternating current plasma as an element selective atomic emission detector for high-resolution capillary gas chromatography and as a source for atomic absorption and atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ombaba, Jackson M.

    This thesis deals with the construction and evaluation of an alternating current plasma (ACP) as an element-selective detector for high resolution capillary gas chromatography (GC) and as an excitation source for atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and atomic emission spectrometry (AES). The plasma, constrained in a quartz discharge tube at atmospheric pressure, is generated between two copper electrodes and utilizes helium as the plasma supporting gas. The alternating current plasma power source consists of a step-up transformer with a secondary output voltage of 14,000 V at a current of 23 mA. The device exhibits a stable signal because the plasma is self-seeding and reignites itself every half cycle. A tesla coil is not required to commence generation of the plasma if the ac voltage applied is greater than the breakdown voltage of the plasma-supporting gas. The chromatographic applications studied included the following: (1) the separation and selective detection of the organotin species, tributyltin chloride (TBT) and tetrabutyltin (TEBT), in environmental matrices including mussels (Mvutilus edullus) and sediment from Boston Harbor, industrial waste water and industrial sludge, and (2) the detection of methylcyclopentadienyl manganesetricarbonyl (MMT) and similar compounds used as gasoline additives. An ultrasonic nebulizer (common room humidifier) was utilized as a sample introduction device for aqueous solutions when the ACP was employed as an atomization source for atomic absorption spectrometry and as an excitation source for atomic emission spectrometry. Plasma diagnostic parameters studied include spatial electron number density across the discharge tube, electronic, excitation and ionization temperatures. Interference studies both in absorption and emission modes were also considered. Figures of merits of selected elements both in absorption and emission modes are reported. The evaluation of a computer-aided optimization program, Drylab GC, using

  4. Carbon-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-based charge transfer reactions in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grindlay, Guillermo; Gras, Luis; Mora, Juan; de Loos-Vollebregt, Margaretha T. C.

    2016-01-01

    In this work, the influence of carbon-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-based charge transfer reactions on the emission signal of 34 elements (Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, I, In, Ir, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Pd, Pt, S, Sb, Se, Sr, Te, and Zn) in axially viewed inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been investigated. To this end, atomic and ionic emission signals for diluted glycerol, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid solutions were registered and results were compared to those obtained for a 1% w w- 1 nitric acid solution. Experimental results show that the emission intensities of As, Se, and Te atomic lines are enhanced by charge transfer from carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus ions. Iodine and P atomic emission is enhanced by carbon- and sulfur-based charge transfer whereas the Hg atomic emission signal is enhanced only by carbon. Though signal enhancement due to charge transfer reactions is also expected for ionic emission lines of the above-mentioned elements, no experimental evidence has been found with the exception of Hg ionic lines operating carbon solutions. The effect of carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus charge transfer reactions on atomic emission depends on (i) wavelength characteristics. In general, signal enhancement is more pronounced for electronic transitions involving the highest upper energy levels; (ii) plasma experimental conditions. The use of robust conditions (i.e. high r.f. power and lower nebulizer gas flow rates) improves carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus ionization in the plasma and, hence, signal enhancement; and (iii) the presence of other concomitants (e.g. K or Ca). Easily ionizable elements reduce ionization in the plasma and consequently reduce signal enhancement due to charge transfer reactions.

  5. Tungsten devices in analytical atomic spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, Xiandeng; Jones, Bradley T.

    2002-04-01

    Tungsten devices have been employed in analytical atomic spectrometry for approximately 30 years. Most of these atomizers can be electrically heated up to 3000 °C at very high heating rates, with a simple power supply. Usually, a tungsten device is employed in one of two modes: as an electrothermal atomizer with which the sample vapor is probed directly, or as an electrothermal vaporizer, which produces a sample aerosol that is then carried to a separate atomizer for analysis. Tungsten devices may take various physical shapes: tubes, cups, boats, ribbons, wires, filaments, coils and loops. Most of these orientations have been applied to many analytical techniques, such as atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic emission spectrometry, atomic fluorescence spectrometry, laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry, metastable transfer emission spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and microwave plasma atomic spectrometry. The analytical figures of merit and the practical applications reported for these techniques are reviewed. Atomization mechanisms reported for tungsten atomizers are also briefly summarized. In addition, less common applications of tungsten devices are discussed, including analyte preconcentration by adsorption or electrodeposition and electrothermal separation of analytes prior to analysis. Tungsten atomization devices continue to provide simple, versatile alternatives for analytical atomic spectrometry.

  6. Methods for detecting and correcting inaccurate results in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

    DOEpatents

    Chan, George C. Y. [Bloomington, IN; Hieftje, Gary M [Bloomington, IN

    2010-08-03

    A method for detecting and correcting inaccurate results in inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). ICP-AES analysis is performed across a plurality of selected locations in the plasma on an unknown sample, collecting the light intensity at one or more selected wavelengths of one or more sought-for analytes, creating a first dataset. The first dataset is then calibrated with a calibration dataset creating a calibrated first dataset curve. If the calibrated first dataset curve has a variability along the location within the plasma for a selected wavelength, errors are present. Plasma-related errors are then corrected by diluting the unknown sample and performing the same ICP-AES analysis on the diluted unknown sample creating a calibrated second dataset curve (accounting for the dilution) for the one or more sought-for analytes. The cross-over point of the calibrated dataset curves yields the corrected value (free from plasma related errors) for each sought-for analyte.

  7. Comparison of analytical performances of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for trace analysis of bismuth and bismuth oxide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Medvedev, Nickolay S.; Shaverina, Anastasiya V.; Tsygankova, Alphiya R.; Saprykin, Anatoly I.

    2018-04-01

    The paper presents а comparison of analytical performances of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) for trace analysis of high purity bismuth and bismuth oxide. Matrix effects in the ICP-MS and ICP-AES methods were studied as a function of Bi concentration, ICP power and nebulizer flow rate. For ICP-MS the strong dependence of the matrix effects versus the atomic mass of analytes was observed. For ICP-AES the minimal matrix effects were achieved for spectral lines of analytes with low excitation potentials. The optimum degree of sample dilution providing minimum values of the limits of detection (LODs) was chosen. Both methods let us to reach LODs from n·10-7 to n·10-4 wt% for more than 50 trace elements. For most elements the LODs of ICP-MS were lower in comparison to ICP-AES. Validation of accuracy of the developed techniques was performed by "added-found" experiments and by comparison of the results of ICP-MS and ICP-AES analysis of high-purity bismuth oxide.

  8. Ultra-Shallow Depth Profiling of Arsenic Implants in Silicon by Hydride Generation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matsubara, Atsuko; Kojima, Hisao; Itoga, Toshihiko; Kanehori, Keiichi

    1995-08-01

    High resolution depth profiling of arsenic (As) implanted into silicon wafers by a chemical technique is described. Silicon wafers are precisely etched through repeated oxidation by hydrogen peroxide solution and dissolution of the oxide by hydrofluoric acid solution. The etched silicon thickness is determined by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Arsenic concentration is determined by hydride generation ICP-AES (HG-ICP-AES) with prereduction using potassium iodide. The detection limit of As in a 4-inch silicon wafer is 2.4×1018 atoms/cm3. The etched silicon thickness is controlled to less than 4±2 atomic layers. Depth profiling of an ultra-shallow As diffusion layer with the proposed method shows good agreement with profiling using the four-probe method or secondary ion mass spectrometry.

  9. Determination of Vanadium, Tin and Mercury in Atmospheric Particulate Matter and Cement Dust Samples by Direct Current Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hindy, Kamal T.; And Others

    1992-01-01

    An atmospheric pollution study applies direct current plasma atomic emission spectrometry (DCP-AES) to samples of total suspended particulate matter collected in two industrial areas and one residential area, and cement dust collected near major cement factories. These samples were analyzed for vanadium, tin, and mercury. The results indicate the…

  10. Differentiation of colloidal and dissolved silica: Analytical separation using spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lewis-Russ, A.; Ranville, J.; Kashuba, A.T.

    1991-01-01

    A method is described that differentiates between solutions containing silica-dominated colloids and solutions that are essentially free of colloids. Suspensions of tuff particles were treated to remove colloids by centrifugation, filtration or both. Agreement of silica concentrations determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and by a spectrophotometric method was taken as an indication of colloid-free solutions. For two tuffs, centrifugation was effective for removing colloids. For the third, highly altered tuff, filtration was more effective for removing colloids.

  11. Analytical performance of a low-gas-flow torch optimized for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Montaser, A.; Huse, G.R.; Wax, R.A.; Chan, S.-K.; Golightly, D.W.; Kane, J.S.; Dorrzapf, A.F.

    1984-01-01

    An inductively coupled Ar plasma (ICP), generated in a lowflow torch, was investigated by the simplex optimization technique for simultaneous, multielement, atomic emission spectrometry (AES). The variables studied included forward power, observation height, gas flow (outer, intermediate, and nebulizer carrier) and sample uptake rate. When the ICP was operated at 720-W forward power with a total gas flow of 5 L/min, the signal-to-background ratios (S/B) of spectral lines from 20 elements were either comparable or inferior, by a factor ranging from 1.5 to 2, to the results obtained from a conventional Ar ICP. Matrix effect studies on the Ca-PO4 system revealed that the plasma generated in the low-flow torch was as free of vaporizatton-atomizatton interferences as the conventional ICP, but easily ionizable elements produced a greater level of suppression or enhancement effects which could be reduced at higher forward powers. Electron number densities, as determined via the series until line merging technique, were tower ht the plasma sustained in the low-flow torch as compared with the conventional ICP. ?? 1984 American Chemical Society.

  12. Determination of selected elements in whole coal and in coal ash from the eight argonne premium coal samples by atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic emission spectrometry, and ion-selective electrode

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Doughten, M.W.; Gillison, J.R.

    1990-01-01

    Methods for the determination of 24 elements in whole coal and coal ash by inductively coupled argon plasma-atomic emission spectrometry, flame, graphite furnace, and cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry, and by ion-selective electrode are described. Coal ashes were analyzed in triplicate to determine the precision of the methods. Results of the analyses of NBS Standard Reference Materials 1633, 1633a, 1632a, and 1635 are reported. Accuracy of the methods is determined by comparison of the analysis of standard reference materials to their certified values as well as other values in the literature.

  13. A novel methodology for rapid digestion of rare earth element ores and determination by microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and dynamic reaction cell-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Helmeczi, Erick; Wang, Yong; Brindle, Ian D

    2016-11-01

    Short-wavelength infrared radiation has been successfully applied to accelerate the acid digestion of refractory rare-earth ore samples. Determinations were achieved with microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (MP-AES) and dynamic reaction cell - inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (DRC-ICP-MS). The digestion method developed was able to tackle high iron-oxide and silicate matrices using only phosphoric acid in a time frame of only 8min, and did not require perchloric or hydrofluoric acid. Additionally, excellent recoveries and reproducibilities of the rare earth elements, as well as uranium and thorium, were achieved. Digestions of the certified reference materials OREAS-465 and REE-1, with radically different mineralogies, delivered results that mirror those obtained by fusion processes. For the rare-earth CRM OKA-2, whose REE data are provisional, experimental data for the rare-earth elements were generally higher than the provisional values, often exceeding z-values of +2. Determined values for Th and U in this reference material, for which certified values are available, were in excellent agreement. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Atomic Absorption, Atomic Fluorescence, and Flame Emission Spectrometry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horlick, Gary

    1984-01-01

    This review is presented in six sections. Sections focus on literature related to: (1) developments in instrumentation, measurement techniques, and procedures; (2) performance studies of flames and electrothermal atomizers; (3) applications of atomic absorption spectrometry; (4) analytical comparisons; (5) atomic fluorescence spectrometry; and (6)…

  15. Statistical evaluation of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric method for routine water quality testing

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garbarino, J.R.; Jones, B.E.; Stein, G.P.

    1985-01-01

    In an interlaboratory test, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was compared with flame atomic absorption spectrometry and molecular absorption spectrophotometry for the determination of 17 major and trace elements in 100 filtered natural water samples. No unacceptable biases were detected. The analysis precision of ICP-AES was found to be equal to or better than alternative methods. Known-addition recovery experiments demonstrated that the ICP-AES determinations are accurate to between plus or minus 2 and plus or minus 10 percent; four-fifths of the tests yielded average recoveries of 95-105 percent, with an average relative standard deviation of about 5 percent.

  16. Comparison of a portable micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for the ancient ceramics analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Papadopoulou, D. N.; Zachariadis, G. A.; Anthemidis, A. N.; Tsirliganis, N. C.; Stratis, J. A.

    2004-12-01

    Two multielement instrumental methods of analysis, micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-XRF) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were applied for the analysis of 7th and 5th century B.C. ancient ceramic sherds in order to evaluate the above two methods and to assess the potential to use the current compact and portable micro-XRF instrument for the in situ analysis of ancient ceramics. The distinguishing factor of interest is that micro-XRF spectrometry offers the possibility of a nondestructive analysis, an aspect of primary importance in the compositional analysis of cultural objects. Micro-XRF measurements were performed firstly directly on the ceramic sherds with no special pretreatment apart from surface cleaning (micro-XRF on sherds) and secondly on pressed pellet disks which were prepared for each ceramic sherd (micro-XRF on pellet). For the ICP-AES determination of elements, test solutions were prepared by the application of a microwave-assisted decomposition procedure in closed high-pressure PFA vessels. Also, the standard reference material SARM 69 was used for the efficiency calibration of the micro-XRF instrument and was analysed by both methods. In order to verify the calibration, the standard reference materials NCS DC 73332 and SRM620 as well as the reference materials AWI-1 and PRI-1 were analysed by micro-XRF. Elemental concentrations determined by the three analytical procedures (ICP-AES, micro-XRF on sherds and micro-XRF on pellets) were statistically treated by correlation analysis and Student's t-test (at the 95% confidence level).

  17. Electrochemical hydride generation for the simultaneous determination of hydride forming elements by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bolea, E.; Laborda, F.; Castillo, J. R.; Sturgeon, R. E.

    2004-04-01

    Simultaneous measurements of As, Sb, Se, Sn and Ge were performed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry following their electrochemical hydride generation. An electrochemical hydride generator based on a concentric arrangement with a porous cathode, working in a continuous flow mode was used. The effects of sample flow rate, applied current and electrolytic solution concentration on response were studied and their influence on the mechanisms of hydride generation discussed. Four materials, particulate lead, reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC), silver and amalgamated silver were tested as cathode materials. The best results were achieved with particulate lead and RVC cathodes, wherein generation efficiencies higher than 80% were estimated for most of the analytes. In general, limits of detection between 0.1 and 3.6 ng ml -1 and a precision better than 5% were achieved using a lead cathode. The analysis of a marine sediment reference material (PACS-2, NRC) showed good agreement with the certified values for As and Se.

  18. Mercury determination in non- and biodegradable materials by cold vapor capacitively coupled plasma microtorch atomic emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Frentiu, Tiberiu; Mihaltan, Alin I; Ponta, Michaela; Darvasi, Eugen; Frentiu, Maria; Cordos, Emil

    2011-10-15

    A new analytical system consisting of a low power capacitively coupled plasma microtorch (20 W, 13.56 MHz, 150 ml min(-1) Ar) and a microspectrometer was investigated for the Hg determination in non- and biodegradable materials by cold-vapor generation, using SnCl(2) reductant, and atomic emission spectrometry. The investigated miniaturized system was used for Hg determination in recyclable plastics from electronic equipments and biodegradable materials (shopping bags of 98% biodegradable polyethylene and corn starch) with the advantages of easy operation and low analysis costs. Samples were mineralized in HNO(3)-H(2)SO(4) mixture in a high-pressure microwave system. The detection limits of 0.05 ng ml(-1) or 0.08 μg g(-1) in solid sample were compared with those reported for other analytical systems. The method precision was 1.5-9.4% for Hg levels of 1.37-13.9 mg kg(-1), while recovery in two polyethylene certified reference materials in the range 98.7 ± 4.5% (95% confidence level). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Effects of liquid chromatography mobile phases and buffer salts on phosphorus inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and mass spectrometries utilizing ultrasonic nebulization and membrane desolvation.

    PubMed

    Carr, John E; Kwok, Kaho; Webster, Gregory K; Carnahan, Jon W

    2006-01-23

    Atomic spectrometry, specifically inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) show promise for heteroatom-based detection of pharmaceutical compounds. The combination of ultrasonic nebulization (USN) with membrane desolvation (MD) greatly enhances detection limits with these approaches. Because pharmaceutical analyses often incorporate liquid chromatography, the study herein was performed to examine the effects of solvent composition on the analytical behaviors of these approaches. The target analyte was phosphorus, introduced as phosphomycin. AES response was examined at the 253.7 nm atom line and mass 31 ions were monitored for the MS experiments. With pure aqueous solutions, detection limits of 5 ppb (0.5 ng in 0.1 mL injection volumes) were obtained with ICP-MS. The ICP-AES detection limit was 150 ppb. Solvent compositions were varied from 0 to 80% organic (acetonitrile and methanol) with nine buffers at concentrations typically used in liquid chromatography. In general, solvents and buffers had statistically significant, albeit small, effects on ICP-AES sensitivities. A few exceptions occurred in cases where typical liquid chromatography buffer concentrations produced higher mass loadings on the plasma. Indications are that isocratic separations can be reliably performed. Within reasonable accuracy tolerances, it appears that gradient chromatography can be performed without the need for signal response normalization. Organic solvent and buffer effects were more significant with ICP-MS. Sensitivities varied significantly with different buffers and organic solvent content. In these cases, gradient chromatography will require careful analytical calibration as solvent and buffer content is varied. However, for most buffer and solvent combinations, signal and detection limits are only moderately affected. Isocratic separations and detection are feasible.

  20. [Atomic/ionic fluorescence in microwave plasma torch discharge with excitation of high current and microsecond pulsed hollow cathode lamp: Ca atomic/ionic fluorescence spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Gong, Zhen-bin; Liang, Feng; Yang, Peng-yuan; Jin, Qin-han; Huang, Ben-li

    2002-02-01

    A system of atomic and ionic fluorescence spectrometry in microwave plasma torch (MPT) discharge excited by high current microsecond pulsed hollow cathode lamp (HCMP HCL) has been developed. The operation conditions for Ca atomic and ionic fluorescence spectrometry have been optimized. Compared with atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) in argon microwave induced plasma (MIP) and MPT with the excitation of direct current and conventional pulsed HCL, the system with HCMP HCL excitation can improve AFS and ionic fluorescence spectrometry (IFS) detection limits in MPT atomizer and ionizer. Detection limits (3 sigma) with HCMP HCL-MPT-AFS/IFS are 10.1 ng.mL-1 for Ca I 422.7 nm, 14.6 ng.mL-1 for Ca II 393.4 nm, and 37.4 ng.mL-1 for Ca II 396.8 nm, respectively.

  1. [Recent Development of Atomic Spectrometry in China].

    PubMed

    Xiao, Yuan-fang; Wang, Xiao-hua; Hang, Wei

    2015-09-01

    As an important part of modern analytical techniques, atomic spectrometry occupies a decisive status in the whole analytical field. The development of atomic spectrometry also reflects the continuous reform and innovation of analytical techniques. In the past fifteen years, atomic spectrometry has experienced rapid development and been applied widely in many fields in China. This review has witnessed its development and remarkable achievements. It contains several directions of atomic spectrometry, including atomic emission spectrometry (AES), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), and atomic mass spectrometry (AMS). Emphasis is put on the innovation of the detection methods and their applications in related fields, including environmental samples, biological samples, food and beverage, and geological materials, etc. There is also a brief introduction to the hyphenated techniques utilized in atomic spectrometry. Finally, the prospects of atomic spectrometry in China have been forecasted.

  2. Automation of preparation of nonmetallic samples for analysis by atomic absorption and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wittmann, A.; Willay, G.

    1986-01-01

    For a rapid preparation of solutions intended for analysis by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry or atomic absorption spectrometry, an automatic device called Plasmasol was developed. This apparatus used the property of nonwettability of glassy C to fuse the sample in an appropriate flux. The sample-flux mixture is placed in a composite crucible, then heated at high temperature, swirled until full dissolution is achieved, and then poured into a water-filled beaker. After acid addition, dissolution of the melt, and filling to the mark, the solution is ready for analysis. The analytical results obtained, either for oxide samples or for prereduced iron ores show that the solutions prepared with this device are undistinguished from those obtained by manual dissolutions done by acid digestion or by high temperature fusion. Preparation reproducibility and analytical tests illustrate the performance of Plasmasol.

  3. Gunshot residue testing in suicides: Part II: Analysis by inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Molina, D Kimberley; Castorena, Joe L; Martinez, Michael; Garcia, James; DiMaio, Vincent J M

    2007-09-01

    Several different methods can be employed to test for gunshot residue (GSR) on a decedent's hands, including scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray (SEM/EDX) and inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). In part I of this 2-part series, GSR results performed by SEM/EDX in undisputed cases of suicidal handgun wounds were studied. In part II, the same population was studied, deceased persons with undisputed suicidal handgun wounds, but GSR testing was performed using ICP-AES. A total of 102 cases were studied and analyzed for caliber of weapon, proximity of wound, and the results of the GSR testing. This study found that 50% of cases where the deceased was known to have fired a handgun immediately prior to death had positive GSR results by ICP/AES, which did not differ from the results of GSR testing by SEM/EDX. Since only 50% of cases where the person is known to have fired a weapon were positive for GSR by either method, this test should not be relied upon to determine whether someone has discharged a firearm and is not useful as a determining factor of whether or not a wound is self-inflicted or non-self-inflicted. While a positive GSR result may be of use, a negative result is not helpful in the medical examiner setting as a negative result indicates that either a person fired a weapon prior to death or a person did not fire a weapon prior to death.

  4. Methylmercury determination in seafood by photochemical vapor generation capacitively coupled plasma microtorch optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Covaci, Eniko; Senila, Marin; Ponta, Michaela; Darvasi, Eugen; Petreus, Dorin; Frentiu, Maria; Frentiu, Tiberiu

    2017-08-01

    A non-chromatographic method based on double liquid-liquid extraction and measurements by UV photochemical vapor generation capacitively coupled plasma microtorch optical emission spectrometry was developed and characterized for methylmercury determination in seafood. Samples were prepared following the procedure recommended in JRC Technical Report of European Commission formerly proposed for the determination of methylmercury in seafood by thermal decomposition atomic absorption spectrometry, namely confinement of Hg species in 47% HBr solution, extraction of CH 3 Hg + in toluene and back-extraction in 1% l-cysteine aqueous solution. Mercury cold vapor was generated by flow injection UV photo-reduction from CH 3 Hg + in 0.6molL -1 HCOOH, while quantification was performed against external Hg 2+ aqueous standards and measuring Hg 253.652nm emission using a low power/Ar consumption plasma microtorch (15W, 100mLmin -1 ) and a low resolution microspectrometer (Ocean Optics). The figures of merit and analytical capability were assessed by analyzing certified reference materials and test samples of fish fillet and discussed in relation with requirements for Hg determination in seafood in European legislation (Decisions 2007/333/EC and 2002/657/EC) as well as compared to performances achieved in thermal decomposition atomic absorption spectrometry. The limit of detection and quantification of 2µgkg -1 and 6µgkg -1 respectively, precision of 2.7-9.4% and accuracy of 99±8% of the proposed method for the determination of CH 3 Hg + fulfill the demands of European legislation for Hg quantification. The limit of detection and quantification were better than those in the used reference method or other non-/chromatographic methods taken for comparison. The analysis of certified reference materials and the Bland and Altman test performed on 12 test samples confirmed trueness of the proposed method and its reliability for the determination of traces of CH 3 Hg + with 95

  5. Comparison in the analytical performance between krypton and argon glow discharge plasmas as the excitation source for atomic emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2009-04-01

    The emission characteristics of ionic lines of nickel, cobalt, and vanadium were investigated when argon or krypton was employed as the plasma gas in glow discharge optical emission spectrometry. A dc Grimm-style lamp was employed as the excitation source. Detection limits of the ionic lines in each iron-matrix alloy sample were compared between the krypton and the argon plasmas. Particular intense ionic lines were observed in the emission spectra as a function of the discharge gas (krypton or argon), such as the Co II 258.033 nm for krypton and the Co II 231.707 nm for argon. The explanation for this is that collisions with the plasma gases dominantly populate particular excited levels of cobalt ion, which can receive the internal energy from each gas ion selectively, for example, the 3d(7)4p (3)G(5) (6.0201 eV) for krypton and the 3d(7)4p (3)G(4) (8.0779 eV) for argon. In the determination of nickel as well as cobalt in iron-matrix samples, more sensitive ionic lines could be found in the krypton plasma rather than the argon plasma. Detection limits in the krypton plasma were 0.0039 mass% Ni for the Ni II 230.299-nm line and 0.002 mass% Co for the Co II 258.033-nm line. However, in the determination of vanadium, the argon plasma had better analytical performance, giving a detection limit of 0.0023 mass% V for the V II 309.310-nm line.

  6. Method of trivalent chromium concentration determination by atomic spectrometry

    DOEpatents

    Reheulishvili, Aleksandre N [Tbilisi, 0183, GE; Tsibakhashvili, Neli Ya [Tbilisi, 0101, GE

    2006-12-12

    A method is disclosed for determining the concentration of trivalent chromium Cr(III) in a sample. The addition of perchloric acid has been found to increase the atomic chromium spectrometric signal due to Cr(III), while leaving the signal due to hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) unchanged. This enables determination of the Cr(III) concentration without pre-concentration or pre-separation from chromium of other valences. The Cr(III) concentration may be measured using atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic emission spectrometry or atomic fluorescence spectrometry.

  7. Characterization of the General Electric CID-17 as a Detector for Plasma Emission Spectrometry.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-11-25

    multiwavelength disreteetectors. All tnToes oF detectors ’or plasma emission snectroscopv must mntil there o eapresetutisemhas. been, byes ereounu ai!- numer...photomultiplier tubes. With almost 100,000 channels, true multiwavelength detection is obtained making a new wealth of information available to the analytical...of complex mixtures by optical emission spectrometry requires sensitive simultaneous multiwavelength detection. Until the present, this has been

  8. Chemometric evaluation of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry) and Pb (graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry) concentrations in lipstick samples intended to be used by adults and children.

    PubMed

    Batista, Érica Ferreira; Augusto, Amanda dos Santos; Pereira-Filho, Edenir Rodrigues

    2016-04-01

    A method was developed for determining the concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb in lipstick samples intended to be used by adults and children using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS) after treatment with dilute HNO3 and hot block. The combination of fractional factorial design and Desirability function was used to evaluate the ICP OES operational parameters and the regression models using Central Composite and Doehlert designs were calculated to stablish the best working condition for all analytes. Seventeen lipstick samples manufactured in different countries with different colors and brands were analyzed. Some samples contained high concentrations of toxic elements, such as Cr and Pb, which are carcinogenic and cause allergic and eczematous dermatitis. The maximum concentration detected was higher than the permissible safe limits for human use, and the samples containing these high metal concentrations were intended for use by children. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used as a chemometrics tool for exploratory analysis to observe the similarities between samples relative to the metal concentrations (a correlation between Cd and Pb was observed). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Trends in tungsten coil atomic spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donati, George L.

    Renewed interest in electrothermal atomic spectrometric methods based on tungsten coil atomizers is a consequence of a world wide increasing demand for fast, inexpensive, sensitive, and portable analytical methods for trace analysis. In this work, tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry (WCAAS) and tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry (WCAES) are used to determine several different metals and even a non-metal at low levels in different samples. Improvements in instrumentation and new strategies to reduce matrix effects and background signals are presented. Investigation of the main factors affecting both WCAAS and WCAES analytical signals points to the importance of a reducing, high temperature gas phase in the processes leading to atomic cloud generation. Some more refractory elements such as V and Ti were determined for the first time by double tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry (DWCAES). The higher temperatures provided by two atomizers in DWCAES also allowed the detection of Ag, Cu and Sn emission signals for the first time. Simultaneous determination of several elements by WCAES in relatively complex sample matrices was possible after a simple acid extraction. The results show the potential of this method as an alternative to more traditional, expensive methods for fast, more effective analyses and applications in the field. The development of a new metallic atomization cell is also presented. Lower limits of detection in both WCAAS and WCAES determinations were obtained due to factors such as better control of background signal, smaller, more isothermal system, with atomic cloud concentration at the optical path for a longer period of time. Tungsten coil-based methods are especially well suited to applications requiring low sample volume, low cost, sensitivity and portability. Both WCAAS and WCAES have great commercial potential in fields as diverse as archeology and industrial quality control. They are simple, inexpensive, effective

  10. U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR OPERATION, CALIBRATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE JOBIN-YVON MODEL 70 INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA ATOMIC EMISSION SPECTROMETER (BCO-L-7.1)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The purpose of this SOP is to detail the operation and maintenance of an Instruments, SA Inc., Jobin-Yvon Model 70 (JY-70) inductively coupled plasma atomic emissions spectrometry (ICP-AES). This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval during the Arizona NHEXA...

  11. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric determination of tin in canned food.

    PubMed

    Sumitani, H; Suekane, S; Nakatani, A; Tatsuka, K

    1993-01-01

    Various canned foods were digested sequentially with HNO3 and HCl, diluted to 100 mL, and filtered, and then tin was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP/AES). Samples of canned Satsuma mandarin, peach, apricot, pineapple, apple juice, mushroom, asparagus, evaporated milk, short-necked clam, spinach, whole tomato, meat, and salmon were evaluated. Sample preparations did not require time-consuming dilutions, because ICP/AES has wide dynamic range. The standard addition method was used to determine tin concentration. Accuracy of the method was tested by analyzing analytical standards containing tin at 2 levels (50 and 250 micrograms/g). The amounts of tin found for the 50 and 250 micrograms/g levels were 50.5 and 256 micrograms/g, respectively, and the repeatability coefficients of variation were 4.0 and 3.8%, respectively. Recovery of tin from 13 canned foods spiked at 2 levels (50 and 250 micrograms/g) ranged from 93.9 to 109.4%, with a mean of 99.2%. The quantitation limit for tin standard solution was about 0.5 microgram/g.

  12. Pulsed, atmospheric pressure plasma source for emission spectrometry

    DOEpatents

    Duan, Yixiang; Jin, Zhe; Su, Yongxuan

    2004-05-11

    A low-power, plasma source-based, portable molecular light emission generator/detector employing an atmospheric pressure pulsed-plasma for molecular fragmentation and excitation is described. The average power required for the operation of the plasma is between 0.02 W and 5 W. The features of the optical emission spectra obtained with the pulsed plasma source are significantly different from those obtained with direct current (dc) discharge higher power; for example, strong CH emission at 431.2 nm which is only weakly observed with dc plasma sources was observed, and the intense CN emission observed at 383-388 nm using dc plasma sources was weak in most cases. Strong CN emission was only observed using the present apparatus when compounds containing nitrogen, such as aniline were employed as samples. The present apparatus detects dimethylsulfoxide at 200 ppb using helium as the plasma gas by observing the emission band of the CH radical. When coupled with a gas chromatograph for separating components present in a sample to be analyzed, the present invention provides an apparatus for detecting the arrival of a particular component in the sample at the end of the chromatographic column and the identity thereof.

  13. Study of oxygen/tetraethoxysilane plasmas in a helicon reactor using optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aumaille, K.; Granier, A.; Schmidt, M.; Grolleau, B.; Vallée, C.; Turban, G.

    2000-08-01

    Oxygen/tetraethoxysilane (O2/TEOS) plasmas created in a low-pressure (2 mTorr) rf helicon reactor have been studied by optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry as a function of the rf (13.56 MHz) power injected into the plasma, which is varied from 25 to 300 W. Complementary measurements for the interpretation of the mass spectrometric data have also been carried out using the threshold ionization mass spectrometry technique. It is shown that valuable information on the parent molecules is obtained by both optical emission spectroscopy and threshold ionization mass spectrometry techniques. At low rf power TEOS molecules and organic compounds like hydrocarbons (CH4, C2H2) and alcohols (CH3CH2OH) as well as H2, H2O, CO, O2, CO2 are observed. At high rf power TEOS and O2 molecules are totally or mostly depleted, the share of hydrocarbons decreases and carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water and hydrogen become the essential parts of the gas phase.

  14. Validation of an analytical method based on the high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry for the fast-sequential determination of several hazardous/priority hazardous metals in soil.

    PubMed

    Frentiu, Tiberiu; Ponta, Michaela; Hategan, Raluca

    2013-03-01

    The aim of this paper was the validation of a new analytical method based on the high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry for the fast-sequential determination of several hazardous/priority hazardous metals (Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soil after microwave assisted digestion in aqua regia. Determinations were performed on the ContrAA 300 (Analytik Jena) air-acetylene flame spectrometer equipped with xenon short-arc lamp as a continuum radiation source for all elements, double monochromator consisting of a prism pre-monocromator and an echelle grating monochromator, and charge coupled device as detector. For validation a method-performance study was conducted involving the establishment of the analytical performance of the new method (limits of detection and quantification, precision and accuracy). Moreover, the Bland and Altman statistical method was used in analyzing the agreement between the proposed assay and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry as standardized method for the multielemental determination in soil. The limits of detection in soil sample (3σ criterion) in the high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry method were (mg/kg): 0.18 (Ag), 0.14 (Cd), 0.36 (Co), 0.25 (Cr), 0.09 (Cu), 1.0 (Ni), 1.4 (Pb) and 0.18 (Zn), close to those in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry: 0.12 (Ag), 0.05 (Cd), 0.15 (Co), 1.4 (Cr), 0.15 (Cu), 2.5 (Ni), 2.5 (Pb) and 0.04 (Zn). Accuracy was checked by analyzing 4 certified reference materials and a good agreement for 95% confidence interval was found in both methods, with recoveries in the range of 94-106% in atomic absorption and 97-103% in optical emission. Repeatability found by analyzing real soil samples was in the range 1.6-5.2% in atomic absorption, similar with that of 1.9-6.1% in optical emission spectrometry. The Bland and Altman method showed no statistical significant difference between the two spectrometric

  15. A comparison of simultaneous plasma, atomic absorption, and iron colorimetric determinations of major and trace constituents in acid mine waters

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ball, J.W.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk

    1994-01-01

    Sixty-three water samples collected during June to October 1982 from the Leviathan/Bryant Creek drainage basin were originally analyzed by simultaneous multielement direct-current plasma (DCP) atomic-emission spectrometry, flame atomic-absorption spectrometry, graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) (thallium only), ultraviolet-visible spectrometry, and hydride-generation atomic-absorption spectrometry.Determinations were made for the following metallic and semi-metallic constituents: AI, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Ca, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe(11), Fe(total), Li, Pb, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, K, Sb, Se, Si, Na, Sr, TI, V, and Zn. These samples were re-analyzed later by simultaneous multielement inductively coupled plasma (ICP) atomic-emission spectrometry and Zeeman-corrected GFAAS to determine the concentrations of many of the same constituents with improved accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. The result of this analysis has been the generation of comparative concentration values for a significant subset of the solute constituents. Many of the more recently determined values replace less-than-detection values for the trace metals; others constitute duplicate analyses for the major constituents. The multiple determinations have yielded a more complete, accurate, and precise set of analytical data. They also have resulted in an opportunity to compare the performance of the plasma-emission instruments operated in their respective simultaneous multielement modes. Flame atomic-absorption spectrometry was judged best for Na and K and hydride-generation atomic-absorption spectrometry was judged best for As because of their lower detection limit and relative freedom from interelement spectral effects. Colorimetric determination using ferrozine as the color agent was judged most accurate, precise, and sensitive for Fe. Cadmium, lead, and vanadium concentrations were too low in this set of samples to enable a determination of whether ICP or DCP is a more suitable technique. Of

  16. Spectroscopic Characteristic and Analytical Capability of Ar-N₂ Inductively Coupled Plasma in Axially Viewing Optical Emission Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Ohata, Masaki

    2016-01-01

    The spectroscopic characteristics and analytical capability of argon-nitrogen (Ar-N2) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) in axially viewing optical emission spectrometry (OES) were examined and figures of merit were determined in the present study. The spectroscopic characteristics such as the emission intensity profile and the excitation temperature observed from the analytical zone of Ar-N2 ICP in axially viewing ICPOES, in order to elucidate the enhancement of the emission intensity of elements obtained in our previous study, were evaluated and compared to those of the standard ICP. The background and emission intensities of elements as well as their excitation behavior for both atom and ion lines were also examined. As results, a narrower emission intensity profile and an increased excitation temperature as well as enhancements for both background and emission intensities of elements, which could be due to the ICP shrunken as well as the enhancement of the interaction between the central channel of the ICP and samples introduced, were observed for Ar-N2 ICP in axially viewing OES. In addition, the elements with relatively higher excitation and ionization energies such as As, Bi, Cd, Ni, P, and Zn revealed larger enhancements of the emission intensities as well as improved limits of detection (LODs), which were also attributed to the enhanced interaction between Ar-N2 ICP and the samples. Since the Ar-N2 ICP could be obtained easily only by the addition of a small amount of N2 gas to the Ar plasma gas of the standard ICP and no optimization on the alignment between Ar-N2 ICP and the spectrometer in commercially available ICPOES instruments was needed, it could be utilized as simple and optional excitation and ionization sources in axially viewing ICPOES.

  17. 40 CFR Appendix C to Part 136 - Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element Analysis of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic... to Part 136—Inductively Coupled Plasma—Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element... technique. Samples are nebulized and the aerosol that is produced is transported to the plasma torch where...

  18. 40 CFR Appendix C to Part 136 - Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element Analysis of...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic... to Part 136—Inductively Coupled Plasma—Atomic Emission Spectrometric Method for Trace Element... technique. Samples are nebulized and the aerosol that is produced is transported to the plasma torch where...

  19. In situ calibration of inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission and mass spectroscopy

    DOEpatents

    Braymen, Steven D.

    1996-06-11

    A method and apparatus for in situ addition calibration of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer or mass spectrometer using a precision gas metering valve to introduce a volatile calibration gas of an element of interest directly into an aerosol particle stream. The present situ calibration technique is suitable for various remote, on-site sampling systems such as laser ablation or nebulization.

  20. Validation of an analytical method based on the high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry for the fast-sequential determination of several hazardous/priority hazardous metals in soil

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The aim of this paper was the validation of a new analytical method based on the high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry for the fast-sequential determination of several hazardous/priority hazardous metals (Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soil after microwave assisted digestion in aqua regia. Determinations were performed on the ContrAA 300 (Analytik Jena) air-acetylene flame spectrometer equipped with xenon short-arc lamp as a continuum radiation source for all elements, double monochromator consisting of a prism pre-monocromator and an echelle grating monochromator, and charge coupled device as detector. For validation a method-performance study was conducted involving the establishment of the analytical performance of the new method (limits of detection and quantification, precision and accuracy). Moreover, the Bland and Altman statistical method was used in analyzing the agreement between the proposed assay and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry as standardized method for the multielemental determination in soil. Results The limits of detection in soil sample (3σ criterion) in the high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry method were (mg/kg): 0.18 (Ag), 0.14 (Cd), 0.36 (Co), 0.25 (Cr), 0.09 (Cu), 1.0 (Ni), 1.4 (Pb) and 0.18 (Zn), close to those in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry: 0.12 (Ag), 0.05 (Cd), 0.15 (Co), 1.4 (Cr), 0.15 (Cu), 2.5 (Ni), 2.5 (Pb) and 0.04 (Zn). Accuracy was checked by analyzing 4 certified reference materials and a good agreement for 95% confidence interval was found in both methods, with recoveries in the range of 94–106% in atomic absorption and 97–103% in optical emission. Repeatability found by analyzing real soil samples was in the range 1.6–5.2% in atomic absorption, similar with that of 1.9–6.1% in optical emission spectrometry. The Bland and Altman method showed no statistical significant difference

  1. Vaporization and atomization of uranium in a graphite tube electrothermal vaporizer: a mechanistic study using electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goltz, D. M.; Grégoire, D. C.; Byrne, J. P.; Chakrabarti, C. L.

    1995-07-01

    The mechanism of vaporization and atomization of U in a graphite tube electrothermal vaporizer was studied using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ETV-ICP-MS). Graphite furnace AAS studies indicate U atoms are formed at temperatures above 2400°C. Using ETV-ICP-MS, an appearance temperature of 1100°C was obtained indicating that some U vaporizes as U oxide. Although U carbides form at temperatures above 2000°C, ETV-ICP-MS studies show that they do not vaporize until 2600°C. In the temperature range between 2200°C and 2600°C, U atoms in GFAAS are likely formed by thermal dissociation of U oxide, whereas at higher temperatures, U atoms are formed via thermal dissociation of U carbide. The origin of U signal suppression in ETV-ICP-MS by NaCl was also investigated. At temperatures above 2000°C, signal suppression may be caused by the accelerated rate of formation of carbide species while at temperatures below 2000°C, the presence of NaCl may cause intercalation of the U in the graphite layers resulting in partial retention of U during the vaporization step. The use of 0.3% freon-23 (CHF 3) mixed with the argon carrier gas was effective in preventing the intercalation of U in graphite and U carbide formation at 2700°C.

  2. Quantitative determination of total cesium in highly active liquid waste by using liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Do, Van-Khoai; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Takamura, Yuzuru; Surugaya, Naoki; Kuno, Takehiko

    2018-06-01

    A sensitive analytical method for determination of total cesium (Cs) in highly active liquid waste (HALW) by using modified liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry (LEP-OES) is developed in this study. The instrument is modified to measure radioactive samples in a glove box. The effects of important factors, including pulsed voltage sequence and nitric acid concentration, on the emission of Cs are investigated. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are 0.005 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L, respectively. The achieved LOD is one order lower than that of recently developed spectroscopic methods using liquid discharge plasma. The developed method is validated by subjecting a simulated HALW sample to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The recoveries obtained from a spike-and-recovery test are 96-102%, implying good accuracy. The method is successfully applied to the quantification of Cs in a real HALW sample at the Tokai reprocessing plant in Japan. Apart from dilution and filtration of the HALW sample, no other pre-treatment process is required. The results agree well with the values obtained using gamma spectrometry. The developed method offers a reliable technique for rapid analysis of total Cs in HALW samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. A square-wave wavelength modulation system for automatic background correction in carbon furnace atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bezur, L.; Marshall, J.; Ottaway, J. M.

    A square-wave wavelength modulation system, based on a rotating quartz chopper with four quadrants of different thicknesses, has been developed and evaluated as a method for automatic background correction in carbon furnace atomic emission spectrometry. Accurate background correction is achieved for the residual black body radiation (Rayleigh scatter) from the tube wall and Mie scatter from particles generated by a sample matrix and formed by condensation of atoms in the optical path. Intensity modulation caused by overlap at the edges of the quartz plates and by the divergence of the optical beam at the position of the modulation chopper has been investigated and is likely to be small.

  4. O-shell emission of heavy atoms in an optically thin tokamak plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Finkenthal, M.; Lippmann, S.; Huang, L. K.; Zwicker, A.; Moos, H. W.; Goldstein, W. H.; Osterheld, A. L.

    1992-04-01

    Heavy atoms Au (Z=79), Pb (Z=82), Bi (Z=83), and U (Z=92) have been introduced in the low-density (ne~1013 cm-3) high-temperature (Te>=1 keV) TEXT tokamak (Fusion Research Center, University of Texas at Austin) plasma. The emission has been measured in the 50-200-Å range using a photometrically calibrated, time-resolving grazing-incidence spectrometer. The O-shell ion emission has been identified by comparison with ab initio energy-level calculations and line-intensity predictions of collisional radiative models for various charge states with 5p65dk ground-state configurations.

  5. In situ calibration of inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission and mass spectroscopy

    DOEpatents

    Braymen, S.D.

    1996-06-11

    A method and apparatus are disclosed for in situ addition calibration of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer or mass spectrometer using a precision gas metering valve to introduce a volatile calibration gas of an element of interest directly into an aerosol particle stream. The present in situ calibration technique is suitable for various remote, on-site sampling systems such as laser ablation or nebulization. 5 figs.

  6. Improved documentation of spectral lines for inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doidge, Peter S.

    2018-05-01

    An approach to improving the documentation of weak spectral lines falling near the prominent analytical lines used in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) is described. Measurements of ICP emission spectra in the regions around several hundred prominent lines, using concentrated solutions (up to 1% w/v) of some 70 elements, and comparison of the observed spectra with both recent published work and with the output of a computer program that allows calculation of transitions between the known energy levels, show that major improvements can be made in the coverage of spectral atlases for ICP-OES, with respect to "classical" line tables. It is argued that the atomic spectral data (wavelengths, energy levels) required for the reliable identification and documentation of a large majority of the weak interfering lines of the elements detectable by ICP-OES now exist, except for most of the observed lines of the lanthanide elements. In support of this argument, examples are provided from a detailed analysis of a spectral window centered on the prominent Pb II 220.353 nm line, and from a selected line-rich spectrum (W). Shortcomings in existing analyses are illustrated with reference to selected spectral interferences due to Zr. This approach has been used to expand the spectral-line library used in commercial ICP-ES instruments (Agilent 700-ES/5100-ES). The precision of wavelength measurements is evaluated in terms of the shot-noise limit, while the absolute accuracy of wavelength measurement is characterised through comparison with a small set of precise Ritz wavelengths for Sb I, and illustrated through the identification of Zr III lines; it is further shown that fractional-pixel absolute wavelength accuracies can be achieved. Finally, problems with the wavelengths and classifications of certain Au I lines are discussed.

  7. Multi-elemental analysis of aqueous geological samples by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Todorov, Todor I.; Wolf, Ruth E.; Adams, Monique

    2014-01-01

    Typically, 27 major, minor, and trace elements are determined in natural waters, acid mine drainage, extraction fluids, and leachates of geological and environmental samples by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). At the discretion of the analyst, additional elements may be determined after suitable method modifications and performance data are established. Samples are preserved in 1–2 percent nitric acid (HNO3) at sample collection or as soon as possible after collection. The aqueous samples are aspirated into the ICP-OES discharge, where the elemental emission signals are measured simultaneously for 27 elements. Calibration is performed with a series of matrix-matched, multi-element solution standards.

  8. Determination of ultratrace elements in natural waters by solid-phase extraction and atomic spectrometry methods.

    PubMed

    Grotti, Marco; Abelmoschi, Maria Luisa; Soggia, Francesco; Frache, Roberto

    2003-01-01

    A study was carried out on the preconcentration of ultratrace amounts of cadmium, lead, manganese, copper and iron from high-salinity aqueous samples and determination by atomic spectrometry methods. Sample volume, amount of resin, loading flow rate, and elution volume were optimized in order to obtain the simultaneous preconcentration of all the analytes. Quantitative recoveries were obtained by using 200 mg of iminodiacetic resin with a loading flow rate of 2 mL min(-1), elution volume of 3 mL and sample volume of 50-450 mL. Only copper in seawater samples was not completely retained by the resin (60-70% recovery), due to unfavorable competition of iminodiacetic-active groups with organically bound metal.To quantify the metals in the eluates, two atomic spectrometry techniques were compared: electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) with simultaneous CCD detection system. Both techniques are suitable for sample analysis with detection limits of 1.0, 4.7, 3.3, 6.8, and 53 ng L(-1) using ETAAS and 12, 122, 3.4, 17, and 21 ng L(-1) using ICP-OES for Cd, Pb, Mn, Cu, and Fe, respectively. Relative standard deviations of the procedures ranged from 1.7 to 14% at the sub-microg L(-1) concentration level. The accuracy of both methods was verified by analyzing various certified reference materials (river water, estuarine water, coastal and off-shore seawater).

  9. Application of Plackett-Burman and Doehlert designs for optimization of selenium analysis in plasma with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

    PubMed

    El Ati-Hellal, Myriam; Hellal, Fayçal; Hedhili, Abderrazek

    2014-10-01

    The aim of this study was the optimization of selenium determination in plasma samples with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using experimental design methodology. 11 variables being able to influence selenium analysis in human blood plasma by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) were evaluated with Plackett-Burman experimental design. These factors were selected from sample preparation, furnace program and chemical modification steps. Both absorbance and background signals were chosen as responses in the screening approach. Doehlert design was used for method optimization. Results showed that only ashing temperature has a statistically significant effect on the selected responses. Optimization with Doehlert design allowed the development of a reliable method for selenium analysis with ETAAS. Samples were diluted 1/10 with 0.05% (v/v) TritonX-100+2.5% (v/v) HNO3 solution. Optimized ashing and atomization temperatures for nickel modifier were 1070°C and 2270°C, respectively. A detection limit of 2.1μgL(-1) Se was obtained. Accuracy of the method was checked by the analysis of selenium in Seronorm™ Trace element quality control serum level 1. The developed procedure was applied for the analysis of total selenium in fifteen plasma samples with standard addition method. Concentrations ranged between 24.4 and 64.6μgL(-1), with a mean of 42.6±4.9μgL(-1). The use of experimental designs allowed the development of a cheap and accurate method for selenium analysis in plasma that could be applied routinely in clinical laboratories. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Theoretical modeling of laser-induced plasmas using the ATOMIC code

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Colgan, James; Johns, Heather; Kilcrease, David; Judge, Elizabeth; Barefield, James, II; Clegg, Samuel; Hartig, Kyle

    2014-10-01

    We report on efforts to model the emission spectra generated from laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). LIBS is a popular and powerful method of quickly and accurately characterizing unknown samples in a remote manner. In particular, LIBS is utilized by the ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory. We model the LIBS plasma using the Los Alamos suite of atomic physics codes. Since LIBS plasmas generally have temperatures of somewhere between 3000 K and 12000 K, the emission spectra typically result from the neutral and singly ionized stages of the target atoms. We use the Los Alamos atomic structure and collision codes to generate sets of atomic data and use the plasma kinetics code ATOMIC to perform LTE or non-LTE calculations that generate level populations and an emission spectrum for the element of interest. In this presentation we compare the emission spectrum from ATOMIC with an Fe LIBS laboratory-generated plasma as well as spectra from the ChemCam instrument. We also discuss various physics aspects of the modeling of LIBS plasmas that are necessary for accurate characterization of the plasma, such as multi-element target composition effects, radiation transport effects, and accurate line shape treatments. The Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC5206NA25396.

  11. Continuous Liquid-Sample Introduction for Bunsen Burner Atomic Emission Spectrometry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Gregory D.; And Others

    1995-01-01

    Describes a laboratory-constructed atomic emission spectrometer with modular instrumentation components and a simple Bunsen burner atomizer with continuous sample introduction. A schematic diagram and sample data are provided. (DDR)

  12. High purity polyimide analysis by solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santos, Rafael F.; Carvalho, Gabriel S.; Duarte, Fabio A.; Bolzan, Rodrigo C.; Flores, Erico M. M.

    2017-03-01

    In this work, Cr, Cu, Mn, Na and Ni were determined in high purity polyimides (99.5%) by solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (SS-GFAAS) using Zeeman effect background correction system with variable magnetic field, making possible the simultaneous measurement at high or low sensitivity. The following analytical parameters were evaluated: pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, feasibility of calibration with aqueous solution, linear calibration range, sample mass range and the use of chemical modifier. Calibration with aqueous standard solutions was feasible for all analytes. No under or overestimated results were observed and up to 10 mg sample could be introduced on the platform for the determination of Cr, Cu, Mn, Na and Ni. The relative standard deviation ranged from 3 to 20%. The limits of detection (LODs) achieved using the high sensitivity mode were as low as 7.0, 2.5, 1.7, 17 and 0.12 ng g- 1 for Cr, Cu, Mn, Na and Ni, respectively. No addition of chemical modifier was necessary, except for Mn determination where Pd was required. The accuracy was evaluated by analyte spike and by comparison of the results with those obtained by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after microwave-assisted digestion in a single reaction chamber system and also by neutron activation analysis. No difference among the results obtained by SS-GFAAS and those obtained by alternative analytical methods using independent techniques. SS-GFAAS method showed some advantages, such as the determination of metallic contaminants in high purity polyimides with practically no sample preparation, very low LODs, calibration with aqueous standards and determination in a wide range of concentration.

  13. Dielectric barrier discharge micro-plasma emission spectrometry for the detection of acetone in exhaled breath.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ting; Gao, Dong-Xue; Yu, Yong-Liang; Chen, Ming-Li; Wang, Jian-Hua

    2016-01-01

    Acetone is a predominant volatile organic compound (VOC) in the exhaled breath and a promising biomarker for diabetes and ketoacidosis. A non-thermal micro-plasma generated in a planar dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is used as a radiation source for the excitation of gaseous acetone followed by its quantification with optical emission spectrometry (OES). Gaseous acetone can be directly sampled, while liquid acetone is evaporated by heated tungsten coil and then introduced into the DBD micro-plasma by a helium carrier flow for performing optical emission and detection at a 519 nm emission line. In the present study, the exhaled breath is collected and transferred into aqueous medium for sampling. With a sampling volume of 7 μL in a micro-drop, a linear range of 40-1600 mg L(-1) is obtained along with a detection limit of 44 ng and a precision of 5.7% RSD. The present system is successfully applied to the determination of breath acetone for both diabetic patients and healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Determination of atomic hydrogen in non-thermal hydrogen plasmas by means of molecular beam threshold ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei-Guo; Xu, Yong; Yang, Xue-Feng; Wang, Wen-Chun; Zhu, Ai-Min

    2005-01-01

    Atomic hydrogen plays important roles in chemical vapor deposition of functional materials, plasma etching and new approaches to chemical synthesis of hydrogen-containing compounds. The present work reports experimental determinations of atomic hydrogen near the grounded electrode in medium-pressure dielectric barrier discharge hydrogen plasmas by means of molecular beam threshold ionization mass spectrometry (MB-TIMS). At certain discharge conditions (a.c. frequency of 24 kHz, 28 kV of peak-to-peak voltage), the measured hydrogen dissociation fraction is decreased from approximately 0.83% to approximately 0.14% as the hydrogen pressure increases from 2.0 to 14.0 Torr. A simulation method for extraction of the approximate electron beam energy distribution function in the mass spectrometer ionizer and a semi-quantitative approach to calibrate the mass discrimination effect caused by the supersonic beam formation and the mass spectrometer measurement are reported. Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Partial microwave-assisted wet digestion of animal tissue using a baby-bottle sterilizer for analyte determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matos, Wladiana O.; Menezes, Eveline A.; Gonzalez, Mário H.; Costa, Letícia M.; Trevizan, Lilian C.; Nogueira, Ana Rita A.

    2009-06-01

    A procedure for partial digestion of bovine tissue is proposed using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) micro-vessels inside a baby-bottle sterilizer under microwave radiation for multi-element determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Samples were directly weighed in laboratory-made polytetrafluoroethylene vessels. Nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide were added to the uncovered vessels, which were positioned inside the baby-bottle sterilizer, containing 500 mL of water. The hydrogen peroxide volume was fixed at 100 µL. The system was placed in a domestic microwave oven and partial digestion was carried out for the determination of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn and Zn by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The single-vessel approach was used in the entire procedure, to minimize contamination in trace analysis. Better recoveries and lower residual carbon content (RCC) levels were obtained under the conditions established through a 2 4-1 fractional factorial design: 650 W microwave power, 7 min digestion time, 50 µL nitric acid and 50 mg sample mass. The digestion efficiency was ascertained according to the residual carbon content determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The accuracy of the proposed procedure was checked against two certified reference materials.

  16. Tree ring wood analysis after hydrogen peroxide pressure decomposition with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and electrothermal vaporization

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Matusiewicz, H.; Barnes, R.M.

    1985-02-01

    A method utilizing pressure decomposition to minimize sample pretreatment is described for the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric analysis of red spruce and sugar maple. Cores collected from trees growing on Camels Hump Mountain, Vermont, were divided into decade increments in order to monitor the temporal changes in concentrations of 21 elements. Dried wood samples were decomposed in a bomb made of Teflon with 50% hydrogen peroxide heated in an oven at 125/sup 0/C for 4 h. The digestion permitted use of aqueous standards and minimized any potential matrix effects. The element concentrations were obtained sequentially by electrothermal vaporizationmore » ICP-AES using 5 ..mu..L sample aliquots. The method precision varied between 3 and 12%. Elements forming oxyanions (Al, As, Fe, Ge, Mn, Si, V) were found at elevated concentrations during the most recent three decades, while other metal (e.g., Mg, Zn) concentrations were unchanged or decreased. 45 references, 6 tables, 1 figure.« less

  17. Trace element determination using static high-sensitivity inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (SHIP-OES).

    PubMed

    Engelhard, Carsten; Scheffer, Andy; Nowak, Sascha; Vielhaber, Torsten; Buscher, Wolfgang

    2007-02-05

    A low-flow air-cooled inductively coupled plasma (ICP) design for optical emission spectrometry (OES) with axial plasma viewing is described and an evaluation of its analytical capabilities in trace element determinations is presented. Main advantage is a total argon consumption of 0.6 L min(-1) in contrast to 15 L min(-1) using conventional ICP sources. The torch was evaluated in trace element determinations and studied in direct comparison with a conventional torch under the same conditions with the same OES system, ultrasonic nebulization (USN) and single-element optimization. A variety of parameters (x-y-position of the torch, rf power, external air cooling, gas flow rates and USN operation parameters) was optimized to achieve limits of detection (LOD) which are competitive to those of a conventional plasma source. Ionic to atomic line intensity ratios for magnesium were studied at different radio frequency (rf) power conditions and different sample carrier gas flows to characterize the robustness of the excitation source. A linear dynamic range of three to five orders of magnitude was determined under compromise conditions in multi-element mode. The accuracy of the system was investigated by the determination of Co, Cr, Mn, Zn in two certified reference materials (CRM): CRM 075c (Copper with added impurities), and CRM 281 (Trace elements in rye grass). With standard addition values of 2.44+/-0.04 and 3.19+/-0.21 microg g(-1) for Co and Mn in the CRM 075c and 2.32+/-0.09, 81.8+/-0.4, 32.2+/-3.9 for Cr, Mn and Zn, respectively, were determined in the samples and found to be in good agreement with the reported values; recovery rates in the 98-108% range were obtained. No influence on the analysis by the matrix load in the sample was observed.

  18. ZnO synthesis by high vacuum plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition using dimethylzinc and atomic oxygen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barnes, Teresa M.; Hand, Steve; Leaf, Jackie; Wolden, Colin A.

    2004-09-01

    Zinc oxide thin films were produced by high vacuum plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (HVP-CVD) from dimethylzinc (DMZn) and atomic oxygen. HVP-CVD is differentiated from conventional remote plasma-enhanced CVD in that the operating pressures of the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source and the deposition chamber are decoupled. Both DMZn and atomic oxygen effuse into the deposition chamber under near collisionless conditions. The deposition rate was measured as a function of DMZn and atomic oxygen flux on glass and silicon substrates. Optical emission spectroscopy and quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS) were used to provide real time analysis of the ICP source and the deposition chamber. The deposition rate was found to be first order in DMZn pressure and zero order in atomic oxygen density. All films demonstrated excellent transparency and were preferentially orientated along the c-axis. The deposition chemistry occurs exclusively through surface-mediated reactions, since the collisionless transport environment eliminates gas-phase chemistry. QMS analysis revealed that DMZn was almost completely consumed, and desorption of unreacted methyl radicals was greatly accelerated in the presence of atomic oxygen. Negligible zinc was detected in the gas phase, suggesting that Zn was efficiently consumed on the substrate and walls of the reactor.

  19. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR OPERATION, CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE JOBIN-YVON MODEL 70 INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETER (BCO-L-7.1)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The purpose of this SOP is to detail the operation and maintenance of an Instruments, SA Inc., Jobin-Yvon Model 70 (JY-70) inductively coupled plasma atomic emissions spectrometry (ICP-AES). This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval during the Arizona NHEXA...

  20. Determination of rare earth elements in geological materials by inductively coupled argon plasma/atomic emission spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Crock, J.G.; Lichte, F.E.

    1982-01-01

    Inductively coupled argon plasma/optical emission spectrometery (ICAP/OES) is useful as a simultaneous, multielement analytical technique for the determination of trace elements in geological materials. A method for the determination of trace-level rare earth elements (REE) in geological materials using an ICAP 63-channel emission spectrometer is described. Separation and preconcentration of the REE and yttrium from a sample digest are achieved by a nitric acid gradient cation exchange and hydrochloric acid anion exchange. Precision of 1-4% relative standard deviation and comparable accuracy are demonstrated by the triplicate analysis of three splits of BCR-1 and BHVO-1. Analyses of other geological materials including coals, soils, and rocks show comparable precision and accuracy.

  1. High-Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry for (234)U/(238)Pu Age Dating of Plutonium Materials and Comparison to Sector Field Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Krachler, Michael; Alvarez-Sarandes, Rafael; Rasmussen, Gert

    2016-09-06

    Employing a commercial high-resolution inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (HR-ICP-OES) instrument, an innovative analytical procedure for the accurate determination of the production age of various Pu materials (Pu powder, cardiac pacemaker battery, (242)Cm heat source, etc.) was developed and validated. This undertaking was based on the fact that the α decay of (238)Pu present in the investigated samples produced (234)U and both mother and daughter could be identified unequivocally using HR-ICP-OES. Benefiting from the high spectral resolution of the instrument (<5 pm) and the isotope shift of the emission lines of both nuclides, (234)U and (238)Pu were selectively and directly determined in the dissolved samples, i.e., without a chemical separation of the two analytes from each other. Exact emission wavelengths as well as emission spectra of (234)U centered around λ = 411.590 nm and λ = 424.408 nm are reported here for the first time. Emission spectra of the isotopic standard reference material IRMM-199, comprising about one-third each of (233)U, (235)U, and (238)U, confirmed the presence of (234)U in the investigated samples. For the assessment of the (234)U/(238)Pu amount ratio, the emission signals of (234)U and (238)Pu were quantified at λ = 424.408 nm and λ = 402.148 nm, respectively. The age of the investigated samples (range: 26.7-44.4 years) was subsequently calculated using the (234)U/(238)Pu chronometer. HR-ICP-OES results were crossed-validated through sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICPMS) analysis of the (234)U/(238)Pu amount ratio of all samples applying isotope dilution combined with chromatographic separation of U and Pu. Available information on the assumed ages of the analyzed samples was consistent with the ages obtained via the HR-ICP-OES approach. Being based on a different physical detection principle, HR-ICP-OES provides an alternative strategy to the well-established mass

  2. Introduction of organic/hydro-organic matrices in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry: a tutorial review. Part I. Theoretical considerations.

    PubMed

    Leclercq, Amélie; Nonell, Anthony; Todolí Torró, José Luis; Bresson, Carole; Vio, Laurent; Vercouter, Thomas; Chartier, Frédéric

    2015-07-23

    Due to their outstanding analytical performances, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are widely used for multi-elemental measurements and also for isotopic characterization in the case of ICP-MS. While most studies are carried out in aqueous matrices, applications involving organic/hydro-organic matrices become increasingly widespread. This kind of matrices is introduced in ICP based instruments when classical "matrix removal" approaches such as acid digestion or extraction procedures cannot be implemented. Due to the physico-chemical properties of organic/hydro-organic matrices and their associated effects on instrumentation and analytical performances, their introduction into ICP sources is particularly challenging and has become a full topic. In this framework, numerous theoretical and phenomenological studies of these effects have been performed in the past, mainly by ICP-OES, while recent literature is more focused on applications and associated instrumental developments. This tutorial review, divided in two parts, explores the rich literature related to the introduction of organic/hydro-organic matrices in ICP-OES and ICP-MS. The present Part I, provides theoretical considerations in connection with the physico-chemical properties of organic/hydro-organic matrices, in order to better understand the induced phenomena. This focal point is divided in four chapters highlighting: (i) the impact of organic/hydro-organic matrices from aerosol generation to atomization/excitation/ionization processes; (ii) the production of carbon molecular constituents and their spatial distribution in the plasma with respect to analytes repartition; (iii) the subsequent modifications of plasma fundamental properties; and (iv) the resulting spectroscopic and non spectroscopic interferences. This first part of this tutorial review is addressed either to beginners or to more experienced scientists who are interested in the

  3. Forbidden line emission from highly ionized atoms in tokamak plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Feldman, U.; Doschek, G. A.; Bhatia, A. K.

    1982-01-01

    Considerable interest in the observation of forbidden spectral lines from highly ionized atoms in tokamak plasmas is related to the significance of such observations for plasma diagnostic applications. Atomic data for the elements Ti Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, and Kr have been published by Feldman et al. (1980) and Bhatia et al. (1980). The present investigation is concerned with collisional excitation rate coefficients and radiative decay rates, which are interpolated for ions of elements between calcium, and krypton and for levels of the 2s2 2pk, 2s 2p(k+1), and 2p(k+2) configurations, and for the O I, N I, C I, B I, and Be I isoelectronic sequences. The provided interpolated atomic data can be employed to calculate level populations and relative line intensities for ions of the considered sequences, taking into account levels of the stated configurations. Important plasma diagnostic information provided by the forbidden lines includes the ion temperature

  4. Comparative measurements of mineral elements in milk powders with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Lei, W Q; El Haddad, J; Motto-Ros, V; Gilon-Delepine, N; Stankova, A; Ma, Q L; Bai, X S; Zheng, L J; Zeng, H P; Yu, J

    2011-07-01

    Mineral elements contained in commercially available milk powders, including seven infant formulae and one adult milk, were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The purpose of this work was, through a direct comparison of the analytical results, to provide an assessment of the performance of LIBS, and especially of the procedure of calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS), to deal with organic compounds such as milk powders. In our experiments, the matrix effect was clearly observed affecting the analytical results each time laser ablation was employed for sampling. Such effect was in addition directly observed by determining the physical parameters of the plasmas induced on the different samples. The CF-LIBS procedure was implemented to deduce the concentrations of Mg and K with Ca as the internal reference element. Quantitative analytical results with CF-LIBS were validated with ICP-AES measurements and nominal concentrations specified for commercial milks. The obtained good results with the CF-LIBS procedure demonstrate its capacity to take into account the difference in physical parameters of the plasma in the calculation of the concentrations of mineral elements, which allows a significant reduction of the matrix effect related to laser ablation. We finally discuss the way to optimize the implementation of the CF-LIBS procedure for the analysis of mineral elements in organic materials.

  5. Comparison method for uranium determination in ore sample by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).

    PubMed

    Sert, Şenol

    2013-07-01

    A comparison method for the determination (without sample pre-concentration) of uranium in ore by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) has been performed. The experiments were conducted using three procedures: matrix matching, plasma optimization, and internal standardization for three emission lines of uranium. Three wavelengths of Sm were tested as internal standard for the internal standardization method. The robust conditions were evaluated using applied radiofrequency power, nebulizer argon gas flow rate, and sample uptake flow rate by considering the intensity ratio of the Mg(II) 280.270 nm and Mg(I) 285.213 nm lines. Analytical characterization of method was assessed by limit of detection and relative standard deviation values. The certificated reference soil sample IAEA S-8 was analyzed, and the uranium determination at 367.007 nm with internal standardization using Sm at 359.260 nm has been shown to improve accuracy compared with other methods. The developed method was used for real uranium ore sample analysis.

  6. [Atomic/ionic fluorescence in microwave plasma torch discharge excited by high current microsecond pulsed hollow cathode lamp-europium atomic/ionic fluorescence spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Gong, Z; Liang, F; Yang, P; Jin, Q; Huang, B

    1999-06-01

    Eu atomic and ionic fluorescence spectrometry in microwave plasma torch discharge excited by high current microsecond pulsed hollow cathode lamp (HCMP HCL-MPT AFS/IFS) was studied. Operating conditions were optimized. The best detection limits for AFS and IFS obtained with a desolvated ultrasonic nebulization system were 42.0 ng/mL for Eu I 462.7 nm and 21.8 ng/mL for Eu II 381.97 nm, respectively, both were better than those given by the instruction manual of a Baird ICP AFS-2000 spectrometer using pneumatic concentric nebulizer with desolvation for AFS, but were significantly higher than those obtained by using the Baird spectrometer with a mini-monochromator and a ultrasonic nebulzer system.

  7. Methods of Analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory - Determination of Elements in Whole-Water Digests Using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garbarino, John R.; Struzeski, Tedmund M.

    1998-01-01

    Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can be used to determine 26 elements in whole-water digests. Both methods have distinct advantages and disadvantages--ICP-OES is capable of analyzing samples with higher elemental concentrations without dilution, however, ICP-MS is more sensitive and capable of determining much lower elemental concentrations. Both techniques gave accurate results for spike recoveries, digested standard reference-water samples, and whole-water digests. Average spike recoveries in whole-water digests were 100 plus/minus 10 percent, although recoveries for digests with high dissolved-solid concentrations were lower for selected elements by ICP-MS. Results for standard reference-water samples were generally within 1 standard deviation of hte most probable values. Statistical analysis of the results from 43 whole-water digest indicated that there was no significant difference among ICP-OES, ICP-MS, and former official methods of analysis for 24 of the 26 elements evaluated.

  8. [The possibilities for determining the shooting distance by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Svetlolobov, D Yu; Luzanova, I S; Zorin, Yu V; Makarov, I Yu; Lorents, A S

    The objective of the present study was to evaluate the possibilities for determining the shooting distance for the MR-79-9 Makarych non-lethal pistol (diameter 9 mm, rubber bullet, shot energy 50 J) by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The experiments were carried under the conditions of a ballistic shooting range making the shots from a distance of 0 to 120 cm. The 15×15 cm pieces of muslin fabric and biomaterials (leather) were used as the targets. The morphological signs of the damages inflicted to the targets were evaluated either with the unassisted eye, a criminalistical magnifying glass or the SMT-4 binocular stereoscopic microscope (Germany). The shot products, the area and boundaries of their dispersion were determined in reflected IR and filtered UV rays. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry was applied for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of various shot products from the entry hole zone with the contamination (wipedown) bands and contusion collars being 0.2-0.5 cm (group 1) and 2-3 cm (group 2) in width, with special reference to the identification of Ba, Cu, Cr, Fe, K, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn and Zn. The results of the study give evidence that the detection of Ba, Pb, and Sb among the products of a shot fired from the MR-79-9 Makarych non-lethal pistol is of especially high informative value for determining the shooting distance whereas the detection of Cr, K, Sn and Ni is of a minimum value for this purpose.

  9. Generation and acceleration of neutral atoms in intense laser plasma experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tata, Sheroy; Mondal, Angana; Sarkar, Shobhik; Ved, Yash; Lad, Amit D.; Pasley, John; Colgan, James; Krishnamurthy, M.

    2017-10-01

    The interaction of a high intensity (>=1018 W/cm2), high contrast (>=109), ultra-short (30fs) laser with solid targets generates a highly dense hot plasma. The quasi-static electric fields in such plasmas are well known for ion acceleration via the target normal sheath acceleration process. Under such conditions charge reduction to generate fast neutral atoms is almost inhibited. Improvised Thomson parabola spectrometry with improved signal to noise ratio has enabled us to measure the signals of fast neutral atoms and negative ions having energies in excess of tens of keV. A study on the neutralization of accelerated protons in plasma shows that the neutral atom to all particle ratio rises sharply from a few percent at the highest detectable energy to 50 % at 15 keV. Using usual charge transfer reactions the generation of neutral atoms can not be explained, thus we conjecture that the neutralization of the accelerated ions is not from the hot dense region of the plasma but neutral atom formation takes place by co-propagating ions with low energy electrons enhancing the effective neutral ratio.

  10. Determination of Cd in urine by cloud point extraction-tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Donati, George L; Pharr, Kathryn E; Calloway, Clifton P; Nóbrega, Joaquim A; Jones, Bradley T

    2008-09-15

    Cadmium concentrations in human urine are typically at or below the 1 microgL(-1) level, so only a handful of techniques may be appropriate for this application. These include sophisticated methods such as graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. While tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry is a simpler and less expensive technique, its practical detection limits often prohibit the detection of Cd in normal urine samples. In addition, the nature of the urine matrix often necessitates accurate background correction techniques, which would add expense and complexity to the tungsten coil instrument. This manuscript describes a cloud point extraction method that reduces matrix interference while preconcentrating Cd by a factor of 15. Ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and Triton X-114 are used as complexing agent and surfactant, respectively, in the extraction procedure. Triton X-114 forms an extractant coacervate surfactant-rich phase that is denser than water, so the aqueous supernatant is easily removed leaving the metal-containing surfactant layer intact. A 25 microL aliquot of this preconcentrated sample is placed directly onto the tungsten coil for analysis. The cloud point extraction procedure allows for simple background correction based either on the measurement of absorption at a nearby wavelength, or measurement of absorption at a time in the atomization step immediately prior to the onset of the Cd signal. Seven human urine samples are analyzed by this technique and the results are compared to those found by the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis of the same samples performed at a different institution. The limit of detection for Cd in urine is 5 ngL(-1) for cloud point extraction tungsten coil atomic absorption spectrometry. The accuracy of the method is determined with a standard reference material (toxic metals in freeze-dried urine) and the determined values agree with

  11. Gas chromatography--inductively coupled plasma--time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the speciation analysis of organolead compounds in environmental water samples.

    PubMed

    Heisterkamp, M; Adams, F C

    2001-07-01

    The application of inductively coupled plasma--time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the speciation analysis of organolead compounds in environmental waters is described. Construction of the transfer line was achieved by means of a relatively simple and rapid coupling procedure. Derivatization of the ionic lead species was achieved by in-situ propylation with sodium tetrapropylborate; simultaneous extraction of the derivatized compounds in hexane was followed by separation and detection by capillary gas chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Detection limits for the different organolead species ranged from 10 to 15 fg (as Pb), corresponding to procedural detection limits between 50 and 75 ng L(-1), on the basis of a 50 mL snow sample, extraction with 200 microL hexane, and subsequent injection of 1 microL of the organic extract on to the column. The accuracy of the system was confirmed by additional analysis of the water samples by capillary gas chromatography coupled with microwave-induced plasma-atomic-emission spectrometry and the analysis of a standard reference material CRM 605 (road dust) with a certified content of trimethyllead.

  12. Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic Spectrometry for Molecules Formation Chemistry in Femtosecond-Laser Ablated Plasmas.

    PubMed

    Hou, Huaming; Mao, Xianglei; Zorba, Vassilia; Russo, Richard E

    2017-07-18

    Recently, laser ablated molecular isotopic spectrometry (LAMIS) has expanded its capability to explore molecules formation mechanism in laser-induced plasma in addition to isotope analysis. LAMIS is a powerful tool for tracking the origination of atoms that is involved in formation of investigated molecules by labeling atoms with their isotopic substitution. The evolutionary formation pathways of organic molecules, especially of C 2 dimers and CN radicals, were frequently reported. However, very little is known about the formation pathways for metallic radicals and heterodimers in laser ablated plasma. This research focuses on elucidating the formation pathways of AlO radicals in femtosecond laser ablated plasma from 18 O-labeled Al 2 O 3 pellet. Plasmas expanding with strong forward bias in the direction normal to the sample surface were generated in the wake of a weakly ionized channel created by a femtosecond laser. The formation mechanism of AlO and influence of air were investigated with multiple plasma diagnostic methods such as monochromatic fast gating imaging, spatiotemporal resolved optical emission spectroscopy, and LAMIS. An advanced LAMIS fitting procedure was used to deduce the spatiotemporal distributions of Al 18 O and Al 16 O number densities and also their ratios. We found that the Al 16 O/Al 18 O number density ratio is higher for plasma portion closer to the sample surface, which suggests that chemical reactions between the plasma plume and ambient air are more intense at the tail of the plasma. The results also reveals that direct association of free Al and O atoms is the main mechanism for the formation of AlO at the early stage of the plasma. To the contrast, chemical reactions between plasma materials and ambient oxygen molecules and the isotope exchange effect are the dominant mechanisms of the formation of AlO and evolution of Al 16 O/Al 18 O number density ratio at the late stage of the plasma.

  13. Spectral and Atomic Physics Analysis of Xenon L-Shell Emission From High Energy Laser Produced Plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thorn, Daniel; Kemp, G. E.; Widmann, K.; Benjamin, R. D.; May, M. J.; Colvin, J. D.; Barrios, M. A.; Fournier, K. B.; Liedahl, D.; Moore, A. S.; Blue, B. E.

    2016-10-01

    The spectrum of the L-shell (n =2) radiation in mid to high-Z ions is useful for probing plasma conditions in the multi-keV temperature range. Xenon in particular with its L-shell radiation centered around 4.5 keV is copiously produced from plasmas with electron temperatures in the 5-10 keV range. We report on a series of time-resolved L-shell Xe spectra measured with the NIF X-ray Spectrometer (NXS) in high-energy long-pulse (>10 ns) laser produced plasmas at the National Ignition Facility. The resolving power of the NXS is sufficiently high (E/ ∂E >100) in the 4-5 keV spectral band that the emission from different charge states is observed. An analysis of the time resolved L-shell spectrum of Xe is presented along with spectral modeling by detailed radiation transport and atomic physics from the SCRAM code and comparison with predictions from HYDRA a radiation-hydrodynamics code with inline atomic-physics from CRETIN. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  14. [Study on the distribution of plasma parameters in electrodeless lamp using emission spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Wang, Chang-Quan; Zhang, Gui-Xin; Wang, Xin-Xin; Shao, Ming-Song; Dong, Jin-Yang; Wang, Zan-Ji

    2011-09-01

    Electrodeless lamp in pear shape was ignited using inductively coupled discharge setup and Ar-Hg mixtures as working gas. The changes in electronic temperature and density with axial and radial positions at 5 s of igniting were studied by means of emission spectrometry. The changes in electronic temperature were obtained according to the Ar line intensity ratio of 425.9 nm/ 750.4 nm. And the variations in electronic density were analyzed using 750.4 nm line intensity. It was found that plasma electronic temperature and density is various at different axial or radial positions. The electronic temperatures first increase, then decrease, and then increase quickly, and finally decline. While the electronic density firstly increase quickly, the decrease, and then rise slowly and finally decline again with axial distance increasing. With radial distance increasing, electronic temperature increases to a stable area, then continues to rise, while electronic density decreases.

  15. Theory of atomic spectral emission intensity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yngström, Sten

    1994-07-01

    The theoretical derivation of a new spectral line intensity formula for atomic radiative emission is presented. The theory is based on first principles of quantum physics, electrodynamics, and statistical physics. Quantum rules lead to revision of the conventional principle of local thermal equilibrium of matter and radiation. Study of electrodynamics suggests absence of spectral emission from fractions of the numbers of atoms and ions in a plasma due to radiative inhibition caused by electromagnetic force fields. Statistical probability methods are extended by the statement: A macroscopic physical system develops in the most probable of all conceivable ways consistent with the constraining conditions for the system. The crucial role of statistical physics in transforming quantum logic into common sense logic is stressed. The theory is strongly supported by experimental evidence.

  16. Comparative study of atomic fluorescence spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for mercury and arsenic multispeciation.

    PubMed

    Gómez-Ariza, José Luis; Lorenzo, Fernando; García-Barrera, Tamara

    2005-05-01

    Mercury and arsenic are two elements of undoubted importance owing to their toxic character. Although speciation of these elements has been developed separately, in this work for the first time the speciation of As and Hg using two atomic fluorescence detectors in a sequential ensemble is presented. A coupling based on the combination of high-performance liquid chromatography (where mercury and arsenic species are separated) and two atomic fluorescence detectors in series, with several online treatments, including photooxidation (UV) and hydride generation, has allowed the determination of mercury and arsenic compounds simultaneously. The detection limits for this device were 16, 3, 17, 12 and 8 ng mL(-1) for As(III), monomethylarsinic acid, As(V), Hg2+ and methylmercury, respectively. This coupling was compared with an analogous one based on inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection, with detection limits of 0.7, 0.5, 0.8, 0.9 and 1.1 ng mL(-1), respectively. Multispeciation based on ICP-MS exhibits better sensitivity than the coupling based on tandem atomic fluorescence, but this second device is a very robust system and exhibits obvious advantages related to the low cost of acquisition and maintenance, as well as easy handling, which makes it a suitable system for routine laboratories.

  17. Evaluation of analytical performance for the simultaneous detection of trace Cu, Co and Ni by using liquid cathode glow discharge-atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Jie; Zhang, Xiaomin; Lu, Quanfang; Sun, Duixiong; Wang, Xing; Zhu, Shuwen; Zhang, Zhichao; Yang, Wu

    2018-07-01

    In this paper, a novel liquid cathode glow discharge (LCGD) was established as a micro-plasma excitation source of atomic emission spectrometry (AES) for simultaneous detection of trace Cu, Co and Ni in aqueous solution. In order to evaluate the analytical performance, the operating parameters such as discharge voltage, supporting electrolyte, solution pH and flow rate were thoroughly investigated. The results showed that the optimal conditions are 640 V discharge voltage, pH = 1 HNO3 as supporting electrolyte and 4.5 mL min-1 flow rate. The R2 of Cu, Co and Ni are 0.9977, 0.9991 and 0.9977, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) is 1.4% for Cu, 3.2% for Co and 0.8% for Ni. Under this condition, the power of LCGD is below 55 W and the plasma is quite stable. The limits of detections (LODs) for Cu, Co and Ni are 0.380, 0.080, and 0.740 mg L-1, respectively, which are basically consistent with the closed-type electrolyte cathode atmospheric glow discharge (ELCAD). Compared with ICP-AES, the LCGD-AES has small size, low power consumption, no inert gas requirement and low cost in set-up. It may be developed as a portable instrument for in-site and real-time monitoring of metals in solution samples with further improvement.

  18. Soft x-ray emission of galliumlike rare-earth atoms produced by high-temperature low-density tokamak and high-density laser plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fournier, K. B.; Goldstein, W. H.; Osterheld, A.; Finkenthal, M.; Lippmann, S.; Huang, L. K.; Moos, H. W.; Spector, N.

    1994-09-01

    Spectra of rare-earth atoms praseodymium, Z=59, to ytterbium, Z=70, emitted from the high-temperature (1 keV) low-density (1013 cm-3) TEXT tokamak (at the Fusion Research Center, University of Texas, Austin) and high-density (1020 cm-3) laser plasmas have been recorded in the soft-x-ray range of 50-200 Å with an image intensifier detector and on photographic plates. The brightest n=4 to n=4 transitions of galliumlike ions have been identified and their emission patterns have been studied by comparison with ab initio atomic structure calculations and collisional radiative models under the respective plasma conditions. We have investigated the use of the ratios of the intensities of 4-4 transitions as indicators of plasma densities. This is possible owing to the doublet structure of the galliumlike ground state, which leads to a strong density dependence for ratios of transitions between low-lying levels. We have also used semiempirical ionization balance calculations to characterize the charge state distribution of the tokamak plasmas, in preparation for an investigation of the use of ratios of galliumlike to zinclike and copperlike emission features as indicators of whether the impurities are in coronal equilibrium or undergoing ionization.

  19. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry for Rare Earth Elements Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Man; Hu, Bin; Chen, Beibei; Jiang, Zucheng

    2017-01-01

    Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) merits multielements capability, high sensitivity, good reproducibility, low matrix effect and wide dynamic linear range for rare earth elements (REEs) analysis. But the spectral interference in trace REEs analysis by ICP-OES is a serious problem due to the complicated emission spectra of REEs, which demands some correction technology including interference factor method, derivative spectrum, Kalman filtering algorithm and partial least-squares (PLS) method. Matrix-matching calibration, internal standard, correction factor and sample dilution are usually employed to overcome or decrease the matrix effect. Coupled with various sample introduction techniques, the analytical performance of ICP-OES for REEs analysis would be improved. Compared with conventional pneumatic nebulization (PN), acid effect and matrix effect are decreased to some extent in flow injection ICP-OES, with higher tolerable matrix concentration and better reproducibility. By using electrothermal vaporization as sample introduction system, direct analysis of solid samples by ICP-OES is achieved and the vaporization behavior of refractory REEs with high boiling point, which can easily form involatile carbides in the graphite tube, could be improved by using chemical modifier, such as polytetrafluoroethylene and 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazone. Laser ablation-ICP-OES is suitable for the analysis of both conductive and nonconductive solid samples, with the absolute detection limit of ng-pg level and extremely low sample consumption (0.2 % of that in conventional PN introduction). ICP-OES has been extensively employed for trace REEs analysis in high-purity materials, and environmental and biological samples.

  20. Lead concentrations and isotope ratios in street dust determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Nageotte, S M; Day, J P

    1998-01-01

    A major source of environmental lead, particularly in urban areas, has been from the combustion of leaded petrol. Street dust has previously been used to assess urban lead contamination, and the dust itself can also be a potential source of lead ingestion, particularly to children. The progressive reduction of lead in petrol, in recent years, would be expected to have been reflected in a reduction of lead in urban dust. We have tested this hypothesis by repeating an earlier survey of Manchester street dust and carrying out a comparable survey in Paris. Samples were collected from streets and parks, lead was extracted by digestion with concentrated nitric acid and determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Lead isotope ratios were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results for Manchester show that lead concentrations have fallen by about 40% (street dust averages, 941 micrograms g-1 (ppm) in 1975 down to 569 ppm in 1997). In Paris, the lead levels in street dust are much higher and significant differences were observed between types of street (not seen in Manchester). Additionally, lead levels in parks were much lower than in Manchester. Samples collected under the Eiffel Tower had very high concentrations and lead isotope ratios showed that this was unlikely to be fallout from motor vehicles but could be due to the paint used on the tower. Isotope ratios measurements also revealed that lead additives used in France and the UK come from different sources.

  1. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Arsenic Atomic Absorption... inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Barium Inductively Coupled Plasma 3120 B Atomic Absorption; Direct 3111 D Atomic Absorption; Furnace 3113 B 3113 B-04 Axially...

  2. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Arsenic Atomic Absorption... inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. 2 Barium Inductively Coupled Plasma 3120 B Atomic Absorption; Direct 3111 D Atomic Absorption; Furnace 3113 B 3113 B-04 Axially...

  3. Trace elemental composition of curry by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).

    PubMed

    Gonzálvez, A; Armenta, S; De La Guardia, M

    2008-01-01

    A methodology based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after microwave-assisted acid digestion was developed to determine the content of traces elements in curry samples from the Spanish market. The methodology was validated in terms of accuracy by the analysis of citrus and tomato leaf reference materials achieving comparable results with the certified values. The trace metal content of curry samples was compared with data available from previously published reports concerning Indian samples, especially in terms of heavy metal composition, in order to guarantee the quality of the commercially available spices in the European countries. Values found for the analysis of arsenic, lead and cadmium were significantly lower than the maximum limit allowed by European Union statutory limits for heavy metals and lower than those obtained for Indian curry leaves reported by Indian research teams by using neutron activation and γ-ray analysis.

  4. Reduction of interferences in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry by multiple linear regression modelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grotti, Marco; Abelmoschi, Maria Luisa; Soggia, Francesco; Tiberiade, Christian; Frache, Roberto

    2000-12-01

    The multivariate effects of Na, K, Mg and Ca as nitrates on the electrothermal atomisation of manganese, cadmium and iron were studied by multiple linear regression modelling. Since the models proved to efficiently predict the effects of the considered matrix elements in a wide range of concentrations, they were applied to correct the interferences occurring in the determination of trace elements in seawater after pre-concentration of the analytes. In order to obtain a statistically significant number of samples, a large volume of the certified seawater reference materials CASS-3 and NASS-3 was treated with Chelex-100 resin; then, the chelating resin was separated from the solution, divided into several sub-samples, each of them was eluted with nitric acid and analysed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (for trace element determinations) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (for matrix element determinations). To minimise any other systematic error besides that due to matrix effects, accuracy of the pre-concentration step and contamination levels of the procedure were checked by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric measurements. Analytical results obtained by applying the multiple linear regression models were compared with those obtained with other calibration methods, such as external calibration using acid-based standards, external calibration using matrix-matched standards and the analyte addition technique. Empirical models proved to efficiently reduce interferences occurring in the analysis of real samples, allowing an improvement of accuracy better than for other calibration methods.

  5. High Precision Seawater Sr/Ca Measurements in the Florida Keys by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry: Analytical Method and Implications for Coral Paleothermometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khare, A.; Kilbourne, K. H.; Schijf, J.

    2017-12-01

    Standard methods of reconstructing past sea surface temperatures (SSTs) with coral skeletal Sr/Ca ratios assume the seawater Sr/Ca ratio is constant. However, there is little data to support this assumption, in part because analytical techniques capable of determining seawater Sr/Ca with sufficient accuracy and precision are expensive and time consuming. We demonstrate a method to measure seawater Sr/Ca using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry where we employ an intensity ratio calibration routine that reduces the self- matrix effects of calcium and cancels out the matrix effects that are common to both calcium and strontium. A seawater standard solution cross-calibrated with multiple instruments is used to correct for long-term instrument drift and any remnant matrix effects. The resulting method produces accurate seawater Sr/Ca determinations rapidly, inexpensively, and with a precision better than 0.2%. This method will make it easier for coral paleoclimatologists to quantify potentially problematic fluctuations in seawater Sr/Ca at their study locations. We apply our method to test for variability in surface seawater Sr/Ca along the Florida Keys Reef Tract. We are collecting winter and summer samples for two years in a grid with eleven nearshore to offshore transects across the reef, as well as continuous samples collected by osmotic pumps at four locations adjacent to our grid. Our initial analysis of the grid samples indicates a trend of decreasing Sr/Ca values offshore potentially due to a decreasing groundwater influence. The values differ by as much as 0.05 mmol/mol which could lead to an error of 1°C in mean SST reconstructions. Future work involves continued sampling in the Florida Keys to test for seasonal and interannual variability in seawater Sr/Ca, as well as collecting data from small reefs in the Virgin Islands to test the stability of seawater Sr/Ca under different geologic, hydrologic and hydrographic environments.

  6. ALICE: A non-LTE plasma atomic physics, kinetics and lineshape package

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hill, E. G.; Pérez-Callejo, G.; Rose, S. J.

    2018-03-01

    All three parts of an atomic physics, atomic kinetics and lineshape code, ALICE, are described. Examples of the code being used to model the emissivity and opacity of plasmas are discussed and interesting features of the code which build on the existing corpus of models are shown throughout.

  7. Mid infrared emission spectroscopy of carbon plasma.

    PubMed

    Nemes, Laszlo; Brown, Ei Ei; S-C Yang, Clayton; Hommerich, Uwe

    2017-01-05

    Mid infrared time-resolved emission spectra were recorded from laser-induced carbon plasma. These spectra constitute the first study of carbon materials LIB spectroscopy in the mid infrared range. The carbon plasma was induced using a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser. The laser beam was focused to high purity graphite pellets mounted on a translation stage. Mid infrared emission from the plasma in an atmospheric pressure background gas was detected by a cooled HgCdTe detector in the range 4.4-11.6μm, using long-pass filters. LIB spectra were taken in argon, helium and also in air. Despite a gate delay of 10μs was used there were strong backgrounds in the spectra. Superimposed on this background broad and noisy emission bands were observed, the form and position of which depended somewhat on the ambient gas. The spectra were digitally smoothed and background corrected. In argon, for instance, strong bands were observed around 4.8, 6.0 and 7.5μm. Using atomic spectral data by NIST it could be concluded that carbon, argon, helium and nitrogen lines from neutral and ionized atoms are very weak in this spectral region. The width of the infrared bands supports molecular origin. The infrared emission bands were thus compared to vibrational features of carbon molecules (excluding C2) of various sizes on the basis of previous carbon cluster infrared absorption and emission spectroscopic analyses in the literature and quantum chemical calculations. Some general considerations are given about the present results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Design considerations regarding an atomizer for multi-element electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Katskov, Dmitri A.; Sadagov, Yuri M.

    2011-06-01

    The methodology of simultaneous multi-element electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS-Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry) stipulates rigid requirements to the design and operation of the atomizer. It must provide high degree of atomization for the group of analytes, invariant respective to the vaporization kinetics and heating ramp residence time of atoms in the absorption volume and absence of memory effects from major sample components. For the low resolution spectrometer with a continuum radiation source the reduced compared to traditional ETAAS (Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry) sensitivity should be, at least partially, compensated by creating high density of atomic vapor in the absorption pulse. The sought-for characteristics were obtained for the 18 mm in length and 2.5 mm in internal diameter longitudinally heated graphite tube atomizer furnished with 2-4.5 mg of ring shaped carbon fiber yarn collector. The collector located next to the sampling port provides large substrate area that helps to keep the sample and its residue in the central part of the tube after drying. The collector also provides a "platform" effect that delays the vaporization and stipulates vapor release into absorption volume having already stabilized gas temperature. Due to the shape of external surface of the tube, presence of collector and rapid (about 10 °C/ms) heating, an inverse temperature distribution along the tube is attained at the beginnings of the atomization and cleaning steps. The effect is employed for cleaning of the atomizer using the set of short maximum power heating pulses. Preparation, optimal maintenance of the atomizer and its compliance to the multi-element determination requirements are evaluated and discussed. The experimental setup provides direct simultaneous determination of large group of element within 3-4 order concentration range. Limits of detection are close to those for sequential single element determination in

  9. Liquid electrode plasma-optical emission spectrometry combined with solid-phase preconcentration for on-site analysis of lead.

    PubMed

    Barua, Suman; Rahman, Ismail M M; Alam, Iftakharul; Miyaguchi, Maho; Sawai, Hikaru; Maki, Teruya; Hasegawa, Hiroshi

    2017-08-15

    A relatively rapid and precise method is presented for the determination of lead in aqueous matrix. The method consists of analyte quantitation using the liquid electrode plasma-optical emission spectrometry (LEP-OES) coupled with selective separation/preconcentration by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The impact of operating variables on the retention of lead in SPEs such as pH, flow rate of the sample solution; type, volume, flow rate of the eluent; and matrix effects were investigated. Selective SPE-separation/preconcentration minimized the interfering effect due to manganese in solution and limitations in lead-detection in low-concentration samples by LEP-OES. The LEP-OES operating parameters such as the electrical conductivity of sample solution; applied voltage; on-time, off-time, pulse count for applied voltage; number of measurements; and matrix effects have also been optimized to obtain a distinct peak for the lead at λ max =405.8nm. The limit of detection (3σ) and the limit of quantification (10σ) for lead determination using the technique were found as 1.9 and 6.5ng mL -1 , respectively. The precision, as relative standard deviation, was lower than 5% at 0.1μg mL -1 Pb, and the preconcentration factor was found to be 187. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of lead contents in the natural aqueous matrix (recovery rate:>95%). The method accuracy was verified using certified reference material of wastewaters: SPS-WW1 and ERM-CA713. The results from LEP-OES were in good agreement with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry measurements of the same samples. The application of the method is rapid (≤5min, without preconcentration) with a reliable detection limit at trace levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Direct determination of arsenic in steel by glow discharge optical emission spectrometry with argon-helium mixed gas.

    PubMed

    Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2003-02-01

    In glow discharge optical emission spectrometry, an argon-helium mixed gas plasma was investigated to improve the detection sensitivity of arsenic in steel samples. The emission line of arsenic was enhanced and the background intensity was simultaneously reduced when an Ar-He plasma was employed instead of an Ar plasma, which is effective for the sensitive determination of arsenic. The detection limits were calculated to be 0.009 mass% for a 700-V Ar plasma, 0.004 mass% for a 700-V Ar-He plasma, and 0.001 mass% for a 900-V Ar-He plasma.

  11. Atomic Precision Plasma Processing - Modeling Investigations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rauf, Shahid

    2016-09-01

    Sub-nanometer precision is increasingly being required of many critical plasma processes in the semiconductor industry. Some of these critical processes include atomic layer etch and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition. Accurate control over ion energy and ion / radical composition is needed during plasma processing to meet the demanding atomic-precision requirements. While improvements in mainstream inductively and capacitively coupled plasmas can help achieve some of these goals, newer plasma technologies can expand the breadth of problems addressable by plasma processing. Computational modeling is used to examine issues relevant to atomic precision plasma processing in this paper. First, a molecular dynamics model is used to investigate atomic layer etch of Si and SiO2 in Cl2 and fluorocarbon plasmas. Both planar surfaces and nanoscale structures are considered. It is shown that accurate control of ion energy in the sub-50 eV range is necessary for atomic scale precision. In particular, if the ion energy is greater than 10 eV during plasma processing, several atomic layers get damaged near the surface. Low electron temperature (Te) plasmas are particularly attractive for atomic precision plasma processing due to their low plasma potential. One of the most attractive options in this regard is energetic-electron beam generated plasma, where Te <0.5 eV has been achieved in plasmas of molecular gases. These low Te plasmas are computationally examined in this paper using a hybrid fluid-kinetic model. It is shown that such plasmas not only allow for sub-5 eV ion energies, but also enable wider range of ion / radical composition. Coauthors: Jun-Chieh Wang, Jason Kenney, Ankur Agarwal, Leonid Dorf, and Ken Collins.

  12. Comparison of ultrasonic and thermospray systems for high performance sample introduction to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Conver, Timothy S.; Koropchak, John A.

    1995-06-01

    This paper describes detailed work done in our lab to compare analytical figures of merit for pneumatic, ultrasonic and thermospray sample introduction (SI) systems with three different inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) instruments. One instrument from Leeman Labs, Inc. has an air path echelle spectrometer and a 27 MHz ICP. For low dissolved solid samples with this instrument, we observed that the ultrasonic nebulizer (USN) and fused silica aperture thermospray (FSApT) both offered similar LOD improvements as compared to pneumatic nebulization (PN), 14 and 16 times, respectively. Average sensitivities compared to PN were better for the USN, by 58 times, compared to 39 times for the FSApT. For solutions containing high dissolved solids we observed that FSApT optimized at the same conditions as for low dissolved solids, whereas USN required changes in power and gas flows to maintain a stable discharge. These changes degraded the LODs for USN substantially as compared to those utilized for low dissolved solid solutions, limiting improvement compared to PN to an average factor of 4. In general, sensitivities for USN were degraded at these new conditions. When solutions with 3000 μg/g Ca were analyzed, LOD improvements were smaller for FSApT and USN, but FSApT showed an improvement over USN of 6.5 times. Sensitivities compared to solutions without high dissolved solids were degraded by 19% on average for FSApT, while those for USN were degraded by 26%. The SI systems were also tested with a Varian Instruments Liberty 220 having a vacuum path Czerny-Turner monochromator and a 40 MHz generator. The sensitivities with low dissolved solids solutions compared to PN were 20 times better for the USN and 39 times better for FSApT, and LODs for every element were better for FSApT. Better correlation between relative sensitivities and anticipated relative analyte mass fluxes for FSApT and USN was observed with the Varian instrument. LOD

  13. Deviation from Boltzmann distribution in excited energy levels of singly-ionized iron in an argon glow discharge plasma for atomic emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lei; Kashiwakura, Shunsuke; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2012-01-01

    A Boltzmann plot for many iron ionic lines having excitation energies of 4.7-9.1 eV was investigated in an argon glow discharge plasma when the discharge parameters, such as the voltage/current and the gas pressure, were varied. A Grimm-style radiation source was employed in a DC voltage range of 400-800 V at argon pressures of 400-930 Pa. The plot did not follow a linear relationship over a wide range of the excitation energy, but it yielded a normal Boltzmann distribution in the range of 4.7-5.8 eV and a large overpopulation in higher-lying excitation levels of iron ion. A probable reason for this phenomenon is that excitations for higher excited energy levels of iron ion would be predominantly caused by non-thermal collisions with argon species, the internal energy of which is received by iron atoms for the ionization. Particular intense ionic lines, which gave a maximum peak of the Boltzmann plot, were observed at an excitation energy of ca. 7.7 eV. They were the Fe II 257.297-nm and the Fe II 258.111-nm lines, derived from the 3d54s4p 6P excited levels. The 3d54s4p 6P excited levels can be highly populated through a resonance charge transfer from the ground state of argon ion, because of good matching in the excitation energy as well as the conservation of the total spin before and after the collision. An enhancement factor of the emission intensity for various Fe II lines could be obtained from a deviation from the normal Boltzmann plot, which comprised the emission lines of 4.7-5.8 eV. It would roughly correspond to a contribution of the charge transfer excitation to the excited levels of iron ion, suggesting that the charge-transfer collision could elevate the number density of the corresponding excited levels by a factor of ca.104. The Boltzmann plots give important information on the reason why a variety of iron ionic lines can be emitted from glow discharge plasmas.

  14. Determination of mercury in hair: Comparison between gold amalgamation-atomic absorption spectrometry and mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Domanico, Francesco; Forte, Giovanni; Majorani, Costanza; Senofonte, Oreste; Petrucci, Francesco; Pezzi, Vincenzo; Alimonti, Alessandro

    2017-09-01

    Mercury is a heavy metal that causes serious health problems in exposed subjects. The most toxic form, i.e., methylmercury (MeHg), is mostly excreted through human hair. Numerous analytical methods are available for total Hg analysis in human hair, including cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (CV-AFS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and thermal decomposition amalgamation atomic absorption spectrometry (TDA-AAS). The aim of the study was to compare the TDA-AAS with the ICP-MS in the Hg quantification in human hair. After the washing procedure to minimize the external contamination, from each hair sample two aliquots were taken; the first was used for direct analysis of Hg by TDA-AAS and the second was digested for Hg determination by the ICP-MS. Results indicated that the two data sets were fully comparable (median; TDA-AAS, 475ngg -1 ; ICP-MS, 437ngg -1 ) and were not statistically different (Mann-Whitney test; p=0.44). The two techniques presented results with a good coefficient of correlation (r=0.94) despite different operative ranges and method limits. Both techniques satisfied internal performance requirements and the parameters for method validation resulting sensitive, precise and reliable. Finally, the use of the TDA-AAS can be considered instead of the ICP-MS in hair analysis in order to reduce sample manipulation with minor risk of contamination, less time consuming due to the absence of the digestion step and cheaper analyses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. Cobalt as chemical modifier to improve chromium sensitivity and minimize matrix effects in tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Silva, Sidnei G; Donati, George L; Santos, Luana N; Jones, Bradley T; Nóbrega, Joaquim A

    2013-05-30

    Cobalt is used as chemical modifier to improve sensitivity and minimize matrix effects in Cr determinations by tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry (WCAES). The atomizer is a tungsten filament extracted from microscope light bulbs. A solid-state power supply and a handheld CCD-based spectrometer are also used in the instrumental setup. In the presence of 1000 mg L(-1) Co, WCAES limit of detection for Cr (λ=425.4 nm) is calculated as 0.070 mg L(-1); a 10-fold improvement compared to determinations without Co modifier. The mechanism involved in such signal enhancement is similar to the one observed in ICP OES and ICP-MS determinations of As and Se in the presence of C. Cobalt increases the population of Cr(+) by charge transfer reactions. In a second step, Cr(+)/e(-) recombination takes place, which results in a larger population of excited-state Cr atoms. This alternative excitation route is energetically more efficient than heat transfer from atomizer and gas phase to analyte atoms. A linear dynamic range of 0.25-10 mg L(-1) and repeatability of 3.8% (RSD, n=10) for a 2.0 mg L(-1) Cr solution are obtained with this strategy. The modifier high concentration also contributes to improving accuracy due to a matrix-matching effect. The method was applied to a certified reference material of Dogfish Muscle (DORM-2) and no statistically significant difference was observed between determined and certified Cr values at a 95% confidence level. Spike experiments with bottled water samples resulted in recoveries between 93% and 112%. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Spark ablation-inductively coupled plasma spectrometry for analysis of geologic materials

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Golightly, D.W.; Montaser, A.; Smith, B.L.; Dorrzapf, A.F.

    1989-01-01

    Spark ablation-inductively coupled plasma (SA-ICP) spectrometry is applied to the measurement of hafnium-zirconium ratios in zircons and to the determination of cerium, cobalt, iron, lead, nickel and phosphorus in ferromanganese nodules. Six operating parameters used for the high-voltage spark and argon-ICP combination are established by sequential simplex optimization of both signal-to-background ratio and signal-to-noise ratio. The time-dependences of the atomic emission signals of analytes and matrix elements ablated from a finely pulverized sample embedded in a pressed disk of copper demonstrate selective sampling by the spark. Concentration ratios of hafnium to zirconium in zircons are measured with a precision of 4% (relative standard deviation, RSD). For ferromanganese nodules, spectral measurements based on intensity ratios of analyte line to the Mn(II) 257.610 nm line provide precisions of analysis in the range from 7 to 14% RSD. The accuracy of analysis depends on use of standard additions of the reference material USGS Nod P-1, and an independent measurement of the Mn concentration. ?? 1989.

  17. Characterization of X-ray emission from laser generated plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cannavò, Antonino; Torrisi, Lorenzo; Ceccio, Giovanni; Cutroneo, Mariapompea; Calcagno, Lucia; Sciuto, Antonella; Mazzillo, Massimo

    2018-01-01

    X-ray emission from laser generated plasma was studied at low (1010 W/cm2) and high (1018 W/cm2) intensity using ns and fs laser, respectively. Plasma characteristics were controlled trough the laser parameters, the irradiation conditions and the target properties. The X-ray spectra were acquired using fast detection technique based on SiC diodes with different active regions. The X-ray yield increases with the atomic number of the target, both at low and high intensity, and a similar empirical law has been obtained. The X-ray emission mechanisms from plasma are correlated to the plasma temperature and density and to the Coulomb charge particle acceleration, due to the charge separation effects produced in the non-equilibrium plasma. Functional dependences, theoretical approaches and interpretation of possible mechanism will be presented and discussed.

  18. Measurements of sulfur compounds in CO 2 by diode laser atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Franzke, J.; Stancu, D. G.; Niemax, K.

    2003-07-01

    Two simple methods for the analysis of the total concentration of sulfur in CO 2 by diode laser atomic absorption spectrometry of excited, metastable sulfur atoms in a direct current discharge are presented. In the first method, the CO 2 sample gas is mixed with the plasma gas (Ar or He) while the second is based on reproducible measurements of the sulfur released from the walls in a helium discharge after being deposited as a result of operating the discharge in pure CO 2 sample gas. The detection limits obtained satisfy the requirements for the control of sulfur compounds in CO 2 used in the food and beverage industry.

  19. Complementary Characterization of Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ Thin-Film Photovoltaic Cells Using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Auger Electron Spectroscopy, and Atom Probe Tomography.

    PubMed

    Jang, Yun Jung; Lee, Jihye; Jeong, Jeung-Hyun; Lee, Kang-Bong; Kim, Donghwan; Lee, Yeonhee

    2018-05-01

    To enhance the conversion performance of solar cells, a quantitative and depth-resolved elemental analysis of photovoltaic thin films is required. In this study, we determined the average concentration of the major elements (Cu, In, Ga, and Se) in fabricated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films, using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and wavelengthdispersive electron probe microanalysis. Depth profiling results for CIGS thin films with different cell efficiencies were obtained using secondary ion mass spectrometry and Auger electron spectroscopy to compare the atomic concentrations. Atom probe tomography, a characterization technique with sub-nanometer resolution, was used to obtain three-dimensional elemental mapping and the compositional distribution at the grain boundaries (GBs). GBs are identified by Na increment accompanied by Cu depletion and In enrichment. Segregation of Na atoms along the GB had a beneficial effect on cell performance. Comparative analyses of different CIGS absorber layers using various analytical techniques provide us with understanding of the compositional distributions and structures of high efficiency CIGS thin films in solar cells.

  20. Rugged, portable tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometer.

    PubMed

    Gu, Jiyan; Oliveira, Silvana R; Donati, George L; Gomes Neto, José Anchieta; Jones, Bradley T

    2011-04-01

    Tungsten coil atomic emission spectrometry is an ideal technique for field applications because of its simplicity, low cost, low power requirement, and independence from cooling systems. A new, portable, compact design is reported here. The tungsten coil is extracted from an inexpensive 24 V, 250 W commercial light bulb. The coil is housed in a small, aluminum cell. The emission signal exits from a small aperture in the cell, while the bulk of the blackbody emission from the tungsten coil is blocked. The resulting spectra exhibit extremely low background signals. The atomization cell, a single lens, and a hand-held charge coupled device (CCD) spectrometer are fixed on a 1 × 6 × 30 cm ceramic base. The resulting system is robust and easily transported. A programmable, miniature 400 W solid-state constant current power supply controls the temperature of the coil. Fifteen elements are determined with the system (Ba, Cs, Li, Rb, Cr, Sr, Eu, Yb, Mn, Fe, Cu, Mg, V, Al, and Ga). The precision ranges from 4.3% to 8.4% relative standard deviation for repetitive measurements of the same solution. Detection limits are in the 0.04 to 1500 μg/L range. Accuracy is tested using standard reference materials for polluted water, peach leaves, and tomato leaves. For those elements present above the detection limit, recoveries range from 72% to 147%.

  1. Profiling of patterned metal layers by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bi, Melody; Ruiz, Antonio M.; Gornushkin, Igor; Smith, Ben W.; Winefordner, James D.

    2000-02-01

    Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used for profiling patterned thin metal layers on a polymer/silicon substrate. The parameters of the laser and ICP-MS operating conditions have been studied and optimized for this purpose. A new laser ablation chamber was designed and built to achieve the best spatial resolution. The results of the profiling by LA-ICP-MS were compared to those obtained from a laser ablation optical emission spectrometry (LA-OES) instrument, which measured the emission of the plasma at the sample surface, and thus, eliminated the time delay caused by the sample transport into the ICP-MS system. Emission spectra gave better spatial resolution than mass spectra. However, LA-ICP-MS provided much better sensitivity and was able to profile thin metal layers (on the order of a few nanometers) on the silicon surface. A lateral spatial resolution of 45 μm was achieved.

  2. Study of axial double layer in helicon plasma by optical emission spectroscopy and simple probe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, ZHAO; Wanying, ZHU; Huihui, WANG; Qiang, CHEN; Chang, TAN; Jiting, OUYANG

    2018-07-01

    In this work we used a passive measurement method based on a high-impedance electrostatic probe and an optical emission spectroscope (OES) to investigate the characteristics of the double layer (DL) in an argon helicon plasma. The DL can be confirmed by a rapid change in the plasma potential along the axis. The axial potential variation of the passive measurement shows that the DL forms near a region of strong magnetic field gradient when the plasma is operated in wave-coupled mode, and the DL strength increases at higher powers in this experiment. The emission intensity of the argon atom line, which is strongly dependent on the metastable atom concentration, shows a similar spatial distribution to the plasma potential along the axis. The emission intensity of the argon atom line and the argon ion line in the DL suggests the existence of an energetic electron population upstream of the DL. The electron density upstream is much higher than that downstream, which is mainly caused by these energetic electrons.

  3. Application of microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MP-AES) for environmental monitoring of industrially contaminated sites in Hyderabad city.

    PubMed

    Kamala C T; Balaram V; Dharmendra V; Satyanarayanan M; Subramanyam K S V; Krishnaiah A

    2014-11-01

    Recently introduced microwave plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES) represents yet another and very important addition to the existing array of modern instrumental analytical techniques. In this study, an attempt is made to summarize the performance characteristics of MP-AES and its potential as an analytical tool for environmental studies with some practical examples from Patancheru and Uppal industrial sectors of Hyderabad city. A range of soil, sediment, water reference materials, particulate matter, and real-life samples were chosen to evaluate the performance of this new analytical technique. Analytical wavelengths were selected considering the interference effects of other concomitant elements present in different sample solutions. The detection limits for several elements were found to be in the range from 0.05 to 5 ng/g. The trace metals analyzed in both the sectors followed the topography with more pollution in the low-lying sites. The metal contents were found to be more in ground waters than surface waters. Since a decade, the pollutants are transfered from Patancheru industrial area to Musi River. After polluting Nakkavagu and turning huge tracts of agricultural lands barren besides making people residing along the rivulet impotent and sick, industrialists of Patancheru are shifting the effluents to downstream of Musi River through an 18-km pipeline from Patancheru. Since the effluent undergoes primary treatment at Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at Patanchru and travels through pipeline and mixes with sewage, the organic effluents will be diluted. But the inorganic pollutants such as heavy and toxic metals tend to accumulate in the environmental segments near and downstreams of Musi River. The data generated by MP-AES of toxic metals like Zn, Cu, and Cr in the ground and surface waters can only be attributed to pollution from Patancheru since no other sources are available to Musi River.

  4. Influence of Molecular Structure on the Laser-Induced Plasma Emission of the Explosive RDX and Organic Polymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    De Lucia, Frank C.; Gottfried, Jennifer L.

    2013-10-01

    A series of organic polymers and the military explosive cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) were studied using the light emission from a femtosecond laser-induced plasma under an argon atmosphere. The relationship between the molecular structure and plasma emission was established by using the percentages of the atomic species (C, H, N, O) and bond types (C-C, C═C, C-N, and C≡N) in combination with the atomic/molecular emission intensities and decay rates. In contrast to previous studies of organic explosives in which C2 was primarily formed by recombination, for the organic materials in this study the percentage of C-C (and C═C) bonds was strongly correlated to the molecular C2 emission. Time-resolved emission spectra were collected to determine the lifetimes of the atomic and molecular species in the plasma. Observed differences in decay rates were attributed to the differences in both the molecular structure of the organic polymers or RDX and the chemical reactions that occur within the plasma. These differences could potentially be exploited to improve the discrimination of explosive residues on organic substrates with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

  5. Development of Desolvation System for Single-cell Analysis Using Droplet Injection Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Ishihara, Yukiko; Aida, Mari; Nomura, Akito; Miyahara, Hidekazu; Hokura, Akiko; Okino, Akitoshi

    2015-01-01

    With a view to enhance the sensitivity of analytical instruments used in the measurement of trace elements contained in a single cell, we have now equipped the previously reported micro-droplet injection system (M-DIS) with a desolvation system. This modified M-DIS was coupled to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and evaluated for its ability to measure trace elements. A flow rate of 100 mL/min for the additional gas and a measurement point -7.5 mm above the load coil (ALC) have been determined to be the optimal parameters for recording the emission intensity of the Ca(II) spectral lines. To evaluate the influence of the desolvation system, we recorded the emission intensities of the Ca(I), Ca(II), and H-β spectral lines with and without inclusion of the desolvation system. The emission intensity of the H-β spectral line reduces and the magnitude of the Ca(II)/Ca(I) emission intensity ratio increases four-fold with inclusion of the desolvation system. Finally, the elements Ca, Mg, and Fe present in a single cell of Pseudococcomyxa simplex are simultaneously determined by coupling the M-DIS equipped with the desolvation system to ICP-AES.

  6. Signal enhancement of neutral He emission lines by fast electron bombardment of laser-induced He plasma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Suyanto, Hery; Pardede, Marincan; Hedwig, Rinda

    2016-08-15

    A time-resolved spectroscopic study is performed on the enhancement signals of He gas plasma emission using nanosecond (ns) and picosecond (ps) lasers in an orthogonal configuration. The ns laser is used for the He gas plasma generation and the ps laser is employed for the ejection of fast electrons from a metal target, which serves to excite subsequently the He atoms in the plasma. The study is focused on the most dominant He I 587.6 nm and He I 667.8 nm emission lines suggested to be responsible for the He-assisted excitation (HAE) mechanism. The time-dependent intensity enhancements induced by themore » fast electrons generated with a series of delayed ps laser ablations are deduced from the intensity time profiles of both He emission lines. The results clearly lead to the conclusion that the metastable excited triplet He atoms are actually the species overwhelmingly produced during the recombination process in the ns laser-induced He gas plasma. These metastable He atoms are believed to serve as the major energy source for the delayed excitation of analyte atoms in ns laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) using He ambient gas.« less

  7. Assessing oral bioaccessibility of trace elements in soils under worst-case scenarios by automated in-line dynamic extraction as a front end to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Rosende, María; Magalhães, Luis M; Segundo, Marcela A; Miró, Manuel

    2014-09-09

    A novel biomimetic extraction procedure that allows for the in-line handing of ≥400 mg solid substrates is herein proposed for automatic ascertainment of trace element (TE) bioaccessibility in soils under worst-case conditions as per recommendations of ISO norms. A unified bioaccessibility/BARGE method (UBM)-like physiological-based extraction test is evaluated for the first time in a dynamic format for accurate assessment of in-vitro bioaccessibility of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in forest and residential-garden soils by on-line coupling of a hybrid flow set-up to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Three biologically relevant operational extraction modes mimicking: (i) gastric juice extraction alone; (ii) saliva and gastric juice composite in unidirectional flow extraction format and (iii) saliva and gastric juice composite in a recirculation mode were thoroughly investigated. The extraction profiles of the three configurations using digestive fluids were proven to fit a first order reaction kinetic model for estimating the maximum TE bioaccessibility, that is, the actual worst-case scenario in human risk assessment protocols. A full factorial design, in which the sample amount (400-800 mg), the extractant flow rate (0.5-1.5 mL min(-1)) and the extraction temperature (27-37°C) were selected as variables for the multivariate optimization studies in order to obtain the maximum TE extractability. Two soils of varied physicochemical properties were analysed and no significant differences were found at the 0.05 significance level between the summation of leached concentrations of TE in gastric juice plus the residual fraction and the total concentration of the overall assayed metals determined by microwave digestion. These results showed the reliability and lack of bias (trueness) of the automatic biomimetic extraction approach using digestive juices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Developments in Plasma-Source Mass Spectrometry

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-07-11

    Spectrometry 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Gary M. Hieftje and George H. Vickers 13a. TYPE OF REPORT b.TMCOEE . TEO POTYerMohay 5.AGCUN Technical FROM TO 11 July...4134006 TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 41 DEVELOPMENTS IN PLASMA-SOURCE MASS SPECTROMETRY by Gary M. Hieftje and George H. Vickers Acessoo i or * NTIS GRMX Prepared...G. M. Hieftje , and A. T. Zander, Spectrochim. Acta 1987, 42B, 29 60 Determination of Lead Isotope Ratios by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass

  9. Analysis of trace metals in water by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry using sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate for preconcentration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, C.L.; Motooka, J.M.; Willson, W.R.

    1984-01-01

    Since concentrations of trace elements in most natural waters seldom exceed the ??g/L level, analysis of trace elements in natural waters by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP) requires a preconcentration procedure. The elements Ag, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, W, and Zn were separated and concentrated from 500 mL of water by coprecipitating them with sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate (NaDBDTC) using nickel or silver as a carrier. The precipitated trace elements were collected on a membrane filter, redissolved from the filter with hot nitric and hydrochloric acids, and analyzed using ICP. Recoveries for all the trace elements except tungsten exceeded 80%. Coprecipitation of trace elements with NaDBDTC eliminated the use of difficult-to-inject organic solvents, and NaDBDTC coprecipitated a wider array of trace elements than ammoniumpyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC), another commonly used coprecipitate.

  10. Exploration of robust operating conditions in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tromp, John W.; Pomares, Mario; Alvarez-Prieto, Manuel; Cole, Amanda; Ying, Hai; Salin, Eric D.

    2003-11-01

    'Robust' conditions, as defined by Mermet and co-workers for inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-atomic emission spectrometry, minimize matrix effects on analyte signals, and are obtained by increasing power and reducing nebulizer gas flow. In ICP-mass spectrometry (MS), it is known that reduced nebulizer gas flow usually leads to more robust conditions such that matrix effects are reduced. In this work, robust conditions for ICP-MS have been determined by optimizing for accuracy in the determination of analytes in a multi-element solution with various interferents (Al, Ba, Cs, K, Na), by varying power, nebulizer gas flow, sample introduction rate and ion lens voltage. The goal of the work was to determine which operating parameters were the most important in reducing matrix effects, and whether different interferents yielded the same robust conditions. Reduction in nebulizer gas flow and in sample input rate led to a significantly decreased interference, while an increase in power seemed to have a lesser effect. Once the other parameters had been adjusted to their robust values, there was no additional improvement in accuracy attainable by adjusting the ion lens voltage. The robust conditions were universal, since, for all the interferents and analytes studied, the optimum was found at the same operating conditions. One drawback to the use of robust conditions was the slightly reduced sensitivity; however, in the context of 'intelligent' instruments, the concept of 'robust conditions' is useful in many cases.

  11. Atomic Processes and Diagnostics of Low Pressure Krypton Plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srivastava, Rajesh; Goyal, Dipti; Gangwar, Reetesh; Stafford, Luc

    2015-03-01

    Optical emission spectroscopy along with suitable collisional-radiative (CR) model is used in plasma diagnostics. Importance of reliable cross-sections for various atomic processes is shown for low pressure argon plasma. In the present work, radially-averaged Kr emission lines from the 2pi --> 1sj were recorded as a function of pressure from 1 to 50mTorr. We have developed a CR model using our fine-structure relativistic-distorted wave cross sections. The various processes considered are electron-impact excitation, ionization and their reverse processes. The required rate coefficients have been calculated from these cross-sections assuming Maxwellian energy distribution. Electron temperature obtained from the CR model is found to be in good agreement with the probe measurements. Work is supported by IAEA Vienna, DAE-BRNS Mumbai and CSIR, New Delhi.

  12. Metal carbonyl vapor generation coupled with dielectric barrier discharge to avoid plasma quench for optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cai, Yi; Li, Shao-Hua; Dou, Shuai; Yu, Yong-Liang; Wang, Jian-Hua

    2015-01-20

    The scope of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) microplasma as a radiation source for optical emission spectrometry (OES) is extended by nickel carbonyl vapor generation. We proved that metal carbonyl completely avoids the extinguishing of plasma, and it is much more suitable for matching the DBD excitation and OES detection with respect to significant DBD quenching by concomitant hydrogen when hydride generation is used. A concentric quartz UV reactor allows sample solution to flow through the central channel wherein to efficiently receive the uniformly distributed UV irradiation in the confined cylindrical space between the concentric tubes, which facilitates effective carbonyl generation in a nickel solution. The carbonyl is transferred into the DBD excitation chamber by an argon stream for nickel excitation, and the characteristic emission of nickel at 232.0 nm is detected by a charge-coupled device (CCD) spectrometer. A 1.0 mL sample solution results in a linear range of 5-100 μg L(-1) along with a detection limit of 1.3 μg L(-1) and a precision of 2.4% RSD at 50 μg L(-1). The present DBD-OES system is validated by nickel in certified reference materials.

  13. Cu determination in crude oil distillation products by atomic absorption and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after analyte transfer to aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kowalewska, Zofia; Ruszczyńska, Anna; Bulska, Ewa

    2005-03-01

    Cu was determined in a wide range of petroleum products from crude oil distillation using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Different procedures of sample preparation were evaluated: (i) mineralization with sulfuric acid in an open system, (ii) mineralization in a closed microwave system, (iii) combustion in hydrogen-oxygen flame in the Wickbold's apparatus, (iv) matrix evaporation followed by acid dissolution, and (v) acidic extraction. All the above procedures led to the transfer of the analyte into an aqueous solution for the analytical measurement step. It was found that application of FAAS was limited to the analysis of the heaviest petroleum products of high Cu content. In ICP-MS, the use of internal reference method (with Rh or In as internal reference element) was required to eliminate the matrix effects in the analysis of extracts and the concentrated solutions of mineralized heavy petroleum products. The detection limits (in original samples) were equal to, respectively, 10, 86, 3.3, 0.9 and 0.4 ng g - 1 in procedures i-v with ETAAS detection and 10, 78, 1.1 and 0.5 ng g - 1 in procedures i-iii and v with ICP-MS detection. The procedures recommended here were validated by recovery experiments, certified reference materials analysis and comparison of results, obtained for a given sample, in different ways. The Cu content in the analyzed samples was: 50-110 ng g - 1 in crude oil, < 0.4-6 ng g - 1 in gasoline, < 0.5-2 ng g - 1 in atmospheric oil, < 6-100 ng g - 1 in heavy vacuum oil and 140-300 ng g - 1 in distillation residue.

  14. Kinetic and spectral descriptions of autoionization phenomena associated with atomic processes in plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jacobs, Verne L.

    2017-06-01

    This investigation has been devoted to the theoretical description and computer modeling of atomic processes giving rise to radiative emission in energetic electron and ion beam interactions and in laboratory plasmas. We are also interested in the effects of directed electron and ion collisions and of anisotropic electric and magnetic fields. In the kinetic-theory description, we treat excitation, de-excitation, ionization, and recombination in electron and ion encounters with partially ionized atomic systems, including the indirect contributions from processes involving autoionizing resonances. These fundamental collisional and electromagnetic interactions also provide particle and photon transport mechanisms. From the spectral perspective, the analysis of atomic radiative emission can reveal detailed information on the physical properties in the plasma environment, such as non-equilibrium electron and charge-state distributions as well as electric and magnetic field distributions. In this investigation, a reduced-density-matrix formulation is developed for the microscopic description of atomic electromagnetic interactions in the presence of environmental (collisional and radiative) relaxation and decoherence processes. Our central objective is a fundamental microscopic description of atomic electromagnetic processes, in which both bound-state and autoionization-resonance phenomena can be treated in a unified and self-consistent manner. The time-domain (equation-of-motion) and frequency-domain (resolvent-operator) formulations of the reduced-density-matrix approach are developed in a unified and self-consistent manner. This is necessary for our ultimate goal of a systematic and self-consistent treatment of non-equilibrium (possibly coherent) atomic-state kinetics and high-resolution (possibly overlapping) spectral-line shapes. We thereby propose the introduction of a generalized collisional-radiative atomic-state kinetics model based on a reduced

  15. Reduction of collisional-radiative models for transient, atomic plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abrantes, Richard June; Karagozian, Ann; Bilyeu, David; Le, Hai

    2017-10-01

    Interactions between plasmas and any radiation field, whether by lasers or plasma emissions, introduce many computational challenges. One of these computational challenges involves resolving the atomic physics, which can influence other physical phenomena in the radiated system. In this work, a collisional-radiative (CR) model with reduction capabilities is developed to capture the atomic physics at a reduced computational cost. Although the model is made with any element in mind, the model is currently supplemented by LANL's argon database, which includes the relevant collisional and radiative processes for all of the ionic stages. Using the detailed data set as the true solution, reduction mechanisms in the form of Boltzmann grouping, uniform grouping, and quasi-steady-state (QSS), are implemented to compare against the true solution. Effects on the transient plasma stemming from the grouping methods are compared. Distribution A: Approved for public release; unlimited distribution, PA (Public Affairs) Clearance Number 17449. This work was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), Grant Number 17RQCOR463 (Dr. Jason Marshall).

  16. Atomic Processes in a Plasma Opening Switch.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klepper, C. C.; Moschella, J. J.; Hazelton, R. C.; Yadlowsky, E. J.; Maron, Y.

    1998-11-01

    Detailed measurements of carbon emission have been carried out in a Plasma Opening Switch (POS) with a planar geometry, in order to characterize the plasma conditions and the ionization process in the POS. Emission from various transitions of C^circ to C^3+ has been measured as a function of time from several viewing chords. For these experiments, the POS was operated with a shorted load at 130kA and with a ~700ns conduction time. A single-chord, heterodyne interferometer measured the electron density evolution along a chord coincident with one of the spectroscopic views. The passage of the ionization front across the line of sight is witnessed by both diagnostics. The data are interpreted by analyzing the time-dependent atomic processes. The measured ne rises from 1.5×10^15 to 3×10^15cm-3 as the current crosses the view. An initial electron temperature in the 1.3-2 eV range is obtained from the ratio of the C II 4267 Åand 6578 Ålines. The time dependent line emission of the various charge states shows that Te rises to a few tens of eV at the peak current. The charge state distribution during the pulse will be discussed.

  17. Simultaneous determination of macronutrients, micronutrients and trace elements in mineral fertilizers by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Oliveira Souza, Sidnei; da Costa, Silvânio Silvério Lopes; Santos, Dayane Melo; dos Santos Pinto, Jéssica; Garcia, Carlos Alexandre Borges; Alves, José do Patrocínio Hora; Araujo, Rennan Geovanny Oliveira

    2014-06-01

    An analytical method for simultaneous determination of macronutrients (Ca, Mg, Na and P), micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) and trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Pb and V) in mineral fertilizers was optimized. Two-level full factorial design was applied to evaluate the optimal proportions of reagents used in the sample digestion on hot plate. A Doehlert design for two variables was used to evaluate the operating conditions of the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer in order to accomplish the simultaneous determination of the analyte concentrations. The limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 2.0 mg kg- 1 for Mn to 77.3 mg kg- 1 for P. The accuracy and precision of the proposed method were evaluated by analysis of standard reference materials (SRMs) of Western phosphate rock (NIST 694), Florida phosphate rock (NIST 120C) and Trace elements in multi-nutrient fertilizer (NIST 695), considered to be adequate for simultaneous determination. Twenty-one samples of mineral fertilizers collected in Sergipe State, Brazil, were analyzed. For all samples, the As, Ca, Cd and Pb concentrations were below the LOQ values of the analytical method. For As, Cd and Pb the obtained LOQ values were below the maximum limit allowed by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento - MAPA). The optimized method presented good accuracy and was effectively applied to quantitative simultaneous determination of the analytes in mineral fertilizers by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES).

  18. Simultaneous determination of iron, cadmium, zinc, copper, nickel, lead, and uranium in seawater by stable isotope dilution spark source mass spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mykytiuk, A.P.; Russell, D.S.; Sturgeon, R.E.

    Trace concentrations (ng/mL) of Fe, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, U, and Co have been determined in seawater by stable isotope dilution spark source mass spectrometry. The seawater samples were preconcentrated on the ion exchanger Chelex-100 and the concentrate was evaporated on a graphite or silver electrode. The results are compared with those obtained by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry. The technique avoids the use of calibration standards and is capable of producing results in cases where the analyte is only partially recovered. 2 tables.

  19. Direct Determination of Nonmetals in Solution with Atomic Spectrometry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGregor, David A.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Addresses solution nonmetal determinations on a fundamental level. Characterizes research in this area of chemical instrumentation. Discusses the fundamental limitations of nonmetal atomic spectrometry, the status of nonmetals and atomic spectroscopic techniques, and current directions in solution nonmetal determinations. (CW)

  20. Study on deposition of Al2O3 films by plasma-assisted atomic layer with different plasma sources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haiying, WEI; Hongge, GUO; Lijun, SANG; Xingcun, LI; Qiang, CHEN

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, Al2O3 thin films are deposited on a hydrogen-terminated Si substrate by using two home-built electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) and magnetic field enhanced radio frequency plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (PA-ALD) devices with Al(CH3)3 (trimethylaluminum, TMA) and oxygen plasma used as precursor and oxidant, respectively. The thickness, chemical composition, surface morphology and group reactions are characterized by in situ spectroscopic ellipsometer, x-ray photoelectric spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, a high-resolution transmission electron microscope and in situ mass spectrometry (MS), respectively. We obtain that both ECR PA-ALD and the magnetic field enhanced PA-ALD can deposit thin films with high density, high purity, and uniformity at a high deposition rate. MS analysis reveals that the Al2O3 deposition reactions are not simple reactions between TMA and oxygen plasma to produce alumina, water and carbon dioxide. In fact, acetylene, carbon monoxide and some other by-products also appear in the exhaustion gas. In addition, the presence of bias voltage has a certain effect on the deposition rate and surface morphology of films, which may be attributed to the presence of bias voltage controlling the plasma energy and density. We conclude that both plasma sources have a different deposition mechanism, which is much more complicated than expected.

  1. A spectral study of a radio-frequency plasma-generated flux of atomic oxygen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Batten, Carmen E.; Brown, Kenneth G.; Lewis, Beverley W.

    1994-01-01

    The active environment of a radio-frequency (RF) plasma generator, with and without low-pressure oxygen, has been characterized through the identification of emission lines in the spectral region from 250 to 900 nm. The environment is shown to be dependent on the partial pressure of oxygen and the power applied to the RF generator. Atomic oxygen has been found in significant amounts as well as atomic hydrogen and the molecular oxygen species O2((sup 1)Sigma). The only charged species observed was the singly charged molecular ion O2(+). With a polymer specimen in the plasma chamber, carbon monoxide was also observed. The significance of these observations with respect to previous studies using this type of generator to stimulate material degradation in space is discussed. The possibility of using these generators as atomic oxygen sources in the development of oxygen atom fluorescence sensors is explored.

  2. Microwave remote plasma enhanced-atomic layer deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dechana, A.; Thamboon, P.; Boonyawan, D., E-mail: dheerawan.b@cmu.ac.th

    A microwave remote Plasma Enhanced-Atomic Layer Deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber is established at the Plasma and Beam Physics research facilities, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The system produces highly-reactive plasma species in order to enhance the deposition process of thin films. The addition of the multicusp magnetic fields further improves the plasma density and uniformity in the reaction chamber. Thus, the system is more favorable to temperature-sensitive substrates when heating becomes unwanted. Furthermore, the remote-plasma feature, which is generated via microwave power source, offers tunability of the plasma properties separately from the process. As a result, the system provides highmore » flexibility in choice of materials and design experiments, particularly for low-temperature applications. Performance evaluations of the system were carried on coating experiments of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers onto a silicon wafer. The plasma characteristics in the chamber will be described. The resulted Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films—analyzed by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry in channeling mode and by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy techniques—will be discussed.« less

  3. Microwave remote plasma enhanced-atomic layer deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dechana, A.; Thamboon, P.; Boonyawan, D.

    2014-10-01

    A microwave remote Plasma Enhanced-Atomic Layer Deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber is established at the Plasma and Beam Physics research facilities, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The system produces highly-reactive plasma species in order to enhance the deposition process of thin films. The addition of the multicusp magnetic fields further improves the plasma density and uniformity in the reaction chamber. Thus, the system is more favorable to temperature-sensitive substrates when heating becomes unwanted. Furthermore, the remote-plasma feature, which is generated via microwave power source, offers tunability of the plasma properties separately from the process. As a result, the system provides high flexibility in choice of materials and design experiments, particularly for low-temperature applications. Performance evaluations of the system were carried on coating experiments of Al2O3 layers onto a silicon wafer. The plasma characteristics in the chamber will be described. The resulted Al2O3 films—analyzed by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry in channeling mode and by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy techniques—will be discussed.

  4. Microwave remote plasma enhanced-atomic layer deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber.

    PubMed

    Dechana, A; Thamboon, P; Boonyawan, D

    2014-10-01

    A microwave remote Plasma Enhanced-Atomic Layer Deposition system with multicusp confinement chamber is established at the Plasma and Beam Physics research facilities, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The system produces highly-reactive plasma species in order to enhance the deposition process of thin films. The addition of the multicusp magnetic fields further improves the plasma density and uniformity in the reaction chamber. Thus, the system is more favorable to temperature-sensitive substrates when heating becomes unwanted. Furthermore, the remote-plasma feature, which is generated via microwave power source, offers tunability of the plasma properties separately from the process. As a result, the system provides high flexibility in choice of materials and design experiments, particularly for low-temperature applications. Performance evaluations of the system were carried on coating experiments of Al2O3 layers onto a silicon wafer. The plasma characteristics in the chamber will be described. The resulted Al2O3 films-analyzed by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry in channeling mode and by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy techniques-will be discussed.

  5. Pulsed microdischarge with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for elemental analysis on solid metal samples.

    PubMed

    Li, Weifeng; Yin, Zhibin; Cheng, Xiaoling; Hang, Wei; Li, Jianfeng; Huang, Benli

    2015-05-05

    Pulsed microdischarge employed as source for direct solid analysis was investigated in N2 environment at atmospheric pressure. Compared with direct current (DC) microdischarge, it exhibits advantages with respect to the ablation and emission of the sample. Comprehensive evidence, including voltage-current relationship, current density (j), and electron density (ne), suggests that pulsed microdischarge is in the arc regime while DC microdischarge belongs to glow. Capability in ablating metal samples demonstrates that pulsed microdischarge is a viable option for direct solid sampling because of the enhanced instantaneous energy. Using optical spectrometer, only common emission lines of N2 can be acquired in DC mode, whereas primary atomic and ionic lines of the sample are obtained in the case of pulsed mode. Calculations show a significant difference in N2 vibrational temperatures between DC and pulsed microdischarge. Combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), pulsed microdischarge exhibits much better performances in calibration linearity and limits of detection (LOD) than those of DC discharge in direct analysis of samples of different matrices. To improve transmission efficiency, a mixture of Ar and N2 was employed as discharge gas as well as carrier gas in follow-up experiments, facilitating that LODs of most elements reached ng/g.

  6. Characterization of microwave plasma CVD of diamond by mass analysis and optical emission spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weimer, Wayne A.; Johnson, Curtis E.

    1990-12-01

    A microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system is characterized using optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. CH4 CH2 CH4 and CO were used as carbon source gases. The effects of 02 addition to the feed gas is examined. Emission from CH in the plasma is observed and CH4 is a stable reaction product for all carbon source gases used. 02 is fully consumed and converted to H20 and CO. Emission from C is observed for all hydrocarbon gases when 02 is added but is absent when CO is the carbon source gas. Addition of 02 also dramatically affects the relative amount of reaction products as the carbon in the system is converted to CO. 1.

  7. The microwave induced plasma with optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) in 23 elements determination in geological samples.

    PubMed

    Niedzielski, P; Kozak, L; Wachelka, M; Jakubowski, K; Wybieralska, J

    2015-01-01

    The article presents the optimisation, validation and application of the microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) dedicated for a routine determination of Ag, Al, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, In, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, Zn, in the geological samples. The three procedures of sample preparation has been proposed: sample digestion with the use of hydrofluoric acid for determination of total concentration of elements, extraction by aqua regia for determination of the quasi-total element concentration and extraction by hydrochloric acid solution to determine contents of the elements in acid leachable fraction. The detection limits were on the level 0.001-0.121 mg L(-1) (from 0.010-0.10 to 1.2-12 mg kg(-1) depend on the samples preparation procedure); the precision: 0.20-1.37%; accuracy 85-115% (for recovery for certified standards materials analysis and parallel analysis by independent analytical techniques: X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and flame absorption spectrometry (FAAS)). The conformity of the results obtained by MIP-OES analytical procedures with the results obtained by XRF and FAAS analysis allows to propose the procedures for studies of elemental composition of the fraction of the geological samples. Additionally, the MIP-OES technique is much less expensive than ICP techniques and much less time-consuming than AAS techniques. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of quantitative atomic modeling for tungsten transport study using LHD plasma with tungsten pellet injection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murakami, I.; Sakaue, H. A.; Suzuki, C.; Kato, D.; Goto, M.; Tamura, N.; Sudo, S.; Morita, S.

    2015-09-01

    Quantitative tungsten study with reliable atomic modeling is important for successful achievement of ITER and fusion reactors. We have developed tungsten atomic modeling for understanding the tungsten behavior in fusion plasmas. The modeling is applied to the analysis of tungsten spectra observed from plasmas of the large helical device (LHD) with tungsten pellet injection. We found that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission of W24+ to W33+ ions at 1.5-3.5 nm are sensitive to electron temperature and useful to examine the tungsten behavior in edge plasmas. We can reproduce measured EUV spectra at 1.5-3.5 nm by calculated spectra with the tungsten atomic model and obtain charge state distributions of tungsten ions in LHD plasmas at different temperatures around 1 keV. Our model is applied to calculate the unresolved transition array (UTA) seen at 4.5-7 nm tungsten spectra. We analyze the effect of configuration interaction on population kinetics related to the UTA structure in detail and find the importance of two-electron-one-photon transitions between 4p54dn+1- 4p64dn-14f. Radiation power rate of tungsten due to line emissions is also estimated with the model and is consistent with other models within factor 2.

  9. On- and off-axis spectral emission features from laser-produced gas breakdown plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harilal, S. S.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Miloshevsky, A.; Brumfield, B. E.; Phillips, M. C.; Miloshevsky, G.

    2017-06-01

    Laser-heated gas breakdown plasmas or sparks emit profoundly in the ultraviolet and visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with contributions from ionic, atomic, and molecular species. Laser created kernels expand into a cold ambient with high velocities during their early lifetime followed by confinement of the plasma kernel and eventually collapse. However, the plasma kernels produced during laser breakdown of gases are also capable of exciting and ionizing the surrounding ambient medium. Two mechanisms can be responsible for excitation and ionization of the surrounding ambient: photoexcitation and ionization by intense ultraviolet emission from the sparks produced during the early times of their creation and/or heating by strong shocks generated by the kernel during its expansion into the ambient. In this study, an investigation is made on the spectral features of on- and off-axis emission of laser-induced plasma breakdown kernels generated in atmospheric pressure conditions with an aim to elucidate the mechanisms leading to ambient excitation and emission. Pulses from an Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1064 nm with a pulse duration of 6 ns are used to generate plasma kernels. Laser sparks were generated in air, argon, and helium gases to provide different physical properties of expansion dynamics and plasma chemistry considering the differences in laser absorption properties, mass density, and speciation. Point shadowgraphy and time-resolved imaging were used to evaluate the shock wave and spark self-emission morphology at early and late times, while space and time resolved spectroscopy is used for evaluating the emission features and for inferring plasma physical conditions at on- and off-axis positions. The structure and dynamics of the plasma kernel obtained using imaging techniques are also compared to numerical simulations using the computational fluid dynamics code. The emission from the kernel showed that spectral features from ions, atoms, and

  10. On- and off-axis spectral emission features from laser-produced gas breakdown plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Harilal, S. S.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Miloshevsky, A.

    Laser-heated gas breakdown plasmas or sparks emit profoundly in the ultraviolet and visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with contributions from ionic, atomic, and molecular species. Laser created kernels expand into a cold ambient with high velocities during its early lifetime followed by confinement of the plasma kernel and eventually collapse. However, the plasma kernels produced during laser breakdown of gases are also capable of exciting and ionizing the surrounding ambient medium. Two mechanisms can be responsible for excitation and ionization of surrounding ambient: viz. photoexcitation and ionization by intense ultraviolet emission from the sparks produced during the early timesmore » of its creation and/or heating by strong shocks generated by the kernel during its expansion into the ambient. In this study, an investigation is made on the spectral features of on- and off-axis emission features of laser-induced plasma breakdown kernels generated in atmospheric pressure conditions with an aim to elucidate the mechanisms leading to ambient excitation and emission. Pulses from an Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1064 nm with 6 ns pulse duration are used to generate plasma kernels. Laser sparks were generated in air, argon, and helium gases to provide different physical properties of expansion dynamics and plasma chemistry considering the differences in laser absorption properties, mass density and speciation. Point shadowgraphy and time-resolved imaging were used to evaluate the shock wave and spark self-emission morphology at early and late times while space and time resolved spectroscopy is used for evaluating the emission features as well as for inferring plasma fundaments at on- and off-axis. Structure and dynamics of the plasma kernel obtained using imaging techniques are also compared to numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics code. The emission from the kernel showed that spectral features from ions, atoms and molecules are

  11. On- and off-axis spectral emission features from laser-produced gas breakdown plasmas

    DOE PAGES

    Harilal, S. S.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Miloshevsky, A.; ...

    2017-06-01

    Laser-heated gas breakdown plasmas or sparks emit profoundly in the ultraviolet and visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with contributions from ionic, atomic, and molecular species. Laser created kernels expand into a cold ambient with high velocities during its early lifetime followed by confinement of the plasma kernel and eventually collapse. However, the plasma kernels produced during laser breakdown of gases are also capable of exciting and ionizing the surrounding ambient medium. Two mechanisms can be responsible for excitation and ionization of surrounding ambient: viz. photoexcitation and ionization by intense ultraviolet emission from the sparks produced during the early timesmore » of its creation and/or heating by strong shocks generated by the kernel during its expansion into the ambient. In this study, an investigation is made on the spectral features of on- and off-axis emission features of laser-induced plasma breakdown kernels generated in atmospheric pressure conditions with an aim to elucidate the mechanisms leading to ambient excitation and emission. Pulses from an Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1064 nm with 6 ns pulse duration are used to generate plasma kernels. Laser sparks were generated in air, argon, and helium gases to provide different physical properties of expansion dynamics and plasma chemistry considering the differences in laser absorption properties, mass density and speciation. Point shadowgraphy and time-resolved imaging were used to evaluate the shock wave and spark self-emission morphology at early and late times while space and time resolved spectroscopy is used for evaluating the emission features as well as for inferring plasma fundaments at on- and off-axis. Structure and dynamics of the plasma kernel obtained using imaging techniques are also compared to numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics code. The emission from the kernel showed that spectral features from ions, atoms and molecules are

  12. Simultaneous Atomic Absorption Spectrometry for Cadmium and Lead Determination in Wastewater: A Laboratory Exercise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Correia, Paulo R. M.; Oliveira, Pedro V.

    2004-01-01

    The simultaneous determination of cadmium and lead by multi-element atomic absorption spectrometry with electrochemical atomization is proposed by employing a problem-based approach. The reports indicate that the students assimilated the principles of the simultaneous atomic absorption spectrometry (SIMAAS), the role of the chemical modifier, the…

  13. Kinetics of ion and prompt electron emission from laser-produced plasma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Farid, N.; Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams, School of Physics and Optical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian; Harilal, S. S.

    2013-07-15

    We investigated ion emission dynamics of laser-produced plasma from several elements, comprised of metals and non-metals (C, Al, Si, Cu, Mo, Ta, W), under vacuum conditions using a Faraday cup. The estimated ion flux for various targets studied showed a decreasing tendency with increasing atomic mass. For metals, the ion flux is found to be a function of sublimation energy. A comparison of temporal ion profiles of various materials showed only high-Z elements exhibited multiple structures in the ion time of flight profile indicated by the observation of higher peak kinetic energies, which were absent for low-Z element targets. Themore » slower ions were seen regardless of the atomic number of target material propagated with a kinetic energy of 1–5 keV, while the fast ions observed in high-Z materials possessed significantly higher energies. A systematic study of plasma properties employing fast photography, time, and space resolved optical emission spectroscopy, and electron analysis showed that there existed different mechanisms for generating ions in laser ablation plumes. The origin of high kinetic energy ions is related to prompt electron emission from high-Z targets.« less

  14. Recent trends in atomic fluorescence spectrometry towards miniaturized instrumentation-A review.

    PubMed

    Zou, Zhirong; Deng, Yujia; Hu, Jing; Jiang, Xiaoming; Hou, Xiandeng

    2018-08-17

    Atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), as one of the common atomic spectrometric techniques with high sensitivity, simple instrumentation, and low acquisition and running cost, has been widely used in various fields for trace elemental analysis, notably the determination of hydride-forming elements by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS). In recent years, the soaring demand of field analysis has significantly promoted the miniaturization of analytical atomic spectrometers or at least instrumental components. Various techniques have also been developed to approach the goal of portable/miniaturized AFS instrumentation for field analysis. In this review, potentially portable/miniaturized AFS techniques, primarily involving advanced instrumental components and whole instrumentation with references since 2000, are summarized and discussed. The discussion mainly includes five aspects: radiation source, atomizer, detector, sample introduction, and miniaturized atomic fluorescence spectrometer/system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Optimization of electrothermal atomization parameters for simultaneous multielement atomic absorption spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harnly, J.M.; Kane, J.S.

    1984-01-01

    The effect of the acid matrix, the measurement mode (height or area), the atomizer surface (unpyrolyzed and pyrolyzed graphite), the atomization mode (from the wall or from a platform), and the atomization temperature on the simultaneous electrothermal atomization of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, V, and Zn was examined. The 5% HNO3 matrix gave rise to severe irreproducibility using a pyrolyzed tube unless the tube was properly "prepared". The 5% HCl matrix did not exhibit this problem, and no problems were observed with either matrix using an unpyrolized tube or a pyrolyzed platform. The 5% HCl matrix gave better sensitivities with a pyrolyzed tube but the two matrices were comparable for atomization from a platform. If Mo and V are to be analyzed with the other seven elements, a high atomization temperature (2700??C or greater) is necessary regardless of the matrix, the measurement mode, the atomization mode, or the atomizer surface. Simultaneous detection limits (peak height with pyrolyzed tube atomization) were comparable to those of conventional atomic absorption spectrometry using electrothermal atomization above 280 nm. Accuracies and precisions of ??10-15% were found in the 10 to 120 ng mL-1 range for the analysis of NBS acidified water standards.

  16. Introduction of organic/hydro-organic matrices in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry: a tutorial review. Part II. Practical considerations.

    PubMed

    Leclercq, Amélie; Nonell, Anthony; Todolí Torró, José Luis; Bresson, Carole; Vio, Laurent; Vercouter, Thomas; Chartier, Frédéric

    2015-07-23

    Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are increasingly used to carry out analyses in organic/hydro-organic matrices. The introduction of such matrices into ICP sources is particularly challenging and can be the cause of numerous drawbacks. This tutorial review, divided in two parts, explores the rich literature related to the introduction of organic/hydro-organic matrices in ICP sources. Part I provided theoretical considerations associated with the physico-chemical properties of such matrices, in an attempt to understand the induced phenomena. Part II of this tutorial review is dedicated to more practical considerations on instrumentation, instrumental and operating parameters, as well as analytical strategies for elemental quantification in such matrices. Two important issues are addressed in this part: the first concerns the instrumentation and optimization of instrumental and operating parameters, pointing out (i) the description, benefits and drawbacks of different kinds of nebulization and desolvation devices and the impact of more specific instrumental parameters such as the injector characteristics and the material used for the cone; and, (ii) the optimization of operating parameters, for both ICP-OES and ICP-MS. Even if it is at the margin of this tutorial review, Electrothermal Vaporization and Laser Ablation will also be shortly described. The second issue is devoted to the analytical strategies for elemental quantification in such matrices, with particular insight into the isotope dilution technique, particularly used in speciation analysis by ICP-coupled separation techniques. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Direct analysis of deodorants for determination of metals by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    da Costa, Wiviane Kássia Oliveira Correia; da Silva, Caroline Santos; Figueiredo, José Fernando Dagnone; Nóbrega, Joaquim Araujo; Paim, Ana Paula Silveira

    2018-06-05

    A fast and simple dilute-and-shoot procedure for determination of Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sc, Ti, V, Zn and Zr in deodorants by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) was developed. Sample preparation was carried out by diluting 1 mL of deodorant sample in 1% (v v -1 ) HNO 3 . The accuracy of the analytical procedure was evaluated using addition and recovery experiments, and recoveries ranged from 80 to 119%. The limits of detection varied from 0.001 to 0.76 mg kg -1 . Nine deodorants samples of different brands were analyzed. The maximum concentrations found (mg kg -1 ) were: Fe (1.0), Mn (0.1), Ti (1.02), V (0.33), Zn (255.2) and Zr (0.5); for Al and Mg, determined concentrations varied from 0.01 to 7.0% and from 0.005 to 1.44 mg kg -1 , respectively, showing wide variation depending on the sample type. The developed procedure was adequate for determining these analytes in routine analysis presenting high sample throughput and demonstrated the feasibility of direct analysis measurements after simple dilution step. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Modeling the heating and atomic kinetics of a photoionized neon plasma experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lockard, Tom E.

    that the computed plasma heating compares well with experimental observation when the effects of the windows, hydrodynamics, and non-equilbirium neon emissivity and opacity are employed. The atomic kinetics shows significant time-dependent effects because the timescale of the x-ray drive is too short compared to that of the photoionization process. These modeling and simulation results are important to test theory and modeling assumptions and approximations, and also to provide guidance on data interpretation and analysis.

  19. Characterisation of zinc-binding domains of peroxisomal RING finger proteins using size exclusion chromatography/inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Koellensperger, Gunda; Daubert, Simon; Erdmann, Ralf; Hann, Stephan; Rottensteiner, Hanspeter

    2007-11-01

    We determined the zinc binding stoichiometry of peroxisomal RING finger proteins by measuring sulfur/metal ratios using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry coupled to size exclusion chromatography, a strategy that provides a fast and quantitative overview on the binding of metals in proteins. As a quality control, liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-time of flight-mass spectrometry was used to measure the molar masses of the intact proteins. The RING fingers of Pex2p, Pex10p, and Pex12p showed a stoichiometry of 2.0, 2.1, and 1.2 mol zinc/mol protein, respectively. Thus, Pex2p and Pex10p possess a typical RING domain with two coordinated zinc atoms, whereas that of Pex12p coordinates only a single zinc atom.

  20. Development of a laser ablation-hollow cathode glow discharge emission source and the application to the analysis of steel samples.

    PubMed

    Naeem, Tariq M; Matsuta, Hideyuki; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2004-12-01

    A novel atomic emission spectrometry comprising laser ablation as a sampling source and hollow cathode plasma for the excitation of ablated sample atoms is proposed. In this arrangement, a conventional Grimm-type discharge lamp is employed, but the polarity of the power supply is reversed so that the cylindrical hollow tube acts as a cathode and the glow discharge plasma is produced within this tube. A laser is irradiated to introduce sample atoms into the discharge plasma. Ablated atoms are excited by collisions with electrons and gas species, and emit characteristic radiation upon de-excitation. The experiments were conducted only in an atmosphere of helium gas so as to avoid a rapid erosion of the cathode hollow tube. Phase-sensitive detection with a lock-in amplifier was utilized to reject the continuous background emission of the plasma gas and emissions of sputtered atoms from the tube material. The unique feature of this technique is that the sampling and excitation processes can be controlled independently. The proposed technique was employed for the determination of Cr, Mn, and Ni in low-alloyed steel samples. The obtained concentrations are in good agreement with the reported values. The relative standard deviation (RSD), a measure of the analytical precision, was estimated to be 2-9% for Cr, 3-4% for Mn, and 4-11% for Ni determination.

  1. Dynamics of Molecular Emission Features from Nanosecond, Femtosecond Laser and Filament Ablation Plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Yeak, J.; Brumfield, Brian E.

    2016-06-15

    The evolutionary paths of molecular species and nanoparticles in laser ablation plumes are not well understood due to the complexity of numerous physical processes that occur simultaneously in a transient laser-plasma system. It is well known that the emission features of ions, atoms, molecules and nanoparticles in a laser ablation plume strongly depend on the laser irradiation conditions. In this letter we report the temporal emission features of AlO molecules in plasmas generated using a nanosecond laser, a femtosecond laser and filaments generated from a femtosecond laser. Our results show that, at a fixed laser energy, the persistence of AlOmore » is found to be highest and lowest in ns and filament laser plasmas respectively while molecular species are formed at early times for both ultrashort pulse (fs and filament) generated plasmas. Analysis of the AlO emission band features show that the vibrational temperature of AlO decays rapidly in filament assisted laser ablation plumes.« less

  2. Laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry as a powerful tool for analytical applications and spectroscopic studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gornushkin, Igor B.

    1997-12-01

    Laser-excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LEAFS) with a novel diffusive tube electrothermal atomizer (ETA) has been used for the study of atomization and diffusion processes and for the direct trace analysis of complex matrices. A novel ETA was a graphite tube sealed by two graphite electrodes. A sample was introduced into the tube and the furnace assembly was heated. The vaporized sample diffused through the hot graphite and the atomic fraction of the vapor was excited by a tunable dye laser above the tube. Temporal behavior of atomic fluorescence of Cu, Ag, and Ni atoms, diffused through the furnace tube, was studied at different temperatures; the values for activation energies and diffusion coefficients were derived on the basis of the diffusion/vaporization kinetic model. The femtogram/nanogram concentrations of silver were determined in coastal Atlantic water and soil samples. Use of the new ETA resulted in significant reduction of matrix interferences, ultra-low limits of detection, good accuracy and precision. LEAFS coupled with laser ablation (LA) was studied in terms of its analytical and spectroscopic potential. Low concentrations of lead (0.15 ppm-750 ppm) in metallic matrices (copper, brass, steel, and zinc) were measured in a low pressure argon atmosphere. No matrix effect was observed, providing a universal calibration curve for all samples. A limit of detection of 22 ppb (0.5 fg) was achieved. Also, the lifetime of the metastable 6p21D level of lead was measured and found to be in good agreement with the literature data. A simple open-air LA-LEAFS system was used for the determination of cobalt in solid matrices (graphite, soil, and steel). The fluorescence of cobalt was excited from a level which was already populated in the ablation plasma and was monitored at the Stokes-shifted wavelength. Detection limits in the ppb to ppm range and linearity over four orders of magnitude were achieved. The resonance shadowgraph technique has been developed

  3. A gated Thomson parabola spectrometer for improved ion and neutral atom measurements in intense laser produced plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tata, Sheroy; Mondal, Angana; Sarkar, Soubhik; Lad, Amit D.; Krishnamurthy, M.

    2017-08-01

    Ions of high energy and high charge are accelerated from compact intense laser produced plasmas and are routinely analysed either by time of flight or Thomson parabola spectrometry. At the highest intensities where ion energies can be substantially large, both these techniques have limitations. Strong electromagnetic pulse noise jeopardises the arrival time measurement, and a bright central spot in the Thomson parabola spectrometer affects the signal to noise ratio of ion traces that approach close to the central spot. We present a gated Thomson parabola spectrometer that addresses these issues and provides an elegant method to improvise ion spectrometry. In addition, we demonstrate that this method provides the ability to detect and measure high energy neutral atoms that are invariably present in most intense laser plasma acceleration experiments.

  4. A gated Thomson parabola spectrometer for improved ion and neutral atom measurements in intense laser produced plasmas.

    PubMed

    Tata, Sheroy; Mondal, Angana; Sarkar, Soubhik; Lad, Amit D; Krishnamurthy, M

    2017-08-01

    Ions of high energy and high charge are accelerated from compact intense laser produced plasmas and are routinely analysed either by time of flight or Thomson parabola spectrometry. At the highest intensities where ion energies can be substantially large, both these techniques have limitations. Strong electromagnetic pulse noise jeopardises the arrival time measurement, and a bright central spot in the Thomson parabola spectrometer affects the signal to noise ratio of ion traces that approach close to the central spot. We present a gated Thomson parabola spectrometer that addresses these issues and provides an elegant method to improvise ion spectrometry. In addition, we demonstrate that this method provides the ability to detect and measure high energy neutral atoms that are invariably present in most intense laser plasma acceleration experiments.

  5. Characterization of pulsed metallic hydride vacuum arc discharge plasmas by optical emission spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Jian; Deng, Chunfeng; Wu, Chunlei; Lu, Biao; Hu, Yonghong

    2017-12-01

    The characteristics of plasmas in a titanium hydride vacuum arc ion source were experimentally investigated by a temporally- and spatially-integrated optical emission spectroscopy method. A plasma emission spectral fitting model was developed to calculate the plasmas temperature and relative density of each particle component, assuming plasmas were in local thermodynamic equilibrium state and optical thin in this study. The good agreement was founded between the predicted and measured spectra in the interesting regions of 330-340 nm and 498-503 nm for Ti+ ion and Ti atom respectively, while varying the plasma temperature and density. Compared with conventional Boltzmann plot method, this method, therefore, made a significant improvement on the plasma diagnosis in dealing with the spectral profile with many lines overlapped. At the same time, to understand the mechanism of the occluded-gas vacuum arc discharge plasmas, the plasmas emission spectra, ion relative density, and temperature with different discharge conditions were studied. The results indicated that the rate of Ti metal evaporation and H desorption from the electrode would be enhanced with arc current, and the ionization temperature increased with the feed-in power of arc discharge, leading more H+ and Ti+ ions, but reducing the H+ proportion in arc discharged plasmas.

  6. Spectral and ion emission features of laser-produced Sn and SnO2 plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hui, Lan; Xin-Bing, Wang; Du-Luo, Zuo

    2016-03-01

    We have made a detailed comparison of the atomic and ionic debris, as well as the emission features of Sn and SnO2 plasmas under identical experimental conditions. Planar slabs of pure metal Sn and ceramic SnO2 are irradiated with 1.06 μm, 8 ns Nd:YAG laser pulses. Fast photography employing an intensified charge coupled device (ICCD), optical emission spectroscopy (OES), and optical time of flight emission spectroscopy are used as diagnostic tools. Our results show that the Sn plasma provides a higher extreme ultraviolet (EUV) conversion efficiency (CE) than the SnO2 plasma. However, the kinetic energies of Sn ions are relatively low compared with those of SnO2. OES studies show that the Sn plasma parameters (electron temperature and density) are lower compared to those of the SnO2 plasma. Furthermore, we also give the effects of the vacuum degree and the laser pulse energy on the plasma parameters. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11304235) and the Director Fund of WNLO, China.

  7. 40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart C of... - Alternative Testing Methods Approved for Analyses Under the Safe Drinking Water Act

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Absorption D 3697-07 Atomic Absorption; Furnace 3113 B Axially viewed inductively coupled plasma-atomic... C Hydride Atomic Absorption 3114 B D 2972-08 B Axially viewed inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (AVICP-AES) 200.5, Revision 4.2. Barium Inductively Coupled Plasma 3120 B Atomic...

  8. [Microsecond Pulsed Hollow Cathode Lamp as Enhanced Excitation Source of Hydride Generation Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shuo

    2015-09-01

    The spectral, electrical and atomic fluorescence characteristics of As, Se, Sb and Pb hollow cathode lamps (HCLs) powered by a laboratory-built high current microsecond pulse (HCMP) power supply were studied, and the feasibility of using HCMP-HCLs as the excitation source of hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) was evaluated. Under the HCMP power supply mode, the As, Se, Sb, Pb HCLs can maintain stable glow discharge at frequency of 100~1000 Hz, pulse width of 4.0~20 μs and pulse current up to 4.0 A. Relationship between the intensity of characteristic emission lines and HCMP power supply parameters, such as pulse current, power supply voltage, pulse width and frequency, was studied in detail. Compared with the conventional pulsed (CP) HCLs used in commercial AFS instruments, HCMP-HCLs have a narrower pulse width and much stronger pulse current. Under the optimized HCMP power supply parameters, the intensity of atomic emission lines of As, Se, Sb HCLs had sharp enhancement and that indicated their capacity of being a novel HG-AFS excitation source. However, the attenuation of atomic lines and enhancement of ionic lines negated such feasibility of HCMP-Pb HCL. Then the HG-AFS analytical capability of using the HCMP-As/Se/Sb HCLs excitation source was established and results showed that the HCMP-HCL is a promising excitation source for HG-AFS.

  9. Spectroscopie d'emission VUV-visible provenant de plasmas basse pression: Applications aux traitements de surfaces polymeriques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fozza, Alexandru C.

    The main objective of this thesis is to make a contribution to the spectroscopic study of low pressure glow discharges in the vacuum ultraviolet and to reveal the effect of this radiation on polymeric materials. This research considers the following important aspects relevant to low pressure glow discharges: (i)characterization of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) emission of several plasmas in the wavelength range available through crystalline fluoride windows, (ii)analysis of the emission dependence on several external parameters, and (iii)study of the VUV effect, in the accessible range, on polymeric materials of interest with respect to plasma treatments. The plasmas investigated, namely, hydrogen, oxygen and their mixtures with argon, were chosen by taking into consideration the composition of the gases used in technological plasmas, and the conditions needed for polymeric material irradiation. Two separate spectrophotometric instruments, a VUV monochromator (ARC VM-502) and an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA), were used. For the chosen plasmas, we measured the variation of the intensity of the atomic lines for different gas pressures and absorbed power levels. In the case of pure gas plasmas, the pressure dependence of the atomic line intensities was attributed to changes in the electron energy distribution function (EEDF). The argon emission spectra are very sensitive to the presence of impurities. The mixture plasmas we have studied (Ar-H2 and Ar-O2) show a strong emission of atomic fines in the VUV region, stronger than those resulting from the pure molecular gases. The above mixtures show promise as photon sources for the treatment of polymer surfaces. An important external parameter for the characterization of glow discharges is the excitation frequency. The goal of the specific experiments was to directly investigate the frequency-dependence effect. The frequency-related effects on plasma emission were investigated for two plasmas: pure hydrogen and 7% H2 in

  10. Acquired acid resistance of human enamel treated with laser (Er:YAG laser and Co2 laser) and acidulated phosphate fluoride treatment: An in vitro atomic emission spectrometry analysis

    PubMed Central

    Mathew, Anju; Reddy, N. Venugopal; Sugumaran, D. K.; Peter, Joby; Shameer, M.; Dauravu, Liju Marcely

    2013-01-01

    Background: Dental caries is essentially a process of diffusion and dissolution. If the aspect of dissolution can be curtailed some degree of prevention can be achieved. Aims: The present study was carried out to evaluate and compare the effect of Er:YAG laser and Co2 laser irradiation combined with acidulated phosphate fluoride treatment on in vitro acid resistance of human enamel. Design: An in vitro study was carried out on 30 human premolars to evaluate the enamel's acid resistance using an atomic emission spectrometry analysis. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 enamel specimens were prepared from 30 human premolars and were randomly assigned to 6 groups: (1) Untreated (control); (2) 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) gel application alone for 4 min; (3) Er:YAG laser treatment alone; (4) Co2 laser treatment alone; (5) Er:YAG laser + APF gel application; (6) Co2 laser + APF gel application. The specimens were then individually immersed in 5 ml of acetate buffer solution (0.1 mol/L, pH 4.5) and incubated at 37°C for 24 h, and the acid resistance was evaluated by determining the calcium ion concentration using the atomic emission spectrometry. Statistical Analysis: An ANOVA model was constructed (P value of 0.05), followed by Tukey's test for multiple pair wise comparisons of mean values. Results: Significant differences were found between the control group and the test groups (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Combining acidulated phosphate fluoride with either Er:YAG or Co2 laser had a synergistic effect in decreasing the enamel demineralization more than either fluoride treatment or laser treatment alone. PMID:24015004

  11. Atomic and molecular gas phase spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winefordner, J. D.

    1985-10-01

    The major goals of this research have been to develop diagnostical spectroscopic methods for measuring spatial/temporal temperatures and species of combustion flames and plasmas and to develop sensitive, selective, precise, reliable, rapid spectrometric methods of trace analysis of elements present in jet engine lubricating oils, metallurgical samples, and engine exhausts. The diagnostical approaches have been based upon the measurement of metal probes introduced into the flame or plasmas and the measurement of OH in flames. The measurement approaches have involved the use of laser-excited fluorescence, saturated absorption, polarization, and linear absorption. The spatial resolution in most studies is less than 1 cu mm and the temporal resolution is less than 10 ns with the use of pulsed lasers. Single pulse temperature and species measurements have also been carried out. Other diagnostical studies have involved the measurement of collisional redistribution of radiatively excited levels of Na and Tl in acetylene/02/Ar flames and the measurement of lifetimes and quantum efficiencies of atoms and ions in the inductively coupled plasmas, ICP. The latter studies indicate that the high electron number densities in ICPs are not efficient quenchers of excited atoms/ions. Temperatures of microwave atmospheric plasmas produced capacitatively and cool metastable N2 discharge produced by a dielectric discharge have also been measured.

  12. Atom-atom inelastic collisions and three-body atomic recombination in weakly ionized argon plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Braun, C. G.; Kunc, J. A.

    1989-01-01

    A stationary collisional-radiative model including both inelastic electron-atom and atom-atom collisions is used to examine nonequilibrium weakly ionized argon plasmas with atomic densities 10 to the 16th to 10 to the 20th/cu cm, temperatures below 6000 K, and with different degrees of radiation trapping. It is shown that three-body atomic recombination becomes important at high particle densities. Comparison is made between the present approach and Thomson's theory for atomic recombination.

  13. A study of 173 nm light emission from discharge cells in plasma display panel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uhm, Han S.; Choi, Eun H.; Jung, Kyu B.

    2005-03-01

    Emission properties of the 173nm lights from the electrical discharge cells of the plasma display panel are investigated. The dimer formation and a theoretical model of 173nm emission are presented. It is shown that the diffusion loss of the excited xenon atoms in the metastable level is one of the most important population depreciation factor of excited xenon atoms. The decay time τd of excited atom number increases from zero, reaches its peak, and then decreases to zero, as the gas pressure p increases from zero, agreeing well with experimental data. A simple analytical expression Y of the total emission intensity is described in terms of the diffusion loss df, the three-body collision η, the gas pressure p, and the xenon mole fraction χ. The emission intensity Y of 173nm photon decreases with an increasing value of parameter df. Moreover, the emission intensity Y increases drastically with an increasing value of the gas pressure p and the xenon mole fraction χ. Results from the theoretical model agree remarkably well with experimental data.

  14. Identification of S VIII through S XIV emission lines between 17.5 and 50 nm in a magnetically confined plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCarthy, K. J.; Tamura, N.; Combs, S. K.; García, R.; Hernández Sánchez, J.; Navarro, M.; Panadero, N.; Pastor, I.; Soleto, A.; the TJ-II Team

    2018-03-01

    43 spectral emission lines from F-like to Li-like sulphur ions have been identified in the wavelength range from 17.5 to 50 nm in spectra obtained following tracer injection into plasmas created in a magnetically confined plasma device, the stellarator TJ-II. Plasmas created and maintained in this heliac device with electron cyclotron resonance heating achieve central electron temperatures and densities up to 1.5 keV and 8 × 1018 m-3, respectively. Tracer injections were performed with ≤6 × 1016 atoms of sulphur contained within ˜300 μm diameter polystyrene capsules, termed tracer encapsulated solid pellets, using a gas propulsion system to achieve velocities between 250 and 450 m s-1. Once ablation of the exterior polystyrene shell by plasma particles is completed, the sulphur is deposited in the plasma core where it is ionized up to S+13 and transported about the plasma. In order to aid line identification, which is made using a number of atomic line emission databases, spectra are collected before and after injection using a 1 m focal length normal incidence spectrometer equipped with a CCD camera. This work is motivated by the need to clearly identify sulphur emission lines in the vacuum ultraviolet range of magnetically confined plasmas, as sulphur x-ray emission lines are regularly observed in both tokamak and stellarator plasmas.

  15. Laser-heated emissive plasma probe.

    PubMed

    Schrittwieser, Roman; Ionita, Codrina; Balan, Petru; Gstrein, Ramona; Grulke, Olaf; Windisch, Thomas; Brandt, Christian; Klinger, Thomas; Madani, Ramin; Amarandei, George; Sarma, Arun K

    2008-08-01

    Emissive probes are standard tools in laboratory plasmas for the direct determination of the plasma potential. Usually they consist of a loop of refractory wire heated by an electric current until sufficient electron emission. Recently emissive probes were used also for measuring the radial fluctuation-induced particle flux and other essential parameters of edge turbulence in magnetized toroidal hot plasmas [R. Schrittwieser et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 50, 055004 (2008)]. We have developed and investigated various types of emissive probes, which were heated by a focused infrared laser beam. Such a probe has several advantages: higher probe temperature without evaporation or melting and thus higher emissivity and longer lifetime, no deformation of the probe in a magnetic field, no potential drop along the probe wire, and faster time response. The probes are heated by an infrared diode laser with 808 nm wavelength and an output power up to 50 W. One probe was mounted together with the lens system on a radially movable probe shaft, and radial profiles of the plasma potential and of its oscillations were measured in a linear helicon discharge.

  16. X-ray emission from high temperature plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harries, W. L.

    1977-01-01

    The physical processes occurring in plasma focus devices were investigated with particular emphasis on X-ray emission. Topics discussed include: trajectories of high energy electrons; detection of ion trajectories; spatial distribution of neutron emission; space and time resolved emission of hard X-rays from a plasma focus; the staged plasma focus as a variation of the hypocloidal pinch; formation of current sheets in a staged plasma focus; and X-ray and neutron emission from a staged plasma focus. The possibility of operating dense plasma-focus type devices in multiple arrays beyond the scaling law for a single gun is discussed.

  17. Analysis of metal-laden water via portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pearson, Delaina; Weindorf, David C.; Chakraborty, Somsubhra; Li, Bin; Koch, Jaco; Van Deventer, Piet; de Wet, Jandre; Kusi, Nana Yaw

    2018-06-01

    A rapid method for in-situ elemental composition analysis of metal-laden water would be indispensable for studying polluted water. Current analytical lab methods to determine water quality include flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (EAAS), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy. However only two field methods, colorimetry and absorptiometry, exist for elemental analysis of water. Portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometry is an effective method for elemental analysis of soil, sediment, and other matrices. However, the accuracy of PXRF is known to be affected while scanning moisture-laden soil samples. This study sought to statistically establish PXRF's predictive ability for various elements in water at different concentrations relative to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). A total of 390 metal-laden water samples collected from leaching columns of mine tailings in South Africa were analyzed via PXRF and ICP-AES. The PXRF showed differential effectiveness in elemental quantification. For the collected water samples, the best relationships between ICP and PXRF elemental data were obtained for K and Cu (R2 = 0.92). However, when scanning ICP calibration solutions with elements in isolation, PXRF results indicated near perfect agreement; Ca, K, Fe, Cu and Pb produced an R2 of 0.99 while Zn and Mn produced an R2 of 1.00. The utilization of multiple PXRF (stacked) beams produced stronger correlation to ICP relative to the use of a single beam in isolation. The results of this study demonstrated the PXRF's ability to satisfactorily predict the composition of metal-laden water as reported by ICP for several elements. Additionally this study indicated the need for a "Water Mode" calibration for the PXRF and demonstrates the potential of PXRF for future study of polluted or contaminated waters.

  18. Atomic and Molecular Gas Phase Spectrometry.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-09-30

    between the thermometric levels, k is the Boltzmann constant (k = 0.695 cm-I K-1 ), Aik (s- 1) is the transition probability for spontaneous emission from...monitoring of the atomic absorption of M; information about the reaction processes were deduced from the shapes of the titration curves; (5) measure- ment of...Changes During Titration Based Upon The Releasing Effect Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy," D. Stojanovic and J.D. Winefordner, Anal Chim. Acta, 114, 295

  19. Stationary Plasma Thruster Plume Emissions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Manzella, David H.

    1994-01-01

    The emission spectrum from a xenon plasma produced by a Stationary Plasma Thruster provided by the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) was measured. Approximately 270 individual Xe I, Xe II, and XE III transitions were identified. A total of 250 mW of radiated optical emission was estimated from measurements taken at the thruster exit plane. There was no evidence of erosion products in the emission signature. Ingestion and ionization of background gas at elevated background pressure was detected. The distribution of excited states could be described by temperatures ranging from fractions of 1 eV to 4 eV with a high degree of uncertainty due to the nonequilibrium nature of this plasma. The plasma was over 95 percent ionized at the thruster exit plane. Between 10 and 20 percent of the ions were doubly charged. Two modes of operation were identified. The intensity of plasma emission increased by a factor of two during operation in an oscillatory mode. The transfer between the two modes of operation was likely related to unidentified phenomena occurring on a time scale of minutes.

  20. Space and time resolved emission of hard X-rays from a plasma focus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harries, W. L.; Lee, J. H.; Mcfarland, D. R.

    1978-01-01

    The X-ray emission from focused plasmas was observed with an image converter camera in the streak and framing modes. Use of a very high gain image intensifier enabled weak hard X-ray emission (above 25 keV) to be recorded. The use of an admixture of higher atomic number into the deuterium was avoided, and the role of the vapor from the anode surface could be discerned. The recorded bremsstrahlung emission seemed to be from a metallic plasma of copper released from the anode surface by bombardment from an intense electron beam. The intensity of emission was determined by the density of copper and the density and energy of the electron beam. The main emission recorded occurred several 100 nsec after the focus was over, which implies that the electric fields driving the beam existed for this duration. It is suggested that the fields were created by annihilation of magnetic flux for a time much longer than the focus duration.

  1. Coherent emission mechanisms in astrophysical plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Melrose, D. B.

    2017-12-01

    Three known examples of coherent emission in radio astronomical sources are reviewed: plasma emission, electron cyclotron maser emission (ECME) and pulsar radio emission. Plasma emission is a multi-stage mechanism with the first stage being generation of Langmuir waves through a streaming instability, and subsequent stages involving partial conversion of the Langmuir turbulence into escaping radiation at the fundamental (F) and second harmonic (H) of the plasma frequency. The early development and subsequent refinements of the theory, motivated by application to solar radio bursts, are reviewed. The driver of the instability is faster electrons outpacing slower electrons, resulting in a positive gradient ({d}f(v_allel )/{d}v_allel >0) at the front of the beam. Despite many successes of the theory, there is no widely accepted explanation for type I bursts and various radio continua. The earliest models for ECME were purely theoretical, and the theory was later adapted and applied to Jupiter (DAM), the Earth (AKR), solar spike bursts and flare stars. ECME strongly favors the x mode, whereas plasma emission favors the o mode. Two drivers for ECME are a ring feature (implying {d}f(v)/{d}v>0) and a loss-cone feature. Loss-cone-driven ECME was initially favored for all applications. The now favored driver for AKR is the ring-feature in a horseshoe distribution, which results from acceleration by a parallel electric on converging magnetic field lines. The driver in DAM and solar and stellar applications is uncertain. The pulsar radio emission mechanism remains an enigma. Ingredients needed in discussing possible mechanisms are reviewed: general properties of pulsars, pulsar electrodynamics, the properties of pulsar plasma and wave dispersion in such plasma. Four specific emission mechanisms (curvature emission, linear acceleration emission, relativistic plasma emission and anomalous Doppler emission) are discussed and it is argued that all encounter difficulties. Coherent

  2. Elemental analysis of glass by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (LA-ICP-OES).

    PubMed

    Schenk, Emily R; Almirall, José R

    2012-04-10

    The elemental analysis of glass evidence has been established as a powerful discrimination tool for forensic analysts. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (LA-ICP-OES) has been compared to laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and energy dispersive micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μXRF/EDS) as competing instrumentation for the elemental analysis of glass. The development of a method for the forensic analysis of glass coupling laser ablation to ICP-OES is presented for the first time. LA-ICP-OES has demonstrated comparable analytical performance to LA-ICP-MS based on the use of the element menu, Al (Al I 396.15 nm), Ba (Ba II 455.40 nm), Ca (Ca II 315.88 nm), Fe (Fe II 238.20 nm), Li (Li I 670.78 nm), Mg (Mg I 285.21 nm), Sr (Sr II 407.77 nm), Ti (Ti II 368.51 nm), and Zr (Zr II 343.82 nm). The relevant figures of merit, such as precision, accuracy and sensitivity, are presented and compared to LA-ICP-MS. A set of 41 glass samples was used to assess the discrimination power of the LA-ICP-OES method in comparison to other elemental analysis techniques. This sample set consisted of several vehicle glass samples that originated from the same source (inside and outside windshield panes) and several glass samples that originated from different vehicles. Different match criteria were used and compared to determine the potential for Type I and Type II errors. It was determined that broader match criteria is more applicable to the forensic comparison of glass analysis because it can reduce the affect that micro-heterogeneity inherent in the glass fragments and a less than ideal sampling strategy can have on the interpretation of the results. Based on the test set reported here, a plus or minus four standard deviation (± 4s) match criterion yielded the lowest possibility of Type I and Type II errors. The developed LA-ICP-OES method has been shown to perform similarly to LA-ICP-MS in the

  3. Determination of As in tree-rings of poplar (Populus alba L.) by U-shaped DC arc.

    PubMed

    Marković, D M; Novović, I; Vilotić, D; Ignjatović, Lj

    2009-04-01

    An argon-stabilized U-shaped DC arc with a system for aerosol introduction was used for determination of As in poplar (Populus alba L.) tree-rings. After optimization of the operating parameters and selection of the most appropriate signal integration time (30 s), the limit of detection for As was reduced to 15.0 ng/mL. This detection limit obtained with the optimal integration time was compared with those for other methods: inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), direct coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (DCP-AES), microwave induced plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (MIP-AES) and improved thermospray flame furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (TS-FF-AAS). Arsenic is toxic trace element which can adversely affect plant, animal and human health. As an indicator of environment pollution we collected poplar tree-rings from two locations. The first area was close to the "Nikola Tesla" (TENT-A) power plant, Obrenovac, while the other was in the urban area of Novi Sad. In all cases elevated average concentrations of As were registered in poplar tree-rings from the Obrenovac location.

  4. Collection of trace evidence of explosive residues from the skin in a death due to a disguised letter bomb. The synergy between confocal laser scanning microscope and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer analyses.

    PubMed

    Turillazzi, Emanuela; Monaci, Fabrizio; Neri, Margherita; Pomara, Cristoforo; Riezzo, Irene; Baroni, Davide; Fineschi, Vittorio

    2010-04-15

    In most deaths caused by explosive, the victim's body becomes a depot for fragments of explosive materials, so contributing to the collection of trace evidence which may provide clues about the specific type of device used with explosion. Improvised explosive devices are used which contain "homemade" explosives rather than high explosives because of the relative ease with which such components can be procured. Many methods such as chromatography-mass spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, stereomicroscopy, capillary electrophoresis are available for use in the identification of explosive residues on objects and bomb fragments. Identification and reconstruction of the distribution of explosive residues on the decedent's body may give additional hints in assessing the position of the victim in relation to the device. Traditionally these residues are retrieved by swabbing the body and clothing during the early phase, at autopsy. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and other analytical methods may be used to analyze the material swabbed from the victim body. The histological examination of explosive residues on skin samples collected during the autopsy may reveal significant details. The information about type, quantity and particularly about anatomical distribution of explosive residues obtained utilizing confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) together with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), may provide very significant evidence in the clarification and reconstruction of the explosive-related events. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Determination of Hg(2+) by on-line separation and pre-concentration with atmospheric-pressure solution-cathode glow discharge atomic emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Li, Qing; Zhang, Zhen; Wang, Zheng

    2014-10-03

    A simple and sensitive method to determine Hg(2+) was developed by combining solution-cathode glow discharge atomic emission spectrometry (SCGD-AES) with flow injection (FI) based on on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE). We synthesized l-cysteine-modified mesoporous silica and packed it in an SPE microcolumn, which was experimentally determined to possess a good mercury adsorption capacity. An enrichment factor of 42 was achieved under optimized Hg(2+) elution conditions, namely, an FI flow rate of 2.0 mL min(-1) and an eluent comprised of 10% thiourea in 0.2 mol L(-1) HNO3. The detection limit of FI-SCGD-AES was determined to be 0.75 μg L(-1), and the precision of the 11 replicate Hg(2+) measurements was 0.86% at a concentration of 100 μg L(-1). The proposed method was validated by determining Hg(2+) in certified reference materials such as human hair (GBW09101b) and stream sediment (GBW07310). Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry: Coming of Age.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cotter, Robert J.

    1988-01-01

    Discusses the history and development of Plasma Desorption Mass Spectrometry to determine molecular weights and structures of proteins and polymers. Outlines theory, instrumentation, and sample preparation commonly used. Gives several examples of resulting spectra. (ML)

  7. Angular distribution and polarization of atomic radiative emission in electric and magnetic fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jacobs, V. L.; Filuk, A. B.

    1999-09-01

    A density-matrix approach has been developed for the angular distribution and polarization of radiative emission during single-photon atomic transitions for a general set of steady-state excitation processes in an arbitrary arrangement of static (or quasistatic) electric and magnetic fields. Particular attention has been directed at spectroscopic observations in the intense fields of the high-power ion diodes on the Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator II (PBFA II) and SABRE devices at Sandia National Laboratories and at magnetic-field measurements in tokamak plasmas. The field-dependent atomic eigenstates are represented as expansions in a complete basis set of field-free bound and continuum eigenstates. Particular emphasis has been given to directed-electron collisional excitations, which may be produced by an anisotropic incident-electron velocity distribution. We have allowed for the possibility of the coherent excitation of the nearly degenerate field-dependent atomic substates, which can give rise to a complex spectral pattern of overlapping Stark-Zeeman components. Coherent excitations may be produced by a beam of electrons that are spin-polarized at an angle with respect to the propagation direction or by nonparallel electric and magnetic fields. Our main result is a general expression for the matrix elements of the photon-polarization density operator representing the total intensity, angular distribution, and polarization of the atomic radiative emission. For the observation of radiative emission in the direction of the magnetic field, the detection of linearly polarized emission, in addition to the usual circularly polarized radiation, can reveal the presence of a perpendicular electric field or a coherent excitation mechanism.

  8. Development of High-Resolution UV-VIS Diagnostics for Space Plasma Simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, Andrew; Batishchev, Oleg

    2012-10-01

    Non-invasive far-UV-VIS plasma emission allows remote diagnostics of plasma, which is particularly important for space application. Accurate vacuum tank space plasma simulations require monochromators with high spectral resolution (better than 0.01A) to capture important details of atomic and ionic lines, such as Ly-alpha, etc. We are building a new system based on the previous work [1], and will discuss the development of a spectrometry system that combines a single-pass vacuum far-UV-NIR spectrometer and a tunable Fabry-Perot etalon. [4pt] [1] O. Batishchev and J.L. Cambier, Experimental Study of the Mini-Helicon Thruster, Air Force Research Laboratory Report, AFRL-RZ-ED-TR-2009-0020, 2009.

  9. Emission- and fluorescence-spectroscopic investigation of a glow discharge plasma: absolute number density of radiative and nonradiative atoms in the negative glow.

    PubMed

    Takubo, Y; Sato, T; Asaoka, N; Kusaka, K; Akiyama, T; Muroo, K; Yamamoto, M

    2008-01-01

    The excited-state atom densities in the negative glow of a direct-current glow discharge are derived from the spectral-line intensity of radiative atoms and the resonance-fluorescence photon flux of nonradiative atoms. The discharge is operated in a helium-argon gas mixture (molar fraction ratio 91:9; total gas pressure 5 Torr) at a dc current of 0.7-1.2 mA. The observations are made in the region of the maximum luminance in the cathode region, where high-energy electrons accelerated in the cathode fall are injected into the negative glow. The emission intensities of the He I, He II, Ar I, and Ar II spectral lines are measured with a calibrated tungsten ribbon lamp as an absolute spectral-radiance standard. Fluorescence photons scattered by helium and argon atoms in the metastable state and argon atoms in the resonance state are detected by the laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) method with the Rayleigh scattering of nitrogen molecules as an absolute standard of scattering cross section. The laser absorption method is incorporated to confirm the result of the LIF measurement. Excitation energies of the measured spectral lines range from 11.6 (Ar I) to 75.6 eV (He II), where the excitation energy is measured from the ground state of the neutral atom on the assumption that, in the plasma of this study, both the neutral and the ionic lines are excited by electron impact in a single-step process from the ground state of the corresponding neutral atoms. Experimental evidence is shown for the validity of this assumption.

  10. Emission spectra of photoionized plasmas induced by intense EUV pulses: Experimental and theoretical investigations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saber, Ismail; Bartnik, Andrzej; Skrzeczanowski, Wojciech; Wachulak, Przemysław; Jarocki, Roman; Fiedorowicz, Henryk

    2017-03-01

    Experimental measurements and numerical modeling of emission spectra in photoionized plasma in the ultraviolet and visible light (UV/Vis) range for noble gases have been investigated. The photoionized plasmas were created using laser-produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source. The source was based on a gas puff target; irradiated with 10ns/10J/10Hz Nd:YAG laser. The EUV radiation pulses were collected and focused using grazing incidence multifoil EUV collector. The laser pulses were focused on a gas stream, injected into a vacuum chamber synchronously with the EUV pulses. Irradiation of gases resulted in a formation of low temperature photoionized plasmas emitting radiation in the UV/Vis spectral range. Atomic photoionized plasmas produced this way consisted of atomic and ionic with various ionization states. The most dominated observed spectral lines originated from radiative transitions in singly charged ions. To assist in a theoretical interpretation of the measured spectra, an atomic code based on Cowan's programs and a collisional-radiative PrismSPECT code have been used to calculate the theoretical spectra. A comparison of the calculated spectral lines with experimentally obtained results is presented. Electron temperature in plasma is estimated using the Boltzmann plot method, by an assumption that a local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) condition in the plasma is validated in the first few ionization states. A brief discussion for the measured and computed spectra is given.

  11. Temporal VUV Emission Characteristics Related to Generations and Losses of Metastable Atoms in Xenon Pulsed Barrier Discharge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Motomura, Hideki; Loo, Ka Hong; Ikeda, Yoshihisa; Jinno, Masafumi; Aono, Masaharu

    Although xenon pulsed dielectric barrier discharge is one of the most promising substitutes for mercury low-pressure discharge for fluorescent lamps, the efficacy of xenon fluorescent lamp is not enough for practical use for general lighting. To improve the efficacy it is indispensable to clarify mechanisms of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) emissions, which excite phosphor, from xenon discharge related to plasma characteristics. In this paper emission waveforms and temporal change of metastable atom density are measured and temporal VUV emission characteristics related to generations and losses of metastable atoms in xenon pulsed barrier discharge is investigated. It is shown that the lamp efficacy is improved by about 10% with shorter pulse in which the two VUV emission peaks in a pulse are overlapped. It is also shown that at the lower pressure of 1.3 kPa metastable atoms generated during on-period of the voltage pulse are not efficiently consumed for VUV emissions in the off-period of the voltage pulse because of lower rate of three-body collision and quenching. This fact is thought to be one of the reasons why the lamp efficacy is low at lower pressure.

  12. Bismuth as a general internal standard for lead in atomic absorption spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Bechlin, Marcos A; Fortunato, Felipe M; Ferreira, Edilene C; Gomes Neto, José A; Nóbrega, Joaquim A; Donati, George L; Jones, Bradley T

    2014-06-11

    Bismuth was evaluated as internal standard for Pb determination by line source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (LS FAAS), high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS FAAS) and line source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (LS GFAAS). Analysis of samples containing different matrices indicated close relationship between Pb and Bi absorbances. Correlation coefficients of calibration curves built up by plotting A(Pb)/A(Bi)versus Pb concentration were higher than 0.9953 (FAAS) and higher than 0.9993 (GFAAS). Recoveries of Pb improved from 52-118% (without IS) to 97-109% (IS, LS FAAS); 74-231% (without IS) to 96-109% (IS, HR-CS FAAS); and 36-125% (without IS) to 96-110% (IS, LS GFAAS). The relative standard deviations (n=12) were reduced from 0.6-9.2% (without IS) to 0.3-4.3% (IS, LS FAAS); 0.7-7.7% (without IS) to 0.1-4.0% (IS, HR-CS FAAS); and 2.1-13% (without IS) to 0.4-5.9% (IS, LS GFAAS). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Experimental evaluation of analyte excitation mechanisms in the inductively coupled plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lehn, Scott A.; Hieftje, Gary M.

    2003-10-01

    The inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is a justifiably popular source for atomic emission spectrometry. However, despite its popularity, the ICP is still only partially understood. Even the mechanisms of analyte excitation remain unclear; some energy levels are quite clearly populated by charge transfer while others might be populated by electron-ion recombination, by electron impact, or by Penning processes. Distinguishing among these alternatives is possible by means of a steady-state kinetics approach that examines correlations between the emission of a selected atom, ion, or level and the local number densities of species assumed to produce the excitation. In an earlier investigation, strong correlations were found between either calcium atom or ion emission and selected combinations of calcium atom or ion number densities and electron number densities in the plasma. However, all radially resolved data employed in the earlier study were produced from Abel inversion and from measurements that were crude by today's standards. Now, by means of tomographic imaging, laser-saturated atomic fluorescence, and Thomson and Rayleigh scattering, it is possible to measure the required radially resolved data without Abel inversion and with far greater fidelity. The correlations previously studied for calcium have been investigated with these more reliable data. Ion-electron recombination, either radiative or with argon as a third body, was determined to be the most likely excitation mechanism for calcium atom, while electron impact appeared to be the most important process to produce excite-state calcium ions. These results were consistent with the previous study. However, the present study suggests that collisional deactivation, rather than radiative decay, is the most likely mode of returning both calcium atoms and ions to the ground state.

  14. Angular distribution and polarization of atomic radiative emission in electric and magnetic fields

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jacobs, V.L.; Filuk, A.B.

    A density-matrix approach has been developed for the angular distribution and polarization of radiative emission during single-photon atomic transitions for a general set of steady-state excitation processes in an arbitrary arrangement of static (or quasistatic) electric and magnetic fields. Particular attention has been directed at spectroscopic observations in the intense fields of the high-power ion diodes on the Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator II (PBFA II) and SABRE devices at Sandia National Laboratories and at magnetic-field measurements in tokamak plasmas. The field-dependent atomic eigenstates are represented as expansions in a complete basis set of field-free bound and continuum eigenstates. Particular emphasismore » has been given to directed-electron collisional excitations, which may be produced by an anisotropic incident-electron velocity distribution. We have allowed for the possibility of the coherent excitation of the nearly degenerate field-dependent atomic substates, which can give rise to a complex spectral pattern of overlapping Stark-Zeeman components. Coherent excitations may be produced by a beam of electrons that are spin-polarized at an angle with respect to the propagation direction or by nonparallel electric and magnetic fields. Our main result is a general expression for the matrix elements of the photon-polarization density operator representing the total intensity, angular distribution, and polarization of the atomic radiative emission. For the observation of radiative emission in the direction of the magnetic field, the detection of linearly polarized emission, in addition to the usual circularly polarized radiation, can reveal the presence of a perpendicular electric field or a coherent excitation mechanism.« less

  15. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS): a versatile tool.

    PubMed

    Ammann, Adrian A

    2007-04-01

    Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry (MS) is routinely used in many diverse research fields such as earth, environmental, life and forensic sciences and in food, material, chemical, semiconductor and nuclear industries. The high ion density and the high temperature in a plasma provide an ideal atomizer and element ionizer for all types of samples and matrices introduced by a variety of specialized devices. Outstanding properties such as high sensitivity (ppt-ppq), relative salt tolerance, compound-independent element response and highest quantitation accuracy lead to the unchallenged performance of ICP MS in efficiently detecting, identifying and reliably quantifying trace elements. The increasing availability of relevant reference compounds and high separation selectivity extend the molecular identification capability of ICP MS hyphenated to species-specific separation techniques. While molecular ion source MS is specialized in determining the structure of unknown molecules, ICP MS is an efficient and highly sensitive tool for target-element orientated discoveries of relevant and unknown compounds. This special-feature, tutorial article presents the principle and advantages of ICP MS, highlighting these using examples from recently published investigations. Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Spontaneous evolution of rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma

    PubMed

    Robinson; Tolra; Noel; Gallagher; Pillet

    2000-11-20

    We have observed the spontaneous evolution of a dense sample of Rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma, in spite of the fact that each of the atoms may initially be bound by up to 100 cm(-1). When the atoms are initially bound by 70 cm(-1), this evolution occurs when most of the atoms are translationally cold, <1 mK, but a small fraction, approximately 1%, is at room temperature. Ionizing collisions between hot and cold Rydberg atoms and blackbody photoionization produce an essentially stationary cloud of cold ions, which traps electrons produced later. The trapped electrons rapidly collisionally ionize the remaining cold Rydberg atoms to form a cold plasma.

  17. Emission intensity modulation of radio-frequency helium glow-discharge emission source by laser ablation.

    PubMed

    Matsuta, Hideyuki; Naeem, Tariq M; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2003-06-01

    A novel emission excitation source comprising a high repetition rate diode-pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and a Grimm-style glow-discharge lamp is described. Laser-ablated atoms are introduced into the He glow discharge plasma, which then give emission signals. By using phase-sensitive detection with a lock-in amplifier, the emission signal modulated by the pulsed laser can be detected selectively. It is possible to estimate only the emission intensity of sample atoms ablated by laser irradiation with little interference from the other species in the plasma.

  18. Liquid-Arc/Spark-Excitation Atomic-Emission Spectroscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schlagen, Kenneth J.

    1992-01-01

    Constituents of solutions identified in situ. Liquid-arc/spark-excitation atomic-emission spectroscopy (LAES) is experimental variant of atomic-emission spectroscopy in which electric arc or spark established in liquid and spectrum of light from arc or spark analyzed to identify chemical elements in liquid. Observations encourage development of LAES equipment for online monitoring of process streams in such industries as metal plating, electronics, and steel, and for online monitoring of streams affecting environment.

  19. Efficient acceleration of neutral atoms in laser produced plasma

    DOE PAGES

    Dalui, M.; Trivikram, T. M.; Colgan, James Patrick; ...

    2017-06-20

    Recent advances in high-intensity laser-produced plasmas have demonstrated their potential as compact charge particle accelerators. Unlike conventional accelerators, transient quasi-static charge separation acceleration fields in laser produced plasmas are highly localized and orders of magnitude larger. Manipulating these ion accelerators, to convert the fast ions to neutral atoms with little change in momentum, transform these to a bright source of MeV atoms. The emittance of the neutral atom beam would be similar to that expected for an ion beam. Since intense laser-produced plasmas have been demonstrated to produce high-brightness-low-emittance beams, it is possible to envisage generation of high-flux, low-emittance, highmore » energy neutral atom beams in length scales of less than a millimeter. Here, we show a scheme where more than 80% of the fast ions are reduced to energetic neutral atoms and demonstrate the feasibility of a high energy neutral atom accelerator that could significantly impact applications in neutral atom lithography and diagnostics.« less

  20. Influence of Plasma Environment on K-Line Emission in Highly Ionized Iron Atoms Evaluated Using a Debye-Huckel Model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deprince, J.; Fritzsche, S.; Kallman, T. R.; Palmeri, P.; Quinet, P.

    2017-01-01

    The influence of plasma environment on the atomic parameters associated with the K-vacancy states has been investigated theoretically for several iron ions. To do this, a time-averaged Debye-Huckel potential for both the electron-nucleus and electron-electron interactions has been considered in the framework of relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock computations. More particularly, the plasma screening effects on ionization potentials, K-thresholds, transition energies, and radiative rates have been estimated in the astrophysical context of accretion disks around black holes. In the present paper, we describe the behavior of those atomic parameters for Ne-, Na-, Ar-, and K-like iron ions.

  1. Mechanisms of dust grain charging in plasma with allowance for electron emission processes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mol’kov, S. I.; Savin, V. N., E-mail: moped@onego.ru

    2017-02-15

    The process of dust grain charging is described with allowance for secondary, ion-induced, photoelectric, and thermal electron emission from the grain surface. The roughness of the grain surface is taken into account. An intermediate charging regime involving ion–atom collisions and electron ionization in the perturbed plasma region is analyzed using the moment equations and Poisson’s equation. A calculation method is proposed that allows one to take into account the influence of all the above effects and determine the radius of the plasma region perturbed by the dust grain.

  2. Improvement of sensitivity of electrolyte cathode discharge atomic emission spectrometry (ELCAD-AES) for mercury using acetic acid medium.

    PubMed

    Shekhar, R

    2012-05-15

    A method has been developed to improve the sensitivity of the electrolyte cathode discharge atomic emission spectrometry (ELCAD-AES) for mercury determination. Effects of various low molecular weight organic solvents at different volume percentages as well as at different acid molarities on the mercury signal were investigated using ELCAD-AES. The addition of few percent of organic solvent, acetic acid produced significant enhancement in mercury signal. Acetic acid of 5% (v/v) with the 0.2M acidity has been found to give 500% enhancement for mercury signal in flow injection mode. Under the optimized parameters the repeatability, expressed as the percentage relative standard deviation of spectral peak area for mercury with 5% acetic acid was found to be 10% for acid blank solution and 5% for 20 ng/mL mercury standard based on multiple measurements with a multiple sample loading in flow injection mode. Limit of detection of this method was determined to be 2 ng/mL for inorganic mercury. The proposed method has been validated by determining mercury in certified reference materials, Tuna fish (IAEA-350) and Aquatic plant (BCR-060). Accuracy of the method for the mercury determination in the reference materials has been found to be between 3.5% and 5.9%. This study enhances the utility of ELCAD-AES for various types of biological and environmental materials to quantify total mercury at very low levels. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Preconcentration of heavy metals on activated carbon and their determination in fruits by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Feist, Barbara; Mikula, Barbara

    2014-03-15

    A method of separation and preconcentration of cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc at trace level using activated carbon is proposed. Activated carbon with the adsorbed trace metals was mineralised using a high-pressure microwave mineraliser. The heavy metals were determined after preconcentration by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The influence of several parameters, such as pH, sorbent mass, shaking time was examined. Moreover, effects of inorganic matrix on recovery of the determined elements were studied. The experiment shows that foreign ions did not influence recovery of the determined elements. The detection limits (DL) of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 0.17, 0.19, 1.60, 2.60, 0.92 and 1.50 μg L(-)(1), respectively. The recovery of the method for the determined elements was better than 95% with relative standard deviation from 1.3% to 3.7%. The preconcentration factor was 80. The proposed method was applied for determination of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in fruits materials. Accuracy of the proposed method was verified using certified reference material (NCS ZC85006 Tomato). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. A study of oxidative stress induced by non-thermal plasma-activated water for bacterial damage

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, Qian; Ma, Ruonan; Tian, Ying

    2013-05-20

    Ar/O{sub 2} (2%) cold plasma microjet was used to create plasma-activated water (PAW). The disinfection efficacy of PAW against Staphylococcus aureus showed that PAW can effectively disinfect bacteria. Optical emission spectra and oxidation reduction potential results demonstrated the inactivation is attributed to oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species in PAW. Moreover, the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy suggested that the chemical state of cell surface, the integrity of cell membrane, as well as the cell internal components and structure were damaged by the oxidative stress.

  5. An analytical method for hydrogeochemical surveys: Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry after using enrichment coprecipitation with cobalt and ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hopkins, D.M.

    1991-01-01

    Trace metals that are commonly associated with mineralization were concentrated and separated from natural water by coprecipitation with ammonium pyrollidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) and cobalt and determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The method is useful in hydrogeochemical surveys because it permits preconcentration near the sample sites, and selected metals are preserved shortly after the samples are collected. The procedure is relatively simple: (1) a liter of water is filtered; (2) the pH is adjusted; (3) Co chloride and APDC are added to coprecipitate the trace metals; and (4) later, the precipitate is filtered, dissolved, and diluted to 10 ml for a 100-fold concentration enrichment of the separated metals. Sb(III), As(III), Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mo, Ni, Ag, V, and Zn can then be determined simultaneously by ICP-AES. In an experiment designed to measure the coprecipitation efficiency, Sb(III), Cd and Ag were recovered at 70 to 75% of their original concentration. The remaining metals were recovered at 85 to 100% of their original concentrations, however. The range for the lower limits of determination for the metals after preconcentration is 0.1 to 3.0 ??g/l. The precision of the method was evaluated by replicate analyses of a Colorado creek water and two simulated water samples. The accuracy of the method was estimated using a water reference standard (SRM 1643a) certified by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards. In addition, the method was evaluated by analyzing groundwater samples collected near a porphyry copper deposit in Arizona and by analyzing meltwater from glacier-covered areas favorable for mineralization in south-central Alaska. The results for the ICP-AES analyses compared favorably with those obtained using the sequential technique of GFAAS on the acidified but unconcentrated water samples. ICP-AES analysis of trace-metal preconcentrates for hydrogeochemical surveys is more efficient than GFAAS because a

  6. Hydrogen atom kinetics in capacitively coupled plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nunomura, Shota; Katayama, Hirotaka; Yoshida, Isao

    2017-05-01

    Hydrogen (H) atom kinetics has been investigated in capacitively coupled very high frequency (VHF) discharges at powers of 16-780 mW cm-2 and H2 gas pressures of 0.1-2 Torr. The H atom density has been measured using vacuum ultra violet absorption spectroscopy (VUVAS) with a micro-discharge hollow cathode lamp as a VUV light source. The measurements have been performed in two different electrode configurations of discharges: conventional parallel-plate diode and triode with an intermediate mesh electrode. We find that in the triode configuration, the H atom density is strongly reduced across the mesh electrode. The H atom density varies from ˜1012 cm-3 to ˜1010 cm-3 by crossing the mesh with 0.2 mm in thickness and 36% in aperture ratio. The fluid model simulations for VHF discharge plasmas have been performed to study the H atom generation, diffusion and recombination kinetics. The simulations suggest that H atoms are generated in the bulk plasma, by the electron impact dissociation (e + H2 \\to e + 2H) and the ion-molecule reaction (H2 + + H2 \\to {{{H}}}3+ + H). The diffusion of H atoms is strongly limited by a mesh electrode, and thus the mesh geometry influences the spatial distribution of the H atoms. The loss of H atoms is dominated by the surface recombination.

  7. Low gas flow inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for the analysis of food samples after microwave digestion.

    PubMed

    Nowak, Sascha; Gesell, Monika; Holtkamp, Michael; Scheffer, Andy; Sperling, Michael; Karst, Uwe; Buscher, Wolfgang

    2014-11-01

    In this work, the recently introduced low flow inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) with a total argon consumption below 0.7 L/min is applied for the first time to the field of food analysis. One goal is the investigation of the performance of this low flow plasma compared to a conventional ICP-OES system when non-aqueous samples with a certain matrix are introduced into the system. For this purpose, arsenic is determined in three different kinds of fish samples. In addition several nutrients (K, Na, Mg, Ca) and trace metals (Co, Cu, Mn, Cd, Pb, Zn, Fe, and Ni) are determined in honey samples (acacia) after microwave digestion. The precision of the measurements is characterized by relative standard deviations (RSD) and compared to the corresponding precision values achieved using the conventional Fassel-type torch of the ICP. To prove the accuracy of the low flow ICP-OES method, the obtained data from honey samples are validated by a conventional ICP-OES. For the measurements concerning arsenic in fish, the low flow ICP-OES values are validated by conventional Fassel-type ICP-OES. Furthermore, a certified reference material was investigated with the low gas flow setup. Limits of detection (LOD), according to the 3σ criterion, were determined to be in the low microgram per liter range for all analytes. Recovery rates in the range of 96-106% were observed for the determined trace metal elements. It was proven that the low gas flow ICP-OES leads to results that are comparable with those obtained with the Fassel-type torch for the analysis of food samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Investigation of the matrix effect in determining microimpurities in boron and its compounds by atomic-emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lebedeva, R. V.; Tumanova, A. N.; Mashin, N. I.

    2007-07-01

    We carried out a systematic study of the influence of the main component on the change of analytical signal during atomic-emission analysis of boron compounds. Changes in the intensity of spectral lines of microimpurities as functions of their concentrations in the analytical system based on graphite powder with a variable content of boric acid and boron oxide are presented.

  9. Microwave plasma torches used for hydrogen production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dias, F. M.; Bundaleska, N.; Henriques, J.; Tatarova, E.; Ferreira, C. M.

    2014-06-01

    A microwave plasma torch operating at 2.45 GHz and atmospheric pressure has been used as a medium and a tool for decomposition of alcohol in order to produce molecular hydrogen. Plasma in a gas mixture of argon and ethanol/methanol, with or without water, has been created using a waveguide surfatron launcher and a microwave generator delivering a power in the range 0.2-2.0 kW. Mass, Fourier Transform Infrared, and optical emission spectrometry have been applied as diagnostic tools. The decomposition yield of methanol was nearly 100 % with H2, CO, CO2, H2O, and solid carbon as the main reaction products. The influence of the fraction of Ar flow through the liquid ethanol/methanol on H2, CO, and CO2 partial pressures has been investigated, as well as the dependence of the produced H2 flow on the total flow and power. The optical emission spectrum in the range 250-700 nm has also been detected. There is a decrease of the OH(A-X) band intensity with the increase of methanol in the mixture. The emission of carbon atoms in the near UV range (240-300 nm) exhibits a significant increase as the amount of alcohol in the mixture grows. The obtained results clearly show that this microwave plasma torch at atmospheric pressure provides an efficient plasma environment for hydrogen production.

  10. Simulation of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry from arbitrary atom structures.

    PubMed

    Zhang, S; Nordlund, K; Djurabekova, F; Zhang, Y; Velisa, G; Wang, T S

    2016-10-01

    Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in a channeling direction (RBS/C) is a powerful tool for analysis of the fraction of atoms displaced from their lattice positions. However, it is in many cases not straightforward to analyze what is the actual defect structure underlying the RBS/C signal. To reveal insights of RBS/C signals from arbitrarily complex defective atomic structures, we develop here a method for simulating the RBS/C spectrum from a set of arbitrary read-in atom coordinates (obtained, e.g., from molecular dynamics simulations). We apply the developed method to simulate the RBS/C signals from Ni crystal structures containing randomly displaced atoms, Frenkel point defects, and extended defects, respectively. The RBS/C simulations show that, even for the same number of atoms in defects, the RBS/C signal is much stronger for the extended defects. Comparison with experimental results shows that the disorder profile obtained from RBS/C signals in ion-irradiated Ni is due to a small fraction of extended defects rather than a large number of individual random atoms.

  11. Simulation of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry from arbitrary atom structures

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, S.; Univ. of Helsinki; Nordlund, Kai; ...

    2016-10-25

    Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in a channeling direction (RBS/C) is a powerful tool for analysis of the fraction of atoms displaced from their lattice positions. However, it is in many cases not straightforward to analyze what is the actual defect structure underlying the RBS/C signal. To reveal insights of RBS/C signals from arbitrarily complex defective atomic structures, we develop in this paper a method for simulating the RBS/C spectrum from a set of arbitrary read-in atom coordinates (obtained, e.g., from molecular dynamics simulations). We apply the developed method to simulate the RBS/C signals from Ni crystal structures containing randomly displaced atoms,more » Frenkel point defects, and extended defects, respectively. The RBS/C simulations show that, even for the same number of atoms in defects, the RBS/C signal is much stronger for the extended defects. Finally, comparison with experimental results shows that the disorder profile obtained from RBS/C signals in ion-irradiated Ni is due to a small fraction of extended defects rather than a large number of individual random atoms.« less

  12. Simulation of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry from arbitrary atom structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, S.; Nordlund, K.; Djurabekova, F.; Zhang, Y.; Velisa, G.; Wang, T. S.

    2016-10-01

    Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in a channeling direction (RBS/C) is a powerful tool for analysis of the fraction of atoms displaced from their lattice positions. However, it is in many cases not straightforward to analyze what is the actual defect structure underlying the RBS/C signal. To reveal insights of RBS/C signals from arbitrarily complex defective atomic structures, we develop here a method for simulating the RBS/C spectrum from a set of arbitrary read-in atom coordinates (obtained, e.g., from molecular dynamics simulations). We apply the developed method to simulate the RBS/C signals from Ni crystal structures containing randomly displaced atoms, Frenkel point defects, and extended defects, respectively. The RBS/C simulations show that, even for the same number of atoms in defects, the RBS/C signal is much stronger for the extended defects. Comparison with experimental results shows that the disorder profile obtained from RBS/C signals in ion-irradiated Ni is due to a small fraction of extended defects rather than a large number of individual random atoms.

  13. Thermodynamic and Spectroscopic Properties of Nd:YAG-CO2 Double-Pulse Laser-Induced Iron Plasmas

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    S. Palanco, L.M. Cabalín, D. Romero, J.J. Laserna, Infrared laser ablation and atomic emission spectrometry of stainless steel at high temperatures, J...is given from thepreparation of the sample by thefirst pulse (smoothing,first crater , onset ofmelt) to the energy couplingwith the plasma (ion yield...duration is 5 ns as measured with a fast photodiode (Thorlabs) placed behind a dielectric turning mirror. The laser is focused with a 13.5 cm focal length

  14. Emission of hydrogen energetic neutral atoms from the Martian subsolar magnetosheath

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, X.-D.; Alho, M.; Jarvinen, R.; Kallio, E.; Barabash, S.; Futaana, Y.

    2016-01-01

    We have simulated the hydrogen energetic neutral atom (ENA) emissions from the subsolar magnetosheath of Mars using a hybrid model of the proton plasma charge exchanging with the Martian exosphere to study statistical features revealed from the observations of the Neutral Particle Detectors on Mars Express. The simulations reproduce well the observed enhancement of the hydrogen ENA emissions from the dayside magnetosheath in directions perpendicular to the Sun-Mars line. Our results show that the neutralized protons from the shocked solar wind are the dominant ENA population rather than those originating from the pickup planetary ions. The simulation also suggests that the observed stronger ENA emissions in the direction opposite to the solar wind convective electric field result from a stronger proton flux in the same direction at the lower magnetosheath; i.e., the proton fluxes in the magnetosheath are not cylindrically symmetric. We also confirm the observed increasing of the ENA fluxes with the solar wind dynamical pressure in the simulations. This feature is associated with a low altitude of the induced magnetic boundary when the dynamic pressure is high and the magnetosheath protons can reach to a denser exosphere, and thus, the charge exchange rate becomes higher. Overall, the analysis suggests that kinetic effects play an important and pronounced role in the morphology of the hydrogen ENA distribution and the plasma environment at Mars, in general.

  15. Atomic and molecular emissions in the middle ultraviolet dayglow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bucsela, Eric J.; Cleary, David D.; Dymond, Kenneth F.; McCoy, Robert P.

    1998-12-01

    Dayglow spectra in the middle ultraviolet, obtained during a sounding rocket flight from White Sands Missile Range in 1992, have been analyzed to determine the altitude distributions of thermospheric atomic and molecular species and to address a number of problems related to airglow excitation mechanisms. Among the atomic and molecular profiles retrieved are the N2 second positive, N2 Vegard-Kaplan and NO gamma band systems, and the OI 297.2 nm, OII 247.0 nm, and NII 214.3 nm emissions. A self-consistent study of the emission profiles was conducted by comparing observed intensities with one another and to forward models. Model photoelectron and photon fluxes were generated by the field line interhemispheric plasma model (FLIP) and two solar flux models. Neutral densities were obtained from mass-spectrometer/incoherent scatter (MSIS)-90. The results from the data analysis suggest that the major species' densities are within 40% of MSIS values. Evidence for the accuracy of the modeled densities and fluxes is seen in the close agreement between the calculated and observed intensities of the N2 second positive emission. Analysis of the OI 297.2 nm emission shows that the reaction N2(A)+O is the dominant source of O(1S) in the daytime thermosphere. The data imply that the vibrationally averaged yield of O(1S) from the reaction is 0.43+/-0.12, which is smaller than the laboratory value measured for the N2(A,v'=0) level. The cause of a disagreement between model and data for the Vegard-Kaplan emission is unclear, but the discrepancy can be eliminated if the N2(A)+O quenching coefficient or the A state lifetime is increased by a factor between 2 and 4. The observed intensity of OII 247.0 nm is greater than expected by a factor of 2, implying possible inadequacies in the EUVAC and/or EUV91 solar models used in the analysis.

  16. Speciation Analysis of Arsenic by Selective Hydride Generation-Cryotrapping-Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry with Flame-in-Gas-Shield Atomizer: Achieving Extremely Low Detection Limits with Inexpensive Instrumentation

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    This work describes the method of a selective hydride generation-cryotrapping (HG-CT) coupled to an extremely sensitive but simple in-house assembled and designed atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) instrument for determination of toxicologically important As species. Here, an advanced flame-in-gas-shield atomizer (FIGS) was interfaced to HG-CT and its performance was compared to a standard miniature diffusion flame (MDF) atomizer. A significant improvement both in sensitivity and baseline noise was found that was reflected in improved (4 times) limits of detection (LODs). The yielded LODs with the FIGS atomizer were 0.44, 0.74, 0.15, 0.17 and 0.67 ng L–1 for arsenite, total inorganic, mono-, dimethylated As and trimethylarsine oxide, respectively. Moreover, the sensitivities with FIGS and MDF were equal for all As species, allowing for the possibility of single species standardization with arsenate standard for accurate quantification of all other As species. The accuracy of HG-CT-AFS with FIGS was verified by speciation analysis in two samples of bottled drinking water and certified reference materials, NRC CASS-5 (nearshore seawater) and SLRS-5 (river water) that contain traces of methylated As species. As speciation was in agreement with results previously reported and sums of all quantified species corresponded with the certified total As. The feasibility of HG-CT-AFS with FIGS was also demonstrated by the speciation analysis in microsamples of exfoliated bladder epithelial cells isolated from human urine. The results for the sums of trivalent and pentavalent As species corresponded well with the reference results obtained by HG-CT-ICPMS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). PMID:25300934

  17. Speciation analysis of arsenic by selective hydride generation-cryotrapping-atomic fluorescence spectrometry with flame-in-gas-shield atomizer: achieving extremely low detection limits with inexpensive instrumentation.

    PubMed

    Musil, Stanislav; Matoušek, Tomáš; Currier, Jenna M; Stýblo, Miroslav; Dědina, Jiří

    2014-10-21

    This work describes the method of a selective hydride generation-cryotrapping (HG-CT) coupled to an extremely sensitive but simple in-house assembled and designed atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) instrument for determination of toxicologically important As species. Here, an advanced flame-in-gas-shield atomizer (FIGS) was interfaced to HG-CT and its performance was compared to a standard miniature diffusion flame (MDF) atomizer. A significant improvement both in sensitivity and baseline noise was found that was reflected in improved (4 times) limits of detection (LODs). The yielded LODs with the FIGS atomizer were 0.44, 0.74, 0.15, 0.17 and 0.67 ng L(-1) for arsenite, total inorganic, mono-, dimethylated As and trimethylarsine oxide, respectively. Moreover, the sensitivities with FIGS and MDF were equal for all As species, allowing for the possibility of single species standardization with arsenate standard for accurate quantification of all other As species. The accuracy of HG-CT-AFS with FIGS was verified by speciation analysis in two samples of bottled drinking water and certified reference materials, NRC CASS-5 (nearshore seawater) and SLRS-5 (river water) that contain traces of methylated As species. As speciation was in agreement with results previously reported and sums of all quantified species corresponded with the certified total As. The feasibility of HG-CT-AFS with FIGS was also demonstrated by the speciation analysis in microsamples of exfoliated bladder epithelial cells isolated from human urine. The results for the sums of trivalent and pentavalent As species corresponded well with the reference results obtained by HG-CT-ICPMS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry).

  18. Characterization of Low Pressure Cold Plasma in the Cleaning of Contaminated Surfaces

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lanz, Devin Garrett; Hintze, Paul E.

    2016-01-01

    The characterization of low pressure cold plasma is a broad topic which would benefit many different applications involving such plasma. The characterization described in this paper focuses on cold plasma used as a medium in cleaning and disinfection applications. Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) and Mass Spectrometry (MS) are the two analytical methods used in this paper to characterize the plasma. OES analyzes molecules in the plasma phase by displaying the light emitted by the plasma molecules on a graph of wavelength vs. intensity. OES was most useful in identifying species which may interact with other molecules in the plasma, such as atomic oxygen or hydroxide radicals. Extracting useful data from the MS is done by filtering out the peaks generated by expected molecules and looking for peaks caused by foreign ones leaving the plasma chamber. This paper describes the efforts at setting up and testing these methods in order to accurately and effectively characterize the plasma.

  19. U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EXTRACTION OF METALS FROM SOIL, DUST, AIR FILTER, AND SURFACE AND DERMAL WIPE SAMPLES FOR AA (GRAPHITE FURNACE OR FLAME) OR ICP-AES ANALYSIS (BCO-L-3.1)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The purpose of this SOP is to describe the acid digestion of soil, house dust, air filter, and surface or dermal wipe samples for analysis using inductively coupled plasma atomic emissions spectrometry (ICP-AES) and/or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) or fl...

  20. NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EXTRACTION OF METALS FROM SOIL, DUST, AIR FILTER, AND SURFACE AND DERMAL SAMPLES FOR AA (GRAPHITE FURNACE OR FLAME) OR ICP-AES ANALYSIS (BCO-L-3.1)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The purpose of this SOP is to describe the acid digestion of soil, house dust, air filter, and surface or dermal wipe samples for analysis using inductively coupled plasma atomic emissions spectrometry (ICP-AES) and/or graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) or fl...

  1. Exhaust system with emissions storage device and plasma reactor

    DOEpatents

    Hoard, John W.

    1998-01-01

    An exhaust system for a combustion system, comprising a storage device for collecting NO.sub.x, hydrocarbon, or particulate emissions, or mixture of these emissions, and a plasma reactor for destroying the collected emissions is described. After the emission is collected in by the storage device for a period of time, the emission is then destroyed in a non-thermal plasma generated by the plasma reactor. With respect to the direction of flow of the exhaust stream, the storage device must be located before the terminus of the plasma reactor, and it may be located wholly before, overlap with, or be contained within the plasma reactor.

  2. Analysis of barium and strontium in sediments by dc plasma emission spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bowker, P.C.; Manheim, F. T.

    1982-01-01

    The dc plasma are is suited to analysis of barium and strontium in a wide range of sedimentary rock matrices, from sands, shales, and carbonates, to ferromanganese nodules. Samples containing 10 ppm to more than 3000 ppm barium and strontium were studied. Both alkali (3500 ppm lithium borate, from a preliminary fusion) and lanthanum salts (1%) in the final solution are needed to achieve freedom from systematic effects due to extreme variation in matrix. In the absence of La, neither Li, Na, K, nor Cs totally eliminated effects of Al and other constituents on emission. Silica addition to the fusion helps achieve proper flux viscosity to aid removal of fused beads from graphite crucibles. The effect of refractory-substance formers such as aluminum with calcium can be reduced or removed by selection of a portion of the are for emission measurement. However, it was decided not to pursue this approach because of loss in analytical sensitivity and need for greater precision in optical adjustment. Analysis of standard rock samples showed generally satisfactory agreement with precision methods of analysis, and some new standard rock data are reported.

  3. Micro-scale flow system for on-line multielement preconcentration from saliva digests and determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Menegário, Amauri A.; Fernanda Giné, Maria

    2001-10-01

    A micro-scale flow system is proposed for on-line preconcentration of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb in saliva samples and their determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). A small column containing 8 μl of AG50W-X8 resin was inserted into the flow system, assembled with capillary tubes and connected to a micro-concentric nebulizer. The elution of the analytes was performed with 3 mol l -1 HCl at a flow rate of 82 μl min -1. The ICP-OES signal acquisition program permits measurements for 5 s in the concentrated portion of the transient elution peaks. A sample volume of 1 ml was required to obtain enrichment factors of 46, 23, 17, 18 and 44 for Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb, respectively. The relative standard deviations for a 50-μg l -1 multi-analyte solution were ≤6.5%. The recoveries for Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb in digested human saliva samples were between 86 and 111%. The sample throughput was 24 h -1.

  4. Determination of lead, cadmium and mercury in blood for assessment of environmental exposure: A comparison between inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palmer, Christopher D.; Lewis, Miles E.; Geraghty, Ciaran M.; Barbosa, Fernando; Parsons, Patrick J.

    2006-08-01

    A biomonitoring method for the determination of Pb, Cd, and Hg at background levels in whole blood by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry is described. While this method was optimized for assessing Pb, Cd and Hg at environmental levels, it also proved suitable for assessing concentrations associated with occupational exposure. The method requires as little as 200 μl of blood that is diluted 1 + 49 for direct analysis in the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. Method performance is compared to well-established AAS methods. Initial method validation was accomplished using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Standard Reference Material 966, Toxic Metals in Bovine Blood. Method detection limits (3s) are 0.05 μg dl - 1 for Pb, 0.09 μg l - 1 for Cd; and 0.17 μg l - 1 for Hg. Repeatability ranged from 1.4% to 2.8% for Pb; 3% to 10% for Cd; and 2.6% to 8.8% for Hg. In contrast, AAS method detection limits were 1 μg dl - 1 , 0.54 μg l - 1 , and 0.6 μg l - 1 , for Pb, Cd, and Hg, respectively. Further performance assessments were conducted over a 2-year period via participation in four international External Quality Assessment Schemes (EQAS) operated specifically for toxic metals in blood. This includes schemes operated by (a) the New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY, USA (b) L'Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Centre de Toxicologie du Québec, Canada, (c) Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany, and (d) the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK Trace Elements scheme. The EQAS data reflect analytical performance for blind samples analyzed independently by both inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and AAS methods.

  5. Modeling Emission of Heavy Energetic Neutral Atoms from the Heliosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swaczyna, Paweł; Bzowski, Maciej

    2017-09-01

    Observations of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) are a fruitful tool for remote diagnosis of the plasma in the heliosphere and its vicinity. So far, instruments detecting ENAs from the heliosphere were configured for observations of hydrogen atoms. Here, we estimate emissions of ENAs of the heavy chemical elements helium, oxygen, nitrogen, and neon. A large portion of the heliospheric ENAs is created in the inner heliosheath from neutralized interstellar pick-up ions (PUIs). We modeled this process and calculated full-sky intensities of ENAs for energies 0.2-130 keV/nuc. We found that the largest fluxes among considered species are expected for helium, smaller for oxygen and nitrogen, and smallest for neon. The obtained intensities are 50-106 times smaller than the hydrogen ENA intensities observed by IBEX. The detection of heavy ENAs will be possible if a future ENA detector is equipped with the capability to measure the masses of observed atoms. Because of different reaction cross-sections among the different species, observations of heavy ENAs can allow for a better understanding of global structure of the heliosphere as well as the transport and energization of PUIs in the heliosphere.

  6. Radiation of partially ionized atomic hydrogen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Soon, W. H.; Kunc, J. A.

    1990-01-01

    A nonlinear collisional-radiative model for determination of production of electrons, positive and negative ions, excited atoms, and spectral and continuum line intensities in stationary partially ionized atomic hydrogen is presented. Transport of radiation is included by coupling the rate equations for production of the electrons, ions, and excited atoms with the radiation escape factors, which are not constant but depend on plasma conditions. It is found that the contribution of the negative ion emission to the total continuum emission can be important. Comparison of the calculated total continuum emission coefficient, including the negative ion emission, is in good agreement with experimental results.

  7. Studies of the Hard X-ray Emission from the Filippov Type Plasma Focus Device, Dena

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tafreshi, M. A.; Saeedzadeh, E.

    2006-12-01

    This article is about the characteristics of the hard X-ray (HXR) emission from the Filippov type plasma focus (PF) device, Dena. The article begins with a brief presentation of Dena, and the mechanism of the HXR production in PF devices. Then using the differential absorption spectrometry, the energy resolved spectrum of the HXR emission from a 37 kJ discharge in Dena, is estimated. The energy flux density and the energy fluence of this emission have also been calculated to be 1.9 kJ cm-2 s-1 and 9.4 × 10-5 J cm-2. In the end, after presentation of radiography of sheep bones and calf ribs, the medical application of the PF devices has been discussed.

  8. Measurement of OH, NO, O and N atoms in helium plasma jet for ROS/RNS controlled biomedical processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yonemori, Seiya; Kamakura, Taku; Ono, Ryo

    2014-10-01

    Atmospheric-pressure plasmas are of emerging interest for new plasma applications such as cancer treatment, cell activation and sterilization. In those biomedical processes, reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) are said that they play significant role. It is though that active species give oxidative stress and induce biomedical reactions. In this study, we measured OH, NO, O and N atoms using laser induced fluorescence (LIF) measurement and found that voltage polarity affect particular ROS. When negative high voltage was applied to the plasma jet, O atom density was tripled compared to the case of positive applied voltage. In that case, O atom density was around 3 × 1015 [cm-3] at maximum. In contrast, OH and NO density did not change their density depending on the polarity of applied voltage, measured as in order of 1013 and 1014 [cm-3] at maximum, respectively. From ICCD imaging measurement, it could be seen that negative high voltage enhanced secondary emission in plasma bullet propagation and it can affect the effective production of particular ROS. Since ROS/RNS dose can be a quantitative criterion to control plasma biomedical application, those measurement results is able to be applied for in vivo and in vitro plasma biomedical experiments. This study is supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Science Research by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology.

  9. [Application of atomic absorption spectrometry in the engine knock detection].

    PubMed

    Chen, Li-Dan

    2013-02-01

    Because existing human experience diagnosis method and apparatus for auxiliary diagnosis method are difficult to diagnose quickly engine knock. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to detect the automobile engine knock in in innovative way. After having determined Fe, Al, Cu, Cr and Pb content in the 35 groups of Audi A6 engine oil whose travel course is 2 000 -70 000 kilometers and whose sampling interval is 2 000 kilometers by atomic absorption spectrometry, the database of primary metal content in the same automobile engine at different mileage was established. The research shows that the main metal content fluctuates within a certain range. In practical engineering applications, after the determination of engine oil main metal content and comparison with its database value, it can not only help to diagnose the type and location of engine knock without the disintegration and reduce vehicle maintenance costs and improve the accuracy of engine knock fault diagnosis.

  10. Spatial Concentrations of Silicon Atoms in RF Discharges of Silane.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-02-18

    regions. These profiles were much more sensitive to plasma chemistry changes than profiles obtained from plasma emission. Experiments with nitrogen...addition demonstrated significant changes in the silicon atom profiles near the sheath boundary. Originator supplied keywords include: rf discharge, silane, plasma chemistry , silicon atom, laser-induced fluorescence.

  11. Determination of lead in bone tissues by axially viewed inductively coupled plasma multichannel-based emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Grotti, Marco; Abelmoschi, Maria Luisa; Dalla Riva, Simona; Soggia, Francesco; Frache, Roberto

    2005-04-01

    A new procedure for determining low levels of lead in bone tissues has been developed. After wet acid digestion in a pressurized microwave-heated system, the solution was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma multichannel-based emission spectrometry. Internal standardization using the Co 228.615 nm reference line was chosen as the optimal method to compensate for the matrix effects from the presence of calcium and nitric acid at high concentration levels. The detection limit of the procedure was 0.11 microg Pb g(-1) dry mass. Instrumental precision at the analytical concentration of approximately 10 microg l(-1) ranged from 6.1 to 9.4%. Precision of the sample preparation step was 5.4%. The concentration of lead in SRM 1486 (1.32+/-0.04 microg g(-1)) found using the new procedure was in excellent agreement with the certified level (1.335+/-0.014 microg g(-1)). Finally, the method was applied to determine the lead in various fish bone tissues, and the analytical results were found to be in good agreement with those obtained through differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The method is therefore suitable for the reliable determination of lead at concentration levels of below 1 microg g(-1) in bone samples. Moreover, the multi-element capability of the technique allows us to simultaneously determine other major or trace elements in order to investigate inter-element correlation and to compute enrichment factors, making the proposed procedure particularly useful for investigating lead occurrence and pathways in fish bone tissues in order to find suitable biomarkers for the Antarctic marine environment.

  12. Investigation of a measure of robustness in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Makonnen, Yoseif; Beauchemin, Diane

    2015-01-01

    In industrial/commercial settings where operators often have minimal expertise in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry (MS), there is a prevalent need for a response factor indicating robust plasma conditions, which is analogous to the Mg II/Mg I ratio in ICP optical emission spectrometry (OES), whereby a Mg II/Mg I ratio of 10 constitutes robust conditions. While minimizing the oxide ratio usually corresponds to robust conditions, there is no specific target value that is widely accepted as indicating robust conditions. Furthermore, tuning for low oxide ratios does not necessarily guarantee minimal matrix effects, as they really address polyatomic interferences. From experiments, conducted in parallel for both MS and OES, there were some element pairs of similar mass and very different ionization potential that were exploited for such a purpose, the rationale being that, if these elements were ionized to the same extent, then that could be indicative of a robust plasma. The Be II/Li I intensity ratio was directly related to the Mg II/Mg I ratio in OES. Moreover, the 9Be+/7Li+ ratio was inversely related to the CeO+/Ce+ and LaO+/La+ oxide ratios in MS. The effects of different matrices (i.e. 0.01-0.1 M Na) were also investigated and compared to a conventional argon plasma optimized for maximum sensitivity. The suppression effect of these matrices was significantly reduced, if not eliminated in the case of 0.01 M Na, when the 9Be+/7Li+ ratio was around 0.30 on the Varian 820 MS instrument. Moreover, a very similar ratio (0.28) increased robustness to the same extent on a completely different ICP-MS instrument (PerkinElmer NEXION). Much greater robustness was achieved using a mixed-gas plasma with nitrogen in the outer gas and either nitrogen or hydrogen as a sheathing gas, as the 9Be+/7Li+ ratio was then around 1.70. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on using a simple analyte intensity ratio, 9Be+/7Li+, to gauge plasma robustness.

  13. Micro determination of plasma and erythrocyte copper by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

    PubMed Central

    Blomfield, Jeanette; Macmahon, R. A.

    1969-01-01

    The free and total plasma copper and total erythrocyte copper levels have been determined by simple, yet sensitive and highly specific methods, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. For total copper determination, the copper was split from its protein combination in plasma or red cells by the action of hydrochloric acid at room temperature. The liberated copper was chelated by ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and extracted into n-butyl acetate by shaking and the organic extract was aspirated into the atomic absorption spectrophotometer flame. The entire procedure was carried out in polypropylene centrifuge tubes, capped during shaking. For the free plasma copper measurement the hydrochloric acid step was omitted. Removal of the plasma or erythrocyte proteins was found to be unnecessary, and, in addition, the presence of trichloracetic acid caused an appreciable lowering of absorption. Using a double-beam atomic absorption spectrophotometer and scale expansion × 10, micro methods have been derived for determining the total copper of plasma or erythrocytes with 0·1 ml of sample, and the free copper of plasma with 0·5 ml. The macro plasma copper method requires 2 ml of plasma and is suitable for use with single-beam atomic absorption spectrophotometers. With blood from 50 blood donors, normal ranges of plasma and erythrocyte copper have been determined. PMID:5776543

  14. Theoretical approach to oxygen atom degradation of silver

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fromhold, Albert T., Jr.; Noh, Seung; Beshears, Ronald; Whitaker, Ann F.; Little, Sally A.

    1987-01-01

    Based on available Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and ellipsometry data obtained on silver specimens subjected to atomic oxygen attack in low Earth orbit STS flight 41-G, a theory was developed to model the oxygen atom degradation of silver. The diffusion of atomic oxygen in a microscopically nonuniform medium is an essential constituent of the theory. The driving force for diffusion is the macroscopic electrochemical potential gradient developed between the specimen surface exposed to the ambient and the bulk of the silver specimen. The longitudinal electric effect developed parallel to the gradient is modified by space charge of the diffusing charged species. Lateral electric fields and concentration differences also exist due to the nonuniform nature of the medium. The lateral concentration differences are found to be more important than the lateral electric fields in modifying the diffusion rate. The model was evaluated numerically. Qualitative agreement exists between the kinetics predicted by the theory and kinetic data taken in ground-based experiments utilizing a plasma asher.

  15. Benchmarking atomic physics models for magnetically confined fusion plasma physics experiments

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    May, M.J.; Finkenthal, M.; Soukhanovskii, V.

    In present magnetically confined fusion devices, high and intermediate {ital Z} impurities are either puffed into the plasma for divertor radiative cooling experiments or are sputtered from the high {ital Z} plasma facing armor. The beneficial cooling of the edge as well as the detrimental radiative losses from the core of these impurities can be properly understood only if the atomic physics used in the modeling of the cooling curves is very accurate. To this end, a comprehensive experimental and theoretical analysis of some relevant impurities is undertaken. Gases (Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) are puffed and nongases are introducedmore » through laser ablation into the FTU tokamak plasma. The charge state distributions and total density of these impurities are determined from spatial scans of several photometrically calibrated vacuum ultraviolet and x-ray spectrographs (3{endash}1600 {Angstrom}), the multiple ionization state transport code transport code (MIST) and a collisional radiative model. The radiative power losses are measured with bolometery, and the emissivity profiles were measured by a visible bremsstrahlung array. The ionization balance, excitation physics, and the radiative cooling curves are computed from the Hebrew University Lawrence Livermore atomic code (HULLAC) and are benchmarked by these experiments. (Supported by U.S. DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-86ER53214 at JHU and Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48 at LLNL.) {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}« less

  16. Time-Resolved Optical Emission Spectroscopy Diagnosis of CO2 Laser-Produced SnO2 Plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lan, Hui; Wang, Xinbing; Zuo, Duluo

    2016-09-01

    The spectral emission and plasma parameters of SnO2 plasmas have been investigated. A planar ceramic SnO2 target was irradiated by a CO2 laser with a full width at half maximum of 80 ns. The temporal behavior of the specific emission lines from the SnO2 plasma was characterized. The intensities of Sn I and Sn II lines first increased, and then decreased with the delay time. The results also showed a faster decay of Sn I atoms than that of Sn II ionic species. The temporal evolutions of the SnO2 plasma parameters (electron temperature and density) were deduced. The measured temperature and density of SnO2 plasma are 4.38 eV to 0.5 eV and 11.38×1017 cm-3 to 1.1×1017 cm-3, for delay times between 0.1 μs and 2.2 μs. We also investigated the effect of the laser pulse energy on SnO2 plasma. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11304235) and the Director Fund of WNLO

  17. Emission current formation in plasma electron emitters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gruzdev, V. A.; Zalesski, V. G.

    2010-12-01

    A model of the plasma electron emitter is considered, in which the current redistribution over electrodes of the emitter gas-discharge structure and weak electric field formation in plasma are taken into account as functions of the emission current. The calculated and experimental dependences of the switching parameters, extraction efficiency, and strength of the electric field in plasma on the accelerating voltage and geometrical sizes of the emission channel are presented.

  18. Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of whole-water recoverable arsenic, boron, and vanadium using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garbarino, John R.

    2000-01-01

    Analysis of in-bottle digestate by using the inductively coupled plasma?mass spectrometric (ICP?MS) method has been expanded to include arsenic, boron, and vanadium. Whole-water samples are digested by using either the hydrochloric acid in-bottle digestion procedure or the nitric acid in-bottle digestion procedure. When the hydrochloric acid in-bottle digestion procedure is used, chloride must be removed from the digestate by subboiling evaporation before arsenic and vanadium can be accurately determined. Method detection limits for these elements are now 10 to 100 times lower than U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) methods using hydride generation? atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HG? AAS) and inductively coupled plasma? atomic emission spectrometry (ICP?AES), thus providing lower variability at ambient concentrations. The bias and variability of the methods were determined by using results from spike recoveries, standard reference materials, and validation samples. Spike recoveries in reagent-water, surface-water, ground-water, and whole-water recoverable matrices averaged 90 percent for seven replicates; spike recoveries were biased from 25 to 35 percent low for the ground-water matrix because of the abnormally high iron concentration. Results for reference material were within one standard deviation of the most probable value. There was no significant difference between the results from ICP?MS and HG?AAS or ICP?AES methods for the natural whole-water samples that were analyzed.

  19. X-ray emission from high temperature plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harries, W. L.

    1975-01-01

    The bremsstrahlung X-rays from a plasma focus device were investigated with emphasis on the emission versus position, time, energy, and angle of emission. It is shown that low energy X-rays come from the plasma focus region, but that the higher energy components come from the anode. The emission is anisotropic, the low energy polar diagram resembling a cardioid, while the high energy emission is a lobe into the anode. The plasma parameters were considered indicating that even in the dense focus, the plasma is collisionless near the axis. By considering the radiation patterns of relativistic electrons a qualitative picture is obtained, which explains the measured polar diagrams, assuming the electrons that produce the X-rays have velocity vectors lying roughly in a cone between the point of focus and the anode. The average electron energy is about 3keV at the focus and about 10 keV on the anode surface. Results are consistent with the converging beam model of neutron production.

  20. Emission characteristics of kerosene-air spray combustion with plasma assistance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xingjian; He, Liming; Zeng, Hao; Jin, Tao; Chen, Yi; Zhang, Yihan; Liu, Pengfei

    2015-09-01

    A plasma assisted combustion system for combustion of kerosene-air mixtures was developed to study emission levels of O2, CO2, CO, and NOx. The emission measurement was conducted by Testo 350-Pro Flue Gas Analyzer. The effect of duty ratio, feedstock gas flow rate and applied voltage on emission performance has been analyzed. The results show that O2 and CO emissions reduce with an increase of applied voltage, while CO2 and NOx emissions increase. Besides, when duty ratio or feedstock gas flow rate decreases, the same emission results would appear. The emission spectrum of the air plasma of plasma assisted combustion actuator was also registered to analyze the kinetic enhancement effect of plasma, and the generation of ozone was believed to be the main factor that plasma makes a difference in our experiment. These results are valuable for the future optimization of kerosene-fueled aircraft engine when using plasma assisted combustion devices to exert emission control.

  1. Microwave plasma generation of hydrogen atoms for rocket propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chapman, R.; Filpus, J.; Morin, T.; Snellenberger, R.; Asmussen, J.; Hawley, M.; Kerber, R.

    1981-01-01

    A flow microwave plasma reaction system is used to study the conversion of hydrogen to hydrogen atoms as a function of pressure, power density, cavity tuning, cavity mode, and time in the plasma zone. Hydrogen atom concentration is measured down-stream from the plasma by NOCl titration. Extensive modeling of the plasma and recombination zones is performed with the plasma zone treated as a backmix reaction system and the recombination zone treated as a plug flow. The thermodynamics and kinetics of the recombination process are examined in detail to provide an understanding of the conversion of recombination energy to gas kinetic energy. It is found that cavity tuning, discharge stability, and optimum power coupling are critically dependent on the system pressure, but nearly independent of the flow rate.

  2. Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of condensed tannin sulfonate derivatives

    Treesearch

    J.J. Karchesy; L.Y. Foo; Richard W. Hemingway; E. Barofsky; D.F. Barofsky

    1989-01-01

    Condensed tannin sulfonate derivatives were studied by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) to assess the feasibility of using this technique for determining molecular weight and structural information about these compounds. Both positive- and negative-ion spectra provided useful data with regard to molecular weight, cation species present, and presence of...

  3. Late-time particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harilal, S. S.; Hassanein, A.; Polek, M.

    2011-09-01

    We report a late-time "fireworks-like" particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma during its evolution. Plasmas were produced using graphite targets excited with 1064 nm Nd: yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser in vacuum. The time evolution of graphite plasma was investigated using fast gated imaging and visible emission spectroscopy. The emission dynamics of plasma is rapidly changing with time and the delayed firework-like emission from the graphite target followed a black-body curve. Our studies indicated that such firework-like emission is strongly depended on target material properties and explained due to material spallation caused by overheating the trapped gases through thermal diffusion along the layer structures of graphite.

  4. Atomic oxygen behavior at downstream of AC excited atmospheric pressure He plasma jet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takeda, Keigo; Ishikawa, Kenji; Tanaka, Hiromasa; Sekine, Makoto; Hori, Masaru

    2016-09-01

    Applications of atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJ) have been investigated in the plasma medical fields such as cancer therapy, blood coagulation, etc. Reactive species generated by the plasma jet interacts with the biological surface. Therefore, the issue attracts much attentions to investigate the plasma effects on targets. In our group, a spot-size AC excited He APPJ have been used for the plasma medicine. From diagnostics of the APPJ using optical emission spectroscopy, the gas temperature and the electron density was estimated to be 299 K and 3.4 ×1015 cm-3. The AC excited He APPJ which affords high density plasma at room temperature is considered to be a powerful tool for the medical applications. In this study, by using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy, the density of atomic oxygen on a floating copper as a target irradiated by the He APPJ was measured as a function of the distance between the plasma source and the copper wire. The measured density became a maximum value around 8 ×1013 cm-3 at 12 mm distance, and then decreased over the distance. It is considered that the behavior was due to the changes in the plasma density on the copper wire and influence of ambient air.

  5. Simultaneous determination of chlorinated organic compounds from environmental samples using gas chromatography coupled with a micro electron capture detector and micro-plasma atomic emission detector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Quan, Xie; Chen, Shuo; Platzer, Bernhard; Chen, Jingwen; Gfrerer, Marion

    2002-01-01

    Water and sediment samples were screened simultaneously for the presence of polychlorinated organic compounds using gas chromatography (GC) coupled with an micro electron capture detector (μ-ECD) and a newly developed helium plasma based on a micro-atomic emission detector (μ-AED). The GC column effluent was split 15:85 between two detectors. In this way, two chromatograms, one obtained by μ-ECD and another by μ-AED, were recorded simultaneously. α-, β-hexachlorocyclohexane and p, p'-DDE were detected. RSDs of the monitoring results from the two detection methods were <20% for the three compounds. A detection limit of 8.5 pg and at least 3 orders of magnitude of linear range for μ-AED was observed.

  6. Measurement of Iron in Egg Yolk: An Instrumental Analysis Experiment Using Biochemical Principles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maloney, Kevin M.; Quiazon, Emmanuel M.; Indralingam, Ramee

    2008-01-01

    The generally accepted method to determine iron content in food is by acid digestion or dry ashing and subsequent flame atomic absorption spectrometry or inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. We have developed an experiment that chemically extracts the iron from an egg yolk and quantifies it using UV-vis absorption…

  7. Determination of trace cadmium in rice by liquid spray dielectric barrier discharge induced plasma - chemical vapor generation coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xing; Zhu, Zhenli; Bao, Zhengyu; Zheng, Hongtao; Hu, Shenghong

    2018-03-01

    Cadmium contamination in rice has become an increasing concern in many countries including China. A simple, cost-effective, and highly sensitive method was developed for the determination of trace cadmium in rice samples based on a new high-efficient liquid spray dielectric barrier discharge induced plasma (LSDBD) vapor generation coupled with atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). The analytical procedure involves the efficient formation of Cd volatile species by LSDBD plasma induced chemical processes without the use of any reducing reagents (Na/KBH4 in conventional hydride generation). The effects of the addition of organic substances, different discharge parameters such as discharge voltage and discharge gap, as well as the foreign ion interferences were investigated. Under optimized conditions, a detection limit of 0.01 μg L- 1 and a precision of 0.8% (RSD, n = 5, 1 μg L- 1 Cd) was readily achieved. The calibration curve was linear in the range between 0.1 and 10 μg L- 1, with a correlation coefficient of R2 = 0.9995. Compared with the conventional acid-BH4- vapor generation, the proposed method not only eliminates the use of unstable and expensive reagents, but also offers high tolerance for coexisting ions, which is well suited to the direct analysis of environmental samples. The validation of the proposed method was demonstrated by the analysis of Cd in reference material of rice (GBW080684). It was also successfully applied to the determination of trace cadmium in locally collected 11 rice samples, and the obtained Cd concentrations are ranged from 7.2 to 517.7 μg kg- 1.

  8. Speciation of inorganic and organometallic compounds in solid biological samples by thermal vaporization and plasma emission spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hanamura, S.; Smith, B.W.; Winefordner, J.D.

    1983-11-01

    By means of thermal vaporization, inorganic, organic, and metallorganic species are separated and elemental emission in a microwave plasma is detected as a function of vaporization temperature. Solid samples of 250 mg or more are used to avoid problems with sample heterogeneity. The precision of characteristic appearance temperatures is +/-2/sup 0/C. The single electrode atmosphere pressure microwave plasma system is extremely tolerant to the introduction of water, organic solvents, and air. The measurement system contained a repetition wavelength scan device to allow background correction. The plasma temperature was 5500 K. The system was used to measure C, H, N, O,more » and Hg in orchard leaves and in tuna fish. 9 figures, 5 tables.« less

  9. Mapping of lead, magnesium and copper accumulation in plant tissues by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaiser, J.; Galiová, M.; Novotný, K.; Červenka, R.; Reale, L.; Novotný, J.; Liška, M.; Samek, O.; Kanický, V.; Hrdlička, A.; Stejskal, K.; Adam, V.; Kizek, R.

    2009-01-01

    Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were utilized for mapping the accumulation of Pb, Mg and Cu with a resolution up to 200 μm in a up to cm × cm area of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) leaves. The results obtained by LIBS and LA-ICP-MS are compared with the outcomes from Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC). It is shown that laser-ablation based analytical methods can substitute or supplement these techniques mainly in the cases when a fast multi-elemental mapping of a large sample area is needed.

  10. High-pressure combustor exhaust emissions with improved air-atomizing and conventional pressure-atomizing fuel nozzles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ingebo, R. D.; Norgren, C. T.

    1973-01-01

    A high-pressure combustor segment 0.456 meter (18 in.) long with a maximum cross section of 0.153 by 0.305 meter (6 by 12 in.) was tested with specially designed air-atomizing and conventional pressure-atomizing fuel nozzles at inlet-air temperatures of 340 to 755 k (610 deg to 1360 R), reference velocities of 12.4 to 26.1 meters per second (41 to 86 ft/sec), and fuel-air ratios of 0.008 to 0.020. Increasing inlet-air pressure from 4 to 20 atmospheres generally increased smoke number and nitric oxide, but decreased carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon concentrations with air-atomizing and pressure-atomizing nozzles. Emission indexes for carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons were lower at 4, 10, and 20 atmospheres, and nitric oxide emission indexes were lower at 10 and 20 atmospheres with air-atomizing than with pressure-atomizing nozzles.

  11. Theoretical modeling of the plasma-assisted catalytic growth and field emission properties of graphene sheet

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sharma, Suresh C.; Gupta, Neha

    2015-12-15

    A theoretical modeling for the catalyst-assisted growth of graphene sheet in the presence of plasma has been investigated. It is observed that the plasma parameters can strongly affect the growth and field emission properties of graphene sheet. The model developed accounts for the charging rate of the graphene sheet; number density of electrons, ions, and neutral atoms; various elementary processes on the surface of the catalyst nanoparticle; surface diffusion and accretion of ions; and formation of carbon-clusters and large graphene islands. In our investigation, it is found that the thickness of the graphene sheet decreases with the plasma parameters, numbermore » density of hydrogen ions and RF power, and consequently, the field emission of electrons from the graphene sheet surface increases. The time evolution of the height of graphene sheet with ion density and sticking coefficient of carbon species has also been examined. Some of our theoretical results are in compliance with the experimental observations.« less

  12. Modeling Emission of Heavy Energetic Neutral Atoms from the Heliosphere

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Swaczyna, Paweł; Bzowski, Maciej, E-mail: pswaczyna@cbk.waw.pl

    2017-09-10

    Observations of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) are a fruitful tool for remote diagnosis of the plasma in the heliosphere and its vicinity. So far, instruments detecting ENAs from the heliosphere were configured for observations of hydrogen atoms. Here, we estimate emissions of ENAs of the heavy chemical elements helium, oxygen, nitrogen, and neon. A large portion of the heliospheric ENAs is created in the inner heliosheath from neutralized interstellar pick-up ions (PUIs). We modeled this process and calculated full-sky intensities of ENAs for energies 0.2–130 keV/nuc. We found that the largest fluxes among considered species are expected for helium, smallermore » for oxygen and nitrogen, and smallest for neon. The obtained intensities are 50–10{sup 6} times smaller than the hydrogen ENA intensities observed by IBEX . The detection of heavy ENAs will be possible if a future ENA detector is equipped with the capability to measure the masses of observed atoms. Because of different reaction cross-sections among the different species, observations of heavy ENAs can allow for a better understanding of global structure of the heliosphere as well as the transport and energization of PUIs in the heliosphere.« less

  13. Some historic and current aspects of plasma diagnostics using atomic spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hutton, Roger; Zou, Yaming; Andersson, Martin; Brage, Tomas; Martinson, Indrek

    2010-07-01

    In this paper we give a short introduction to the use of atomic spectroscopy in plasma diagnostics. Both older works and exciting new branches of atomic physics, which have relevance to diagnostics, are discussed. In particular we focus on forbidden lines in Be-like ions, lines sensitive to magnetic fields and levels which have a lifetime dependence on the nuclear spin of the ion, i.e. f-dependent lifetimes. Finally we mention a few examples of where tokamaks, instead of needing atomic data, actually provide new data and lead to developments in atomic structure studies. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Nicol J Peacock (1931-2008), a distinguished plasma scientist who contributed much to the field of spectroscopy applied to plasma, and in particular, fusion plasma diagnostics. During the final stages of the preparation of this paper Professor Indrek Martinson passed away peacefully in his sleep on 14 November 2009. Indrek will be greatly missed by many people, both for his contributions to atomic spectroscopy and for his great kindness and friendliness, which many of us experienced.

  14. Evaluation of a direct injection nebulizer interface for flow injection analysis and high performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic detection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    LaFreniere, K.E.

    A direct injection nebulizer (DIN) was designed, developed, and evaluated to determine its potential utilization as an effective interface for flow injection analysis (FIA) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic detection. The analytical figures of merit for the DIN when used as an interface for FIA-ICP-AES were found to be comparable to or better than those obtained with conventional pneumatic nebulization in terms of limits of detection (LODs), reproducibility, linearity, and interelement effects. Stable plasma operation was maintained for the DIN sample introduction of a variety of pure organic solvents, including acetonitrile, methanol,more » methylisobutylketone, and pyridine. The HPLC-DIN-ICP-AES facility was specifically applied for the speciation of inorganic and organometallic species contained in synthetic mixtures, vanilla extracts, and a variety of energy-related materials, such as shale oil process water, coal extracts, shale oil, crude oil, and an SRC II. Suggestions for future research are also considered. 227 refs., 44 figs., 15 tabs.« less

  15. Atomic precision etch using a low-electron temperature plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dorf, L.; Wang, J.-C.; Rauf, S.; Zhang, Y.; Agarwal, A.; Kenney, J.; Ramaswamy, K.; Collins, K.

    2016-03-01

    Sub-nm precision is increasingly being required of many critical plasma etching processes in the semiconductor industry. Accurate control over ion energy and ion/radical composition is needed during plasma processing to meet these stringent requirements. Described in this work is a new plasma etch system which has been designed with the requirements of atomic precision plasma processing in mind. In this system, an electron sheet beam parallel to the substrate surface produces a plasma with an order of magnitude lower electron temperature Te (~ 0.3 eV) and ion energy Ei (< 3 eV without applied bias) compared to conventional radio-frequency (RF) plasma technologies. Electron beam plasmas are characterized by higher ion-to-radical fraction compared to RF plasmas, so a separate radical source is used to provide accurate control over relative ion and radical concentrations. Another important element in this plasma system is low frequency RF bias capability which allows control of ion energy in the 2-50 eV range. Presented in this work are the results of etching of a variety of materials and structures performed in this system. In addition to high selectivity and low controllable etch rate, an important requirement of atomic precision etch processes is no (or minimal) damage to the remaining material surface. It has traditionally not been possible to avoid damage in RF plasma processing systems, even during atomic layer etch. The experiments for Si etch in Cl2 based plasmas in the aforementioned etch system show that damage can be minimized if the ion energy is kept below 10 eV. Layer-by-layer etch of Si is also demonstrated in this etch system using electrical and gas pulsing.

  16. Atomic Oxygen Durability Evaluation of Protected Polymers Using Thermal Energy Plasma Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banks, Bruce A.; Rutledge, Sharon K.; Degroh, Kim K.; Stidham, Curtis R.; Gebauer, Linda; Lamoreaux, Cynthia M.

    1995-01-01

    The durability evaluation of protected polymers intended for use in low Earth orbit (LEO) has necessitated the use of large-area, high-fluence, atomic oxygen exposure systems. Two thermal energy atomic oxygen exposure systems which are frequently used for such evaluations are radio frequency (RF) plasma ashers and electron cyclotron resonance plasma sources. Plasma source testing practices such as ample preparation, effective fluence prediction, atomic oxygen flux determination, erosion measurement, operational considerations, and erosion yield measurements are presented. Issues which influence the prediction of in-space durability based on ground laboratory thermal energy plasma system testing are also addressed.

  17. Laser continuum source atomic absorption spectroscopy: Measuring the ground state with nanosecond resolution in laser-induced plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merten, Jonathan; Johnson, Bruce

    2018-01-01

    A new dual-beam atomic absorption technique is applied to laser-induced plasmas. The technique uses an optical parametric oscillator pseudocontinuum, producing emission that is both wider than the absorption line profile, but narrow enough to allow the use of an echelle spectrograph without order sorting. The dual-beam-in space implementation makes the technique immune to nonspecific attenuation of the probe beam and the structure of the pseudocontinuum. The potential for plasma diagnostics is demonstrated with spatially and temporally resolved measurements of magnesium metastable and lithium ground state optical depths in a laser-induced plasma under reduced pressure conditions. The lithium measurements further demonstrate the technique's potential for isotope ratio measurements.

  18. Effect of oxygen atoms dissociated by non-equilibrium plasma on flame of methane oxygen and argon pre-mixture gas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akashi, Haruaki; Yoshinaga, Tomokazu; Sasaki, Koichi

    2014-10-01

    For more efficient way of combustion, plasma-assisted combustion has been investigated by many researchers. But it is very difficult to clarify the effect of plasma even on the flame of methane. Because there are many complex chemical reactions in combustion system. Sasaki et al. has reported that the flame length of methane and air premixed burner shortened by irradiating microwave power. They also measured emission from Second Positive Band System of nitrogen during the irradiation. The emission indicates existence of high energy electrons which are accelerated by the microwave. The high energy electrons also dissociate oxygen molecules easily and oxygen atom would have some effects on the flame. But the dissociation ratio of oxygen molecules by the non-equilibrium plasma is significantly low, compared to that in the combustion reaction. To clarify the effect of dissociated oxygen atoms on the flame, dependence of dissociation ratio of oxygen on the flame has been examined using CHEMKIN. It is found that in the case of low dissociation ratio of 10-6, the ignition of the flame becomes slightly earlier. It is also found that in the case of high dissociation ratio of 10-3, the ignition time becomes significantly earlier by almost half. This work was supported by KAKENHI (22340170).

  19. Studies on transport phenomena in electrothermal vaporization sample introduction applied to inductively coupled plasma for optical emission and mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kántor, T.; Maestre, S.; de Loos-Vollebregt, M. T. C.

    2005-10-01

    In the present work electrothermal vaporization (ETV) was used in both inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and optical emission spectrometry (OES) for sample introduction of solution samples. The effect of (Pd + Mg)-nitrate modifier and CaCl 2 matrix/modifier of variable amounts were studied on ETV-ICP-MS signals of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb and on ETV-ICP-OES signals of Ag, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ga, Mn and Zn. With the use of matrix-free standard solutions the analytical curves were bent to the signal axes (as expected from earlier studies), which was observed in the 20-800 pg mass range by ICP-MS and in the 1-50 ng mass range by ICP-OES detection. The degree of curvature was, however, different with the use of single element and multi-element standards. When applying the noted chemical modifiers (aerosol carriers) in microgram amounts, linear analytical curves were found in the nearly two orders of magnitude mass ranges. Changes of the CaCl 2 matrix concentration (loaded amount of 2-10 μg Ca) resulted in less than 5% changes in MS signals of 5 elements (each below 1 ng) and OES signals of 22 analytes (each below 15 ng). Exceptions were Pb (ICP-MS) and Cd (ICP-OES), where the sensitivity increase by Pd + Mg modifier was much larger compared to other elements studied. The general conclusions suggest that quantitative analysis with the use of ETV sample introduction requires matrix matching or matrix replacement by appropriate chemical modifier to the specific concentration ranges of analytes. This is a similar requirement to that claimed also by the most commonly used pneumatic nebulization of solutions, if samples with high matrix concentration are concerned.

  20. Magnetic and electric deflector spectrometers for ion emission analysis from laser generated plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torrisi, Lorenzo; Costa, Giuseppe; Ceccio, Giovanni; Cannavò, Antonino; Restuccia, Nancy; Cutroneo, Mariapompea

    2018-01-01

    The pulsed laser-generated plasma in vacuum and at low and high intensities can be characterized using different physical diagnostics. The charge particles emission can be characterized using magnetic, electric and magnet-electrical spectrometers. Such on-line techniques are often based on time-of-flight (TOF) measurements. A 90° electric deflection system is employed as ion energy analyzer (IEA) acting as a filter of the mass-to-charge ratio of emitted ions towards a secondary electron multiplier. It determines the ion energy and charge state distributions. The measure of the ion and electron currents as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio can be also determined by a magnetic deflector spectrometer, using a magnetic field of the order of 0.35 T, orthogonal to the ion incident direction, and an array of little ion collectors (IC) at different angles. A Thomson parabola spectrometer, employing gaf-chromix as detector, permits to be employed for ion mass, energy and charge state recognition. Mass quadrupole spectrometry, based on radiofrequency electric field oscillations, can be employed to characterize the plasma ion emission. Measurements performed on plasma produced by different lasers, irradiation conditions and targets are presented and discussed. Complementary measurements, based on mass and optical spectroscopy, semiconductor detectors, fast CCD camera and Langmuir probes are also employed for the full plasma characterization. Simulation programs, such as SRIM, SREM, and COMSOL are employed for the charge particle recognition.

  1. Plasma-induced field emission study of carbon nanotube cathode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Yi; Xia, Liansheng; Zhang, Huang; Liu, Xingguang; Yang, Anmin; Shi, Jinshui; Zhang, Linwen; Liao, Qingliang; Zhang, Yue

    2011-10-01

    An investigation on the plasma-induced field emission (PFE) properties of a large area carbon nanotube (CNT) cathode on a 2 MeV linear induction accelerator injector is presented. Experimental results show that the cathode is able to emit intense electron beams. Intense electron beams of 14.9-127.8A/cm2 are obtained from the cathode. The CNT cathode desorbs gases from the CNTs during the PFE process. The fast cathode plasma expansion affects the diode perveance. The amount of outgassing is estimated to be 0.06-0.49Pa·L, and the ratio of outgassing and electron are roughly calculated to be within the range of 170-350 atoms per electron. The effect of the outgassing is analyzed, and the outgassing mass spectrum of the CNT cathode has been studied during the PFE. There is a significant desorption of CO2, N2(CO), and H2 gases, which plays an important role during the PFE process. All the experiments demonstrate that the outgassing plays an important role in the formation of the cathode plasma. Moreover, the characteristic turn-on time of the CNT cathode was measured to be 39 ns.

  2. Arc plasma generator of atomic driver for steady-state negative ion source.

    PubMed

    Ivanov, A A; Belchenko, Yu I; Davydenko, V I; Ivanov, I A; Kolmogorov, V V; Listopad, A A; Mishagin, V V; Putvinsky, S V; Shulzhenko, G I; Smirnov, A

    2014-02-01

    The paper reviews the results of development of steady-state arc-discharge plasma generator with directly heated LaB6 cathode. This arc-discharge plasma generator produces a plasma jet which is to be converted into an atomic one after recombination on a metallic plate. The plate is electrically biased relative to the plasma in order to control the atom energies. Such an intensive jet of hydrogen atoms can be used in negative ion sources for effective production of negative ions on a cesiated surface of plasma grid. All elements of the plasma generator have an augmented water cooling to operate in long pulse mode or in steady state. The thermo-mechanical stresses and deformations of the most critical elements of the plasma generator were determined by simulations. Magnetic field inside the discharge chamber was optimized to reduce the local power loads. The first tests of the steady-state arc plasma generator prototype have performed in long-pulse mode.

  3. Spreadsheet-Based Program for Simulating Atomic Emission Spectra

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flannigan, David J.

    2014-01-01

    A simple Excel spreadsheet-based program for simulating atomic emission spectra from the properties of neutral atoms (e.g., energies and statistical weights of the electronic states, electronic partition functions, transition probabilities, etc.) is described. The contents of the spreadsheet (i.e., input parameters, formulas for calculating…

  4. Initial evaluation and comparison of plasma damage to atomic layer carbon materials using conventional and low T{sub e} plasma sources

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jagtiani, Ashish V.; Miyazoe, Hiroyuki; Chang, Josephine

    2016-01-15

    The ability to achieve atomic layer precision is the utmost goal in the implementation of atomic layer etch technology. Carbon-based materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene are single atomic layers of carbon with unique properties and, as such, represent the ultimate candidates to study the ability to process with atomic layer precision and assess impact of plasma damage to atomic layer materials. In this work, the authors use these materials to evaluate the atomic layer processing capabilities of electron beam generated plasmas. First, the authors evaluate damage to semiconducting CNTs when exposed to beam-generated plasmas and compare thesemore » results against the results using typical plasma used in semiconductor processing. The authors find that the beam generated plasma resulted in significantly lower current degradation in comparison to typical plasmas. Next, the authors evaluated the use of electron beam generated plasmas to process graphene-based devices by functionalizing graphene with fluorine, nitrogen, or oxygen to facilitate atomic layer deposition (ALD). The authors found that all adsorbed species resulted in successful ALD with varying impact on the transconductance of the graphene. Furthermore, the authors compare the ability of both beam generated plasma as well as a conventional low ion energy inductively coupled plasma (ICP) to remove silicon nitride (SiN) deposited on top of the graphene films. Our results indicate that, while both systems can remove SiN, an increase in the D/G ratio from 0.08 for unprocessed graphene to 0.22 to 0.26 for the beam generated plasma, while the ICP yielded values from 0.52 to 1.78. Generally, while some plasma-induced damage was seen for both plasma sources, a much wider process window as well as far less damage to CNTs and graphene was observed when using electron beam generated plasmas.« less

  5. Temporal and spatial profiles of emission intensities in atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet driven by microsecond pulse: Experiment and simulation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Ruixue; Zhang, Cheng; Yan, Ping

    2015-09-28

    A needle-circular electrode structure helium plasma jet driven by microsecond pulsed power is studied. Spatially resolved emission results show that the emission intensity of He(3{sup 3}S{sub 1}) line decreases monotonically along the axial direction, while those of N{sub 2}(C{sup 3}Π{sub u}), N{sub 2}{sup +}(B{sup 2}∑{sup +}{sub u}), and O(3p{sup 5}P) reach their maxima at 3 cm, 2.6 cm, and 1.4 cm, respectively. The plasma plume of the four species shows different characteristics: The N{sub 2} emission plume travels at a fast speed along the entire plasma jet; the N{sub 2}{sup +} emission plume is composed of a bright head and relatively weak tailmore » and travels a shorter distance than the N{sub 2} emission plume; the He emission plume travels at a slower speed for only a very short distance; propagation of the O emission plume is not observed. Results of calculation of radiation fluxes emitted by positive streamers propagating along helium plasma jets are presented. It is shown, in agreement with the results of the present experiment and with other available experimental data, that the intensities of radiation of N{sub 2}(C{sup 3}Π{sub u}) molecules and He(3{sup 3}S{sub 1}) atoms vary with time (along the plasma jet) quite differently. The factors resulting in this difference are discussed.« less

  6. Effect of atmospheric oxidative plasma treatments on polypropylenic fibers surface: Characterization and reaction mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nisticò, Roberto; Magnacca, Giuliana; Faga, Maria Giulia; Gautier, Giovanna; D'Angelo, Domenico; Ciancio, Emanuele; Lamberti, Roberta; Martorana, Selanna

    2013-08-01

    Atmospheric pressure plasma-dielectric barrier discharge (APP-DBD, open chamber configuration) was used to functionalize polypropylene (PP) fibers surface in order to generate oxidized-reactive groups such as hydroperoxides, alcohols and carbonyl species (i.e. ketones and others). Such a species increased the surface polarity, without causing material degradation. Three different types of plasma mixture (He, He/O2, He/O2/H2O) under three different values of applied power (750, 1050, 1400 W) were investigated. The formed plasma species (O2+, O single atom and OH radical) and their distribution were monitored via optical emission spectrometry (OES) measurements, and the plasma effects on PP surface species formation were followed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). Results allowed to better understand the reaction pathways between plasma phase and PP fibers. In fact, two reaction mechanisms were proposed, the first one concerning the plasma phase reactions and the second one involving material surface modifications.

  7. Study of the chemical composition of particulate matter from the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region, Brazil, by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and optical emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mateus, Vinícius Lionel; Monteiro, Isabela Luizi Gonçalves; Rocha, Rafael Christian Chávez; Saint'Pierre, Tatiana Dillenburg; Gioda, Adriana

    2013-08-01

    Air quality in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro was evaluated by analysis of particulate matter (PM) in industrial (Santa Cruz) and rural (Seropédica) areas. Total suspended particles (TSP) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) collected in filters over 24 h were quantified and their chemical composition determined. TSP exceeded Brazilian guidelines (80 μg m- 3) in Santa Cruz, while PM2.5 levels exceeded the World Health Organization guidelines (10 μg m- 3) in both locations. Filters were extracted with water and/or HNO3, and the concentrations of 20 elements, mostly metals, were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). Water soluble inorganic anions were determined by ion chromatography (IC). To estimate the proportion of these elements extracted, a certified reference material (NIST SRM 1648a, Urban Dust) was subjected to the same extraction process. Concordant results were obtained by ICP-MS and ICP OES for most elements. Some elements could not be quantified by both techniques; the most appropriate technique was chosen in each case. The urban dust was also analyzed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) method, which employs a combination of hydrochloric and nitric acids for the extraction, but higher extraction efficiency was obtained when only nitric acid was employed. The US EPA method gave better results only for Sb. In the PM samples, the elements found in the highest average concentrations by ICP were Zn and Al (3-6 μg m- 3). The anions found in the highest average concentrations were SO42 - in PM2.5 (2-4 μg m- 3) and Cl- in TSP (2-6 μg m- 3). Principal component analysis (PCA) in combination with enrichment factors (EF) indicated industrial sources in PM2.5. Analysis of TSP suggested both anthropogenic and natural sources. In conclusion, this work contributes data on air quality, as well as a method for the analysis of PM samples by ICP-MS.

  8. Optical Emission Spectroscopy in an Unmagnetized Plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Milhone, Jason; Cooper, Christopher; Desangles, Victor; Nornberg, Mark; Seidlitz, Blair; Forest, Cary; WiPAL Team

    2015-11-01

    An optical emission spectroscopic analysis has been developed to measure electron temperature, neutral burnout, and Zeff in Ar and He plasmas in the Wisconsin plasma astrophysics laboratory (WiPAL). The WiPAL vacuum chamber is a 3 meter diameter spherical vessel lined with 3000 SmCo permanent magnets (B > 3 kG) that create an axisymmetric multi-cusp ring for confining the plasma. WiPAL is designed to study unmagnetized plasmas that are hot (Te > 10 eV), dense (ne >1018), and with high ionization fraction. Electron temperature and density can be measured via Langmuir probes. However, probes can disturb the plasma, be difficult to interpret, and become damaged by large heat loads from the plasma. A low cost non-invasive spectroscopy system capable of scanning the plasma via a linear stage has been installed to study plasma properties. From the neutral particle emission, the neutral burnout and estimated neutral temperature can be inferred. A modified coronal model with metastable states is being implemented to determine Te for Ar plasmas.

  9. Persistence of uranium emission in laser-produced plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    LaHaye, N. L.; Harilal, S. S., E-mail: hari@purdue.edu; Diwakar, P. K.

    2014-04-28

    Detection of uranium and other nuclear materials is of the utmost importance for nuclear safeguards and security. Optical emission spectroscopy of laser-ablated U plasmas has been presented as a stand-off, portable analytical method that can yield accurate qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of a variety of samples. In this study, optimal laser ablation and ambient conditions are explored, as well as the spatio-temporal evolution of the plasma for spectral analysis of excited U species in a glass matrix. Various Ar pressures were explored to investigate the role that plasma collisional effects and confinement have on spectral line emission enhancement andmore » persistence. The plasma-ambient gas interaction was also investigated using spatially resolved spectra and optical time-of-flight measurements. The results indicate that ambient conditions play a very important role in spectral emission intensity as well as the persistence of excited neutral U emission lines, influencing the appropriate spectral acquisition conditions.« less

  10. Optical emission of two-dimensional arsenic sulfide prepared by plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mochalov, Leonid; Nezhdanov, Aleksey; Logunov, Alexander; Kudryashov, Mikhail; Krivenkov, Ivan; Vorotyntsev, Andrey; Gogova, Daniela; Mashin, Aleksandr

    2018-02-01

    For the first time optical emission of prepared in plasma two-dimensional arsenic sulphide materials "beyond graphene" has been demonstrated. A strong structural photoluminescence exited by continuous wave operation lasers with a laser excitation wavelength of 473 nm and 632.8 nm has been observed. The influence of excitation parameters, chemical composition, structure, and annealing conditions on the intensity of photoluminescence of the chalcogenide materials has been established. Mass-spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy were coupled with quantum-chemical calculations to reveal the fragments which are the building blocks of the 2D As-S materials. A plausible mechanism of formation and modification of the arsenic sulfide luminiscenting structural units has been proposed. The properties of the 2D pole-structured and layered arsenic sulphide could be a key to advancing the 2D photosensitive devices.

  11. Matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Xiaoshan

    1995-07-07

    The inductively coupled plasma is an electrodeless discharge in a gas (usually Ar) at atmospheric pressure. Radio frequency energy generated by a RF power source is inductively coupled to the plasma gas through a water cooled load coil. In ICP-MS the "Fassel" TAX quartz torch commonly used in emission is mounted horizontally. The sample aerosol is introduced into the central flow, where the gas kinetic temperature is about 5000 K. The aerosol is vaporized, atomized, excited and ionized in the plasma, and the ions are subsequently extracted through two metal apertures (sampler and skimmer) into the mass spectrometer. In ICP-MS,more » the matrix effects, or non-spectroscopic interferences, can be defined as the type of interferences caused by dissolved concomitant salt ions in the solution. Matrix effects can be divided into two categories: (1) signal drift due to the deposition of solids on the sampling apertures; and/or (2) signal suppression or enhancement by the presence of the dissolved salts. The first category is now reasonably understood. The dissolved salts, especially refractory oxides, tend to deposit on the cool tip of the sampling cone. The clogging of the orifices reduces the ion flow into the ICP-MS, lowers the pressure in the first stage of ICP-MS, and enhances the level of metal oxide ions. Because the extent of the clogging increases with the time, the signal drifts down. Even at the very early stage of the development of ICP-MS, matrix effects had been observed. Houk et al. found out that the ICP-MS was not tolerant to solutions containing significant amounts of dissolved solids.« less

  12. Plasma Inter-Particle and Particle-Wall Interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patino, Marlene Idy

    An improved understanding of plasma inter-particle and particle-wall interactions is critical to the advancement of plasma devices used for space electric propulsion, fusion, high-power communications, and next-generation energy systems. Two interactions of particular importance are (1) ion-atom collisions in the plasma bulk and (2) secondary electron emission from plasma-facing materials. For ion-atom collisions, interactions between fast ions and slow atoms are commonly dominated by charge-exchange and momentum-exchange collisions that are important to understanding the performance and behavior of many plasma devices. To investigate this behavior, this work developed a simple, well-characterized experiment that accurately measures the effects of high energy xenon ions incident on a background of xenon neutral atoms. By comparing these results to both analytical and computational models of ion-atom interactions, we discovered the importance of (1) accurately treating the differential cross-sections for momentum-exchange and charge-exchange collisions over all neutral background pressures, and (2) commonly overlooked interactions, including ion-induced electron emission and neutral-neutral ionization collisions, at high pressures. Data provide vital information on the angular scattering distributions of charge-exchange and momentum-exchange ions at 1.5 keV relevant for ion thrusters, and serve as canonical data for validation of plasma models. This work also investigates electron-induced secondary electron emission behavior relevant to materials commonly considered for plasma thrusters, fusion systems, and many other plasma devices. For such applications, secondary electron emission can alter the sheath potential, which can significantly affect device performance and life. Secondary electron emission properties were measured for materials that are critical to the efficient operation of many plasma devices, including: graphite (for tokamaks, ion thrusters, and

  13. In-situ pre-concentration through repeated sampling and pyrolysis for ultrasensitive determination of thallium in drinking water by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Liu, Liwei; Zheng, Huaili; Xu, Bincheng; Xiao, Lang; Chigan, Yong; Zhangluo, Yilan

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, a procedure for in-situ pre-concentration in graphite furnace by repeated sampling and pyrolysis is proposed for the determination of ultra-trace thallium in drinking water by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). Without any other laborious enrichment processes that routinely result in analyte loss and contamination, thallium was directly concentrated in the graphite furnace automatically and subsequently subject to analysis. The effects of several key factors, such as the temperature for pyrolysis and atomization, the chemical modifier, and the repeated sampling times were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, a limit of detection of 0.01µgL -1 was obtained, which fulfilled thallium determination in drinking water by GB 5749-2006 regulated by China. Successful analysis of thallium in certified water samples and drinking water samples was demonstrated, with analytical results in good agreement with the certified values and those by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. Routine spike-recovery tests with randomly selected drinking water samples showed satisfactory results of 80-96%. The proposed method is simple and sensitive for screening of ultra-trace thallium in drinking water samples. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Rocket and spacecraft studies of ultraviolet emissions from astrophysical targets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fastie, W. G.; Moos, H. W.; Feldman, P. D.; Henry, R. C.

    1975-01-01

    Rocket and spacecraft far-UV spectral measurements of several astrophysical targets are reviewed. These include observations of Ly-alpha emissions from Arcturus, Apollo-17 far-UV spectrometry of eta UMa and five other stars, Apollo-17 observations of the lunar atmosphere and the diffuse UV background, and far-UV spectral studies of Venus, Jupiter, and Comet Kohoutek. The Arcturus observations indicated a chromosphere with neutral atomic-hydrogen and atomic-oxygen emissions as well as a very weak atomic-carbon line. The planetary studies revealed O I and C I emissions in the Venusian spectrum as well as large Ly-alpha emissions and possible molecular-hydrogen emissions in that of Jupiter. The lunar observations demonstrated that solar protons do not produce an atomic-hydrogen atmosphere on the moon.

  15. Emission coefficients of low temperature thermal iron plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mościcki, T.; Hoffman, J.; Szymański, Z.

    2004-03-01

    Iron plasma appears during material processing with laser, electric are etc., and has considerable influence on the processing conditions. In this paper emission coefficients of low temperature thermal iron plasma at atmospheric pressure are presented. Net emission coefficients ɛ N have been calculated for pure iron plasma as well as for Fe-Ar and Fe-He plasma mixtures. To calculate the recombination radiation the knowledge of the Biberman factors ξ {fb/z}( T e, λ) is necessary and they have been calculated from the iron photo-ionization cross sections. The calculations allow estimation of energy losses, energy radiated by plasma plume and its comparison with the energy absorbed from laser beam.

  16. [The Emission Spectroscopy of Nitrogen Discharge under Low Voltage at Room Temperature].

    PubMed

    Shen, Li-hua; Yu, Chun-xia; Yan, Bei; Zhang, Cheng-xiao

    2015-03-01

    A set of direct current (DC) discharge device of N2 plasma was developed, carbon nanotubes (CNT) modified ITO electrode was used as anode, aluminum plate as cathode, with -80 μm separation between them. Nitrogen emission spectra was observed at room temperature and low DC voltage (less than 150 V), and the emission spectrometry was used to diagnose the active species of the process of nitrogen discharge. Under DC discharge, the strongest energy band N2 (C3π(u)), the weak Gaydon's Green system N2 (H3 -Φ(u)-G3 Δ(g)) and the emission line of nitrogen atoms (4 p-4 p0) at 820 nm were observed. Found that metastable state of nitrogen molecules were the main factors leading to a series of excited state nitrogen atoms and nitrogen ionization. Compared the emission spectra under DC with that under alternating current (AC) (1.1 kV), and it can be seen that under DC the spectra band of nitrogen atoms can be obviously observed, and there was a molecular band in the range of 500 - 800 nm. The effect of oxygen and hydrogen on the emission spectra of nitrogen was investigated. The results showed that the oxygen inhibited the luminescence intensity of nitrogen, but the shape of spectra unchanged. All of the second positive system, Gaydon's Green system and atomic lines of nitrogen can be observed. The second positive system and Gaydon's Green system of nitrogen will be greatly affected when the volume ratio of nitrogen and hydrogen greatly affected is 1 : 1, which was due to the hydrogen. The hydrogen can depresse nitrogen plasma activation, and make the Gaydon's Green System disappeared. CNT modified ITO electrode can reduce the breakdown voltage, and the optical signal generated by the weakly ionized gas can be observed by the photo-multiplier tube at low voltage of 10 V.

  17. Quantitative aspects of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bulska, Ewa; Wagner, Barbara

    2016-10-01

    Accurate determination of elements in various kinds of samples is essential for many areas, including environmental science, medicine, as well as industry. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a powerful tool enabling multi-elemental analysis of numerous matrices with high sensitivity and good precision. Various calibration approaches can be used to perform accurate quantitative measurements by ICP-MS. They include the use of pure standards, matrix-matched standards, or relevant certified reference materials, assuring traceability of the reported results. This review critically evaluates the advantages and limitations of different calibration approaches, which are used in quantitative analyses by ICP-MS. Examples of such analyses are provided. This article is part of the themed issue 'Quantitative mass spectrometry'.

  18. Studies for the Loss of Atomic and Molecular Species from Io

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smyth, William H.

    1998-01-01

    Continued effort is reported to improve the emission rates of various emission lines for atomic oxygen and sulfur. Atomic hydrogen has been included as a new species in the neutral cloud model. The pertinent lifetime processes for hydrogen in the plasma torus and the relevant excitation processes for H Lyman-alpha emission in Io's atmosphere are discussed.

  19. Effects of laser radiation field on energies of hydrogen atom in plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bahar, M. K., E-mail: mussiv58@gmail.com

    2015-09-15

    In this study, for the first time, the Schrödinger equation with more general exponential cosine screened Coulomb (MGECSC) potential is solved numerically in the presence of laser radiation field within the Ehlotzky approximation using the asymptotic iteration method. The MGECSC potential includes four different potential forms in consideration of different sets of the parameters in the potential. By applying laser field, the total interaction potential of hydrogen atom embedded in plasmas converts to double well-type potential. The plasma screening effects under the influence of laser field as well as confinement effects of laser field on hydrogen atom in Debye andmore » quantum plasmas are investigated by solving the Schrödinger equation with the laser-dressed MGECSC potential. It is resulted that since applying a monochromatic laser field on hydrogen atom embedded in a Debye and quantum plasma causes to shift in the profile of the total interaction potential, the confinement effects of laser field on hydrogen atom in plasmas modeled by the MGECSC potential change localizations of energy states.« less

  20. Study of the phosphine plasma decomposition and its formation by ablation of red phosphorus in hydrogen plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruno, G.; Losurdo, M.; Capezzuto, P.

    1995-03-01

    Mass spectrometry and optical emission spectroscopy have been used to study the chemistry of PH(sub 3) plasma decomposition as well as its formation by ablation of red phosphorus in hydrogen plasma. It has been shown that PH(sub 3) decomposition easily equilibrates at low levels of PH(sub 3) depletion (15%-30%), this depending mainly on the rf power. The ablation of red phosphorus in H(sub 2) plasma produces phosphine in significant amount, depending mainly on the total pressure but also on the rf power. It has also been found that H(sup *) and PH(sup *) emitting species originate not only by the dissociative excitation of H(sub 2) and PH(sub 3), respectively, but also by the direct excitation of the same species in the ground state. Considerations are developed on how to derive the H-atom and PH radical densities by actinometry, under specific experimental conditions. Besides, the linear dependence of PH(sub 3) formation rate, r(sub PH(3)), on H-atom density, (left bracket) H (right bracket), leads to the definition of the kinetic equation r(sub PH(3)) = k (left bracket) H (right bracket), and to the hypothesis that the formation of PH radical on the surface or its desorption is the dominant mechanism for PH(sub 3) production.

  1. Determination of the rare-earth elements in geological materials by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lichte, F.E.; Meier, A.L.; Crock, J.G.

    1987-01-01

    A method of analysis of geological materials for the determination of the rare-earth elements using the Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric technique (ICP-MS) has been developed. Instrumental parameters and factors affecting analytical results have been first studied and then optimized. Samples are analyzed directly following an acid digestion, without the need for separation or preconcentration with limits of detection of 2-11 ng/g, precision of ?? 2.5% relative standard deviation, and accuracy comparable to inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis. A commercially available ICP-MS instrument is used with modifications to the sample introduction system, torch, and sampler orifice to reduce the effects of high salt content of sample solutions prepared from geologic materials. Corrections for isobaric interferences from oxide ions and other diatomic and triatomic ions are made mathematically. Special internal standard procedures are used to compensate for drift in metahmetal oxide ratios and sensitivity. Reference standard values are used to verify the accuracy and utility of the method.

  2. Evaluation of a direct injection nebulizer interface for flow injection analysis and high performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic detection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    LaFreniere, K.E.

    A direct injection nebulizer (DIN) was designed, developed and evaluated to determine its potential utilization as an effective interface for flow injection analysis (FIA) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic detection. The analytical figures of merit for the DIN when used as an interface for FIA-ICP-AES were found to be comparable to or better than those obtained with conventional pneumatic nebulization in terms of limits of detection (LODs), reproducibility, linearity, and interelement effects. In the HPLC mode, the LODDs were found to be comparable to those obtained by continuous-flow sample introduction into themore » ICP, or inferior by up to only a factor of four. Stable plasma operation was maintained for the DIN sample introduction of a variety of pure organic solvents, including acetonitrile, methanol, methyl-isobutylketone, and pyridine. The HPLC-DIN-ICP-AES facility was specifically applied for the speciation of inorganic and organo-metallic species contained in synthetic mixtures, vanilla extracts and a variety of energy-related materials, such as shale oil process water, coal extracts, shale oil, crude oil, and an SRC II. Suggestions for future research are also considered.« less

  3. Slurry micro-sampling technique for use in argon-helium microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Ślachciński, Mariusz

    2016-12-01

    The Flow Focusing Pneumatic Nebulizer (FFPN) working at low liquid flow rates was evaluated for the elemental analysis in slurried samples by argon-helium microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES). The obtained results achieved were compared with commercially available V-groove Babington type nebulizer (VBPN). A univariate approach and the simplex optimization procedure were used to achieve optimized conditions and derive analytical figures of merit. Analytical performance of the micro nebulization system was characterized by a determination of the limits of detection (LODs), the precision (RSDs) and the wash-out times for Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb and Sr. The experimental concentration detection limits for simultaneous determination, calculated as the concentration giving a signal equal to three times of the standard deviation of the blank (LOD, 3σ blank criterion, peak height) were 0.9, 0.2, 0.3, 0.2, 0.3, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.4 and 0.3ngmL -1 for Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Pb and Sr, respectively. The method offers relatively good precision (RSD ranged from 5% to 8%) for micro-slurry sampling analysis. Analyses of the certified reference materials (NRCC DOLT-2, GBW 07302 and SRM 2710) were performed in order to determine the accuracy available with the presented nebulization systems. The measured contents of elements in the reference materials were in satisfactory agreement with the certified values. In addition, these elements were determined in two real samples. Slurry concentration up to 3% m/v (particles <20μm), prepared in 10% m/v HCl through the application of ultrasonic agitation, was used with calibration by the standard addition technique. An ultrasonic probe was used to homogenize the slurry in the polypropylene bottle just before its introduction into the nebulizer. The nebulizers exhibited no clogging problems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Influence of atomic kinetics in the simulation of plasma microscopic properties and thermal instabilities for radiative bow shock experiments.

    PubMed

    Espinosa, G; Rodríguez, R; Gil, J M; Suzuki-Vidal, F; Lebedev, S V; Ciardi, A; Rubiano, J G; Martel, P

    2017-03-01

    Numerical simulations of laboratory astrophysics experiments on plasma flows require plasma microscopic properties that are obtained by means of an atomic kinetic model. This fact implies a careful choice of the most suitable model for the experiment under analysis. Otherwise, the calculations could lead to inaccurate results and inappropriate conclusions. First, a study of the validity of the local thermodynamic equilibrium in the calculation of the average ionization, mean radiative properties, and cooling times of argon plasmas in a range of plasma conditions of interest in laboratory astrophysics experiments on radiative shocks is performed in this work. In the second part, we have made an analysis of the influence of the atomic kinetic model used to calculate plasma microscopic properties of experiments carried out on magpie on radiative bow shocks propagating in argon. The models considered were developed assuming both local and nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium and, for the latter situation, we have considered in the kinetic model different effects such as external radiation field and plasma mixture. The microscopic properties studied were the average ionization, the charge state distributions, the monochromatic opacities and emissivities, the Planck mean opacity, and the radiative power loss. The microscopic study was made as a postprocess of a radiative-hydrodynamic simulation of the experiment. We have also performed a theoretical analysis of the influence of these atomic kinetic models in the criteria for the onset possibility of thermal instabilities due to radiative cooling in those experiments in which small structures were experimentally observed in the bow shock that could be due to this kind of instability.

  5. Influence of atomic kinetics in the simulation of plasma microscopic properties and thermal instabilities for radiative bow shock experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Espinosa, G.; Rodríguez, R.; Gil, J. M.; Suzuki-Vidal, F.; Lebedev, S. V.; Ciardi, A.; Rubiano, J. G.; Martel, P.

    2017-03-01

    Numerical simulations of laboratory astrophysics experiments on plasma flows require plasma microscopic properties that are obtained by means of an atomic kinetic model. This fact implies a careful choice of the most suitable model for the experiment under analysis. Otherwise, the calculations could lead to inaccurate results and inappropriate conclusions. First, a study of the validity of the local thermodynamic equilibrium in the calculation of the average ionization, mean radiative properties, and cooling times of argon plasmas in a range of plasma conditions of interest in laboratory astrophysics experiments on radiative shocks is performed in this work. In the second part, we have made an analysis of the influence of the atomic kinetic model used to calculate plasma microscopic properties of experiments carried out on magpie on radiative bow shocks propagating in argon. The models considered were developed assuming both local and nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium and, for the latter situation, we have considered in the kinetic model different effects such as external radiation field and plasma mixture. The microscopic properties studied were the average ionization, the charge state distributions, the monochromatic opacities and emissivities, the Planck mean opacity, and the radiative power loss. The microscopic study was made as a postprocess of a radiative-hydrodynamic simulation of the experiment. We have also performed a theoretical analysis of the influence of these atomic kinetic models in the criteria for the onset possibility of thermal instabilities due to radiative cooling in those experiments in which small structures were experimentally observed in the bow shock that could be due to this kind of instability.

  6. Current role of ICP-MS in clinical toxicology and forensic toxicology: a metallic profile.

    PubMed

    Goullé, Jean-Pierre; Saussereau, Elodie; Mahieu, Loïc; Guerbet, Michel

    2014-08-01

    As metal/metalloid exposure is inevitable owing to its omnipresence, it may exert toxicity in humans. Recent advances in metal/metalloid analysis have been made moving from flame atomic absorption spectrometry and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry to the multi-elemental inductively coupled plasma (ICP) techniques as ICP atomic emission spectrometry and ICP-MS. ICP-MS has now emerged as a major technique in inorganic analytical chemistry owing to its flexibility, high sensitivity and good reproducibility. This in depth review explores the ICP-MS metallic profile in human toxicology. It is now routinely used and of great importance, in clinical toxicology and forensic toxicology to explore biological matrices, specifically whole blood, plasma, urine, hair, nail, biopsy samples and tissues.

  7. Atomic spectrometry methods for wine analysis: a critical evaluation and discussion of recent applications.

    PubMed

    Grindlay, Guillermo; Mora, Juan; Gras, Luis; de Loos-Vollebregt, Margaretha T C

    2011-04-08

    The analysis of wine is of great importance since wine components strongly determine its stability, organoleptic or nutrition characteristics. In addition, wine analysis is also important to prevent fraud and to assess toxicological issues. Among the different analytical techniques described in the literature, atomic spectrometry has been traditionally employed for elemental wine analysis due to its simplicity and good analytical figures of merit. The scope of this review is to summarize the main advantages and drawbacks of various atomic spectrometry techniques for elemental wine analysis. Special attention is paid to interferences (i.e. matrix effects) affecting the analysis as well as the strategies available to mitigate them. Finally, latest studies about wine speciation are briefly discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Atomic spectrometry update - atomic mass spectrometry.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bacon, J.; Crain, J. S.; McMahon, A. W.

    The MS and XRF updates have been published together since their introduction in 1988. In the last few years, however, the two sections have been prepared independently of each other and it therefore seemed appropriate to publish the two sections separately. With effect from this issue, the MS Update will appear in the October issue of JAAS and the XRF Update in the November issue. The format used for the MS section is broadly similar to that used last year, with some additional sub-headings. This Update is intended to cover all atomic and stable isotopic MS techniques, but not thosemore » used in studies of fundamental nuclear physics and exotic nuclei far from stability. Also excluded are those reports in which MS is used as a tool in the study of molecular processes and of gaseous components. the review is based on critical selection of developments in instrumentation and methodology, notable for their innovation, originality or achievement of significant advances, and is not intended to be comprehensive in its coverage. Conference papers are only included if they contain enough information to show they meet these criteria, and our policy in general remains one of waiting for a development to appear in a full paper before inclusion in the review. a similar policy applies to foreign language papers unlikely to reach a wide audience. Routine applications of atomic MS are not included in this Update and the reader is referred to the Updates on Industrial Analysis: Metals, Chemicals and Advanced Materials (96/416), Environmental Analysis (96/1444) and Clinical and Biological Materials, Food and Beverages (96/2479). Also excluded are those applications, even if not routine, which use atomic spectroscopy as a tool for the study of a non-atomic property, for example, the use of stable isotope labeling of carbon or nitrogen in biomolecules in metabolic studies. There have been few general reviews on atomic MS of note in the period covered by this update. That of

  9. Accurate quantitation standards of glutathione via traceable sulfur measurement by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and ion chromatography

    PubMed Central

    Rastogi, L.; Dash, K.; Arunachalam, J.

    2013-01-01

    The quantitative analysis of glutathione (GSH) is important in different fields like medicine, biology, and biotechnology. Accurate quantitative measurements of this analyte have been hampered by the lack of well characterized reference standards. The proposed procedure is intended to provide an accurate and definitive method for the quantitation of GSH for reference measurements. Measurement of the stoichiometrically existing sulfur content in purified GSH offers an approach for its quantitation and calibration through an appropriate characterized reference material (CRM) for sulfur would provide a methodology for the certification of GSH quantity, that is traceable to SI (International system of units). The inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) approach negates the need for any sample digestion. The sulfur content of the purified GSH is quantitatively converted into sulfate ions by microwave-assisted UV digestion in the presence of hydrogen peroxide prior to ion chromatography (IC) measurements. The measurement of sulfur by ICP-OES and IC (as sulfate) using the “high performance” methodology could be useful for characterizing primary calibration standards and certified reference materials with low uncertainties. The relative expanded uncertainties (% U) expressed at 95% confidence interval for ICP-OES analyses varied from 0.1% to 0.3%, while in the case of IC, they were between 0.2% and 1.2%. The described methods are more suitable for characterizing primary calibration standards and certifying reference materials of GSH, than for routine measurements. PMID:29403814

  10. Organised surfactant assemblies in analytical atomic spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanz-Medel, Alfredo; Fernandez de la Campa, Maria del Rosario; Gonzalez, Elisa Blanco; Fernandez-Sanchez, Maria Luisa

    1999-02-01

    The use of surfactant-based organised assemblies in analytical atomic spectroscopy is extensively and critically reviewed along three main lines: first, the ability of organised media to enhance detection of atomic spectroscopic methods by favourable manipulation of physical and chemical properties of the sample solution second, the extension of separation mechanisms by resorting to organised media and third a discussion of synergistic combinations of liquid chromatography separations and atomic detectors via the use of vesicular mobile phases. Changes in physical properties of sample solutions aspirated in atomic spectrometry by addition of surfactants can be advantageously used in at least four different ways: (i) to improve nebulisation efficiency; (ii) to enhance wettability of solid surfaces used for atomisation; (iii) to improve compatibility between aqueous and organic phases; and (iv) to achieve good dispersion of small particles in "slurry" techniques. Controversial results and statements published so far are critically discussed. The ability of surfactant-based organised assemblies, such as micelles and vesicles, to organise reactants at the molecular level has also been applied to enhance the characteristics of chemical generation of volalite species of metals and semi-metals (e.g., hydride or ethylide generation of As, Pb, Cd, Se, Sn, and cold vapour Hg generation) used in atomic methods. Enhancements in efficiency/transport of volatile species, increases in the reaction kinetics, stabilisation of some unstable species and changes in the selectivity of the reactions by surfactants are dealt with. Non-chromatographic cloud-point separations to design pre-concentration procedures with subsequent metal determination by atomic methods are addressed along with chromatographic separations of expanded scope by addition of surfactants to the conventional aqueous mobile phases of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Finally, the synergistic

  11. Measurement of titanium in hip-replacement patients by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Harrington, Chris F; McKibbin, Craig; Rahanu, Monika; Langton, David; Taylor, Andrew

    2017-05-01

    Background Patients with metal-on-metal hip replacements require testing for cobalt and chromium. There may also be a need to test for titanium, which is used in the construction of the femoral stem in total hip replacements. It is not possible to use quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry due to interferences. Methods Titanium was measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy using the emission line at 336.1 nm and Y (internal standard) at 371.0 nm. Internal quality control materials were prepared for blood and serum and concentrations assigned using a sector field-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. A candidate whole blood certified reference material was also evaluated. Results The method had detection and quantitation limits of 0.6 and 1.9 µg/L, respectively. The respective bias (%) and measurement uncertainty ( U) (k = 2) were 3.3% and 2.0 µg/L (serum) and - 1.0% and 1.4 µg/L (whole blood). The respective repeatability and intermediate precision (%) were 5.1% and 10.9% (serum) and 2.4% and 8.6% (whole blood). The concentration of titanium was determined in patients' samples, serum (median = 2.4 µg/L, n = 897) and whole blood (median = 2.4 µg/L, n = 189). Serum is recommended for monitoring titanium in patients, since the concentration is higher than in whole blood and the matrix less problematic. In hip fluid samples, the concentrations were much higher (mean 58.5 µg/L, median 5.1 µg/L, n = 83). Conclusions A method based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy was developed and validated for measuring titanium in clinical samples.

  12. Doppler effects on 3-D non-LTE radiation transport and emission spectra.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Giuliani, J. L.; Davis, J.; DasGupta, A.

    2010-10-01

    Spatially and temporally resolved X-ray emission lines contain information about temperatures, densities, velocities, and the gradients in a plasma. Extracting this information from optically thick lines emitted from complex ions in dynamic, three-dimensional, non-LTE plasmas requires self-consistent accounting for both non-LTE atomic physics and non-local radiative transfer. We present a brief description of a hybrid-structure spectroscopic atomic model coupled to an iterative tabular on-the-spot treatment of radiative transfer that can be applied to plasmas of arbitrary material composition, conditions, and geometries. The effects of Doppler line shifts on the self-consistent radiative transfer within the plasma and the emergent emission andmore » absorption spectra are included in the model. Sample calculations for a two-level atom in a uniform cylindrical plasma are given, showing reasonable agreement with more sophisticated transport models and illustrating the potential complexity - or richness - of radially resolved emission lines from an imploding cylindrical plasma. Also presented is a comparison of modeled L- and K-shell spectra to temporally and radially resolved emission data from a Cu:Ni plasma. Finally, some shortcomings of the model and possible paths for improvement are discussed.« less

  13. A critical review of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for geoanalysis, geochemistry and hydrology, Part 1. Analytical performance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brenner, I.B.; Taylor, Howard E.

    1992-01-01

    Present-day inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrumentation is described briefly. Emphasis is placed on performance characteristics for geoanalysis, geochemistry, and hydrology. Applications where ICP-MS would be indispensable are indicated. Determination of geochemically diagnostic trace elements (such as the rare earth elements [REE], U and Th), of isotope ratios for fingerprinting, tracer and other geo-isotope applications, and benchmark isotope dilution determinations are considered to be typical priority applications for ICP-MS. It is concluded that ICP-MS furnishes unique geoanalytical and environmental data that are not readily provided by conventional spectroscopic (emission and absorption) techniques.

  14. Unraveling atomic-level self-organization at the plasma-material interface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allain, J. P.; Shetty, A.

    2017-07-01

    The intrinsic dynamic interactions at the plasma-material interface and critical role of irradiation-driven mechanisms at the atomic scale during exposure to energetic particles require a priori the use of in situ surface characterization techniques. Characterization of ‘active’ surfaces during modification at atomic-scale levels is becoming more important as advances in processing modalities are limited by an understanding of the behavior of these surfaces under realistic environmental conditions. Self-organization from exposure to non-equilibrium and thermalized plasmas enable dramatic control of surface morphology, topography, composition, chemistry and structure yielding the ability to tune material properties with an unprecedented level of control. Deciphering self-organization mechanisms of nanoscale morphology (e.g. nanodots, ripples) and composition on a variety of materials including: compound semiconductors, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers and polycrystalline metals via low-energy ion-beam assisted plasma irradiation are critical to manipulate functionality in nanostructured systems. By operating at ultra-low energies near the damage threshold, irradiation-driven defect engineering can be optimized and surface-driven mechanisms controlled. Tunability of optical, electronic, magnetic and bioactive properties is realized by reaching metastable phases controlled by atomic-scale irradiation-driven mechanisms elucidated by novel in situ diagnosis coupled to atomistic-level computational tools. Emphasis will be made on tailored surface modification from plasma-enhanced environments on particle-surface interactions and their subsequent modification of hard and soft matter interfaces. In this review, we examine current trends towards in situ and in operando surface and sub-surface characterization to unravel atomic-scale mechanisms at the plasma-material interface. This work will emphasize on recent advances in the field of plasma and ion

  15. Glass frit nebulizer for atomic spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Layman, L.R.

    1982-01-01

    The nebuilizatlon of sample solutions Is a critical step In most flame or plasma atomic spectrometrlc methods. A novel nebulzatlon technique, based on a porous glass frit, has been Investigated. Basic operating parameters and characteristics have been studied to determine how thte new nebulizer may be applied to atomic spectrometrlc methods. The results of preliminary comparisons with pneumatic nebulizers Indicate several notable differences. The frit nebulizer produces a smaller droplet size distribution and has a higher sample transport efficiency. The mean droplet size te approximately 0.1 ??m, and up to 94% of the sample te converted to usable aerosol. The most significant limitations In the performance of the frit nebulizer are the stow sample equMbratton time and the requirement for wash cycles between samples. Loss of solute by surface adsorption and contamination of samples by leaching from the glass were both found to be limitations only In unusual cases. This nebulizer shows great promise where sample volume te limited or where measurements require long nebullzatlon times.

  16. Emission characteristics of 6.78-MHz radio-frequency glow discharge plasma in a pulsed mode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xinyue; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2017-07-01

    This paper investigated Boltzmann plots for both atomic and ionic emission lines of iron in an argon glow discharge plasma driven by 6.78-MHz radio-frequency (RF) voltage in a pulsed operation, in order to discuss how the excitation/ionization process was affected by the pulsation. For this purpose, a pulse frequency as well as a duty ratio of the pulsed RF voltage was selected as the experimenter parameters. A Grimm-style radiation source was employed at a forward RF power of 70 W and at an argon pressures of 670 Pa. The Boltzmann plot for low-lying excited levels of iron atom was on a linear relationship, which was probably attributed to thermal collisions with ultimate electrons in the negative glow region; in this case, the excitation temperature was obtained in a narrow range of 3300-3400 K, which was hardly affected by the duty ratio as well as the pulse frequency of the pulsed RF glow discharge plasma. This observation suggested that the RF plasma could be supported by a self-stabilized negative glow region, where the kinetic energy distribution of the electrons would be changed to a lesser extent. Additional non-thermal excitation processes, such as a Penning-type collision and a charge-transfer collision, led to deviations (overpopulation) of particular energy levels of iron atom or iron ion from the normal Boltzmann distribution. However, their contributions to the overall excitation/ionization were not altered so greatly, when the pulse frequency or the duty ratio was varied in the pulsed RF glow discharge plasma.

  17. Infrared (1-12 μm) atomic and molecular emission signatures from energetic materials using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumi Barimah, E.; Hömmerich, U.; Brown, E.; Yang, C. S.-C.; Trivedi, S. B.; Jin, F.; Wijewarnasuriya, P. S.; Samuels, A. C.; Snyder, A. P.

    2013-05-01

    Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a powerful analytical technique to detect the elemental composition of solids, liquids, and gases in real time. For example, recent advances in UV-VIS LIBS have shown great promise for applications in chemical, biological, and explosive sensing. The extension of conventional UVVIS LIBS to the near-IR (NIR), mid-IR (MIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) regions (~1-12 μm) offers the potential to provide additional information due to IR atomic and molecular signatures. In this work, a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser operating at 1064 nm was employed as the excitation source and focused onto several chlorate and nitrate compounds including KClO3, NaClO3, KNO3, and NaNO3 to produce intense plasma at the target surface. IR LIBS studies on background air, KCl , and NaCl were also included for comparison. All potassium and sodium containing samples revealed narrow-band, atomic-like emissions assigned to transitions of neutral alkali-metal atoms in accordance with the NIST atomic spectra database. In addition, first evidence of broad-band molecular LIBS signatures from chlorate and nitrate compounds were observed at ~10 μm and ~7.3 μm, respectively. The observed molecular emissions showed strong correlation with FTIR absorption spectra of the investigated materials.

  18. Influence of emissivity on behavior of metallic dust particles in plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tanaka, Y.; Smirnov, R. D.; Pigarov, A. Yu.

    Influence of thermal radiation emissivity on the lifetime of a dust particle in plasmas is investigated for different fusion relevant metals (Li, Be, Mo, and W). The thermal radiation is one of main cooling mechanisms of the dust in plasmas especially for dust with evaporation temperature higher than 2500 K. In this paper, the temperature- and radius-dependent emissivity of dust particles is calculated using Mie theory and temperature-dependent optical constants for the above metallic materials. The lifetime of a dust particle in uniform plasmas is estimated with the calculated emissivity using the dust transport code DUSTT[A. Pigarov et al., Physicsmore » of Plasmas 12, 122508 (2005)], considering other dust cooling and destruction processes such as physical and chemical sputtering, melting and evaporation, electron emission etc. The use of temperature-dependent emissivity calculated with Mie theory provides a longer lifetime of the refractory metal dust particle compared with that obtained using conventional emissivity constants in the literature. The dynamics of heavy metal dust particles are also presented using the calculated emissivity in a tokamak plasma.« less

  19. Evolution of uranium monoxide in femtosecond laser-induced uranium plasmas

    DOE PAGES

    Hartig, Kyle C.; Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Phillips, Mark C.; ...

    2017-05-09

    We report on the observation of uranium monoxide (UO) emission following fs laser ablation (LA) of a uranium metal sample. The formation and evolution of the molecular emission are studied under various ambient air pressures. Observation of UO emission spectra at a rarefied residual air pressure of ~1 Torr indicates that the UO molecule is readily formed in the expanding plasma with trace concentrations of oxygen present within the vacuum chamber. Furthermore, the persistence of the UO emission exceeded that of the atomic emission; however, the molecular emission was delayed in time compared to the atomic emission due to themore » necessary cooling and expansion of the plasma before the UO molecules can form.« less

  20. Evolution of uranium monoxide in femtosecond laser-induced uranium plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hartig, Kyle C.; Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Phillips, Mark C.

    We report on the observation of uranium monoxide (UO) emission following fs laser ablation (LA) of a uranium metal sample. The formation and evolution of the molecular emission are studied under various ambient air pressures. Observation of UO emission spectra at a rarefied residual air pressure of ~1 Torr indicates that the UO molecule is readily formed in the expanding plasma with trace concentrations of oxygen present within the vacuum chamber. Furthermore, the persistence of the UO emission exceeded that of the atomic emission; however, the molecular emission was delayed in time compared to the atomic emission due to themore » necessary cooling and expansion of the plasma before the UO molecules can form.« less

  1. Determination of gold and cobalt dopants in advanced materials based on tin oxide by slurry sampling high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Filatova, Daria G.; Eskina, Vasilina V.; Baranovskaya, Vasilisa B.; Vladimirova, Svetlana A.; Gaskov, Alexander M.; Rumyantseva, Marina N.; Karpov, Yuri A.

    2018-02-01

    A novel approach is developed for the determination of Co and Au dopants in advanced materials based on tin oxide using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR CS GFAAS) with direct slurry sampling. Sodium carboxylmethylcellulose (Na-CMC) is an effective stabilizer for diluted suspensions. Use Na-CMC allows to transfer the analytes into graphite furnace completely and reproducibly. The relative standard deviation obtained by HR CS GFAAS was not higher than 4%. Accuracy was proven by means inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in solutions after decomposition as a comparative technique. To determine Au and Co in the volume of SnO2, the acid decomposition conditions (HCl, HF) of the samples were suggested by means of an autoclave in a microwave oven.

  2. Analysis of soft x-ray emission spectra of laser-produced dysprosium, erbium and thulium plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sheil, John; Dunne, Padraig; Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Kos, Domagoj; Long, Elaine; Miyazaki, Takanori; O'Reilly, Fergal; O'Sullivan, Gerard; Sheridan, Paul; Suzuki, Chihiro; Sokell, Emma; White, Elgiva; Kilbane, Deirdre

    2017-03-01

    Soft x-ray emission spectra of dysprosium, erbium and thulium ions created in laser-produced plasmas were recorded with a flat-field grazing-incidence spectrometer in the 2.5-8 nm spectral range. The ions were produced using an Nd:YAG laser of 7 ns pulse duration and the spectra were recorded at various power densities. The experimental spectra were interpreted with the aid of the Cowan suite of atomic structure codes and the flexible atomic code. At wavelengths above 5.5 nm the spectra are dominated by overlapping n = 4 - n = 4 unresolved transition arrays from adjacent ion stages. Below 6 nm, n = 4 - n = 5 transitions also give rise to a series of interesting overlapping spectral features.

  3. The use of atomic spectroscopy in the pharmaceutical industry for the determination of trace elements in pharmaceuticals.

    PubMed

    Lewen, Nancy

    2011-06-25

    The subject of the analysis of various elements, including metals and metalloids, in the pharmaceutical industry has seen increasing importance in the last 10-15 years, as modern analytical instrumentation has afforded analysts with the opportunity to provide element-specific, accurate and meaningful information related to pharmaceutical products. Armed with toxicological data, compendial and regulatory agencies have revisited traditional approaches to the testing of pharmaceuticals for metals and metalloids, and analysts have begun to employ the techniques of atomic spectroscopy, such as flame- and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS, Flame AA or FAA and GFAAS), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), to meet their analytical needs. Newer techniques, such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Ablation ICP-MS (LAICP-MS) are also beginning to see wider applications in the analysis of elements in the pharmaceutical industry.This article will provide a perspective regarding the various applications of atomic spectroscopy in the analysis of metals and metalloids in drug products, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API's), raw materials and intermediates. The application of atomic spectroscopy in the analysis of metals and metalloids in clinical samples, nutraceutical, metabolism and pharmacokinetic samples will not be addressed in this work. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Selective Iron(III) ion uptake using CuO-TiO2 nanostructure by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background CuO-TiO2 nanosheets (NSs), a kind of nanomaterials is one of the most attracting class of transition doped semiconductor materials due to its interesting and important optical, electrical, and structural properties and has many technical applications, such as in metal ions detection, photocatalysis, Chemi-sensors, bio-sensors, solar cells and so on. In this paper the synthesis of CuO-TiO2 nanosheets by the wet-chemically technique is reported. Methods CuO-TiO2 NSs were prepared by a wet-chemical process using reducing agents in alkaline medium and characterized by UV/vis., FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) etc. Results The structural and optical evaluation of synthesized NSs were measured by XRD pattern, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and UV–vis spectroscopy, respectively which confirmed that the obtained NSs are well-crystalline CuO-TiO2 and possessing good optical properties. The morphological analysis of CuO-TiO2 NSs was executed by FE-SEM, which confirmed that the doped products were sheet-shaped and growth in large quantity. Here, the analytical efficiency of the NSs was applied for a selective adsorption of iron(III) ion prior to detection by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The selectivity of NSs towards various metal ions, including Au(III), Cd(II), Co(II), Cr(III), Fe(III), Pd(II), and Zn(II) was analyzed. Conclusions Based on the selectivity study, it was confirmed that the selectivity of doped NSs phase was the most towards Fe(III) ion. The static adsorption capacity for Fe(III) was calculated to be 110.06 mgg−1. Results from adsorption isotherm also verified that the adsorption process was mainly monolayer-adsorption onto a surface containing a finite number of CuO-TiO2 NSs adsorption sites. PMID:23244218

  5. Standoff Detection of Uranium and its Isotopes by Femtosecond Filament Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic Spectrometry

    DOE PAGES

    Hartig, Kyle C.; Ghebregziabher, Isaac; Jovanovic, Igor

    2017-03-08

    The ability to perform not only elementally but also isotopically sensitive detection and analysis at standoff distances is important for remote sensing applications in diverse ares, such as nuclear nonproliferation, environmental monitoring, geophysics, and planetary science. We demonstrate isotopically sensitive real-time standoff detection of uranium by the use of femtosecond filament-induced laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry. A uranium oxide molecular emission isotope shift of 0.05 ± 0.007 nm is reported at 593.6 nm. We implement both spectroscopic and acoustic diagnostics to characterize the properties of uranium plasma generated at different filament- uranium interaction points. The resulting uranium oxide emission exhibitsmore » a nearly constant signal-to-background ratio over the length of the filament, unlike the uranium atomic and ionic emission, for which the signal-to-background ratio varies significantly along the filament propagation. This is explained by the different rates of increase of plasma density and uranium oxide density along the filament length resulting from spectral and temporal evolution of the filament along its propagation. Lastly, the results provide a basis for the optimal use of filaments for standoff detection and analysis of uranium isotopes and indicate the potential of the technique for a wider range of remote sensing applications that require isotopic sensitivity.« less

  6. Standoff Detection of Uranium and its Isotopes by Femtosecond Filament Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic Spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hartig, Kyle C.; Ghebregziabher, Isaac; Jovanovic, Igor

    The ability to perform not only elementally but also isotopically sensitive detection and analysis at standoff distances is important for remote sensing applications in diverse ares, such as nuclear nonproliferation, environmental monitoring, geophysics, and planetary science. We demonstrate isotopically sensitive real-time standoff detection of uranium by the use of femtosecond filament-induced laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry. A uranium oxide molecular emission isotope shift of 0.05 ± 0.007 nm is reported at 593.6 nm. We implement both spectroscopic and acoustic diagnostics to characterize the properties of uranium plasma generated at different filament- uranium interaction points. The resulting uranium oxide emission exhibitsmore » a nearly constant signal-to-background ratio over the length of the filament, unlike the uranium atomic and ionic emission, for which the signal-to-background ratio varies significantly along the filament propagation. This is explained by the different rates of increase of plasma density and uranium oxide density along the filament length resulting from spectral and temporal evolution of the filament along its propagation. Lastly, the results provide a basis for the optimal use of filaments for standoff detection and analysis of uranium isotopes and indicate the potential of the technique for a wider range of remote sensing applications that require isotopic sensitivity.« less

  7. Standoff Detection of Uranium and its Isotopes by Femtosecond Filament Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hartig, Kyle C.; Ghebregziabher, Isaac; Jovanovic, Igor

    2017-03-01

    The ability to perform not only elementally but also isotopically sensitive detection and analysis at standoff distances is impor-tant for remote sensing applications in diverse ares, such as nuclear nonproliferation, environmental monitoring, geophysics, and planetary science. We demonstrate isotopically sensitive real-time standoff detection of uranium by the use of femtosecond filament-induced laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry. A uranium oxide molecular emission isotope shift of 0.05 ± 0.007 nm is reported at 593.6 nm. We implement both spectroscopic and acoustic diagnostics to characterize the properties of uranium plasma generated at different filament-uranium interaction points. The resulting uranium oxide emis-sion exhibits a nearly constant signal-to-background ratio over the length of the filament, unlike the uranium atomic and ionic emission, for which the signal-to-background ratio varies significantly along the filament propagation. This is explained by the different rates of increase of plasma density and uranium oxide density along the filament length resulting from spectral and temporal evolution of the filament along its propagation. The results provide a basis for the optimal use of filaments for standoff detection and analysis of uranium isotopes and indicate the potential of the technique for a wider range of remote sensing applications that require isotopic sensitivity.

  8. Ultrasensitive determination of cadmium in seawater by hollow fiber supported liquid membrane extraction coupled with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Jin-feng; Liu, Rui; Liu, Jing-fu; He, Bin; Hu, Xia-lin; Jiang, Gui-bin

    2007-05-01

    A new procedure, based on hollow fiber supported liquid membrane preconcentration coupled with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) detection, was developed for the determination of trace Cd in seawater samples. With 1-octanol that contained a mixture of dithizone (carrier) and oleic acid immobilized in the pores of the polypropylene hollow fiber as a liquid membrane, Cd was selectively extracted from water samples into 0.05 M HNO 3 that filled the lumen of the hollow fiber as a stripping solution. The main extraction related parameters were optimized, and the effects of salinity and some coexisting interferants were also evaluated. Under the optimum extraction conditions, an enrichment factor of 387 was obtained for a 100-mL sample solution. In combination with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, a very low detection limit (0.8 ng L - 1 ) and a relative standard deviation (2.5% at 50 ng L - 1 level) were achieved. Five seawater samples were analyzed by the proposed method without dilution, with detected Cd concentration in the range of 56.4-264.8 ng L - 1 and the relative spiked recoveries over 89%. For comparison, these samples were also analyzed by the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) method after a 10-fold dilution for matrix effect elimination. Statistical analysis with a one-way ANOVA shows no significant differences (at 0.05 level) between the results obtained by the proposed and ICP-MS methods. Additionally, analysis of certified reference materials (GBW (E) 080040) shows good agreement with the certified value. These results indicate that this present method is very sensitive and reliable, and can effectively eliminate complex matrix interferences in seawater samples.

  9. Focused beams of fast neutral atoms in glow discharge plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grigoriev, S. N.; Melnik, Yu. A.; Metel, A. S.; Volosova, M. A.

    2017-06-01

    Glow discharge with electrostatic confinement of electrons in a vacuum chamber allows plasma processing of conductive products in a wide pressure range of p = 0.01 - 5 Pa. To assist processing of a small dielectric product with a concentrated on its surface beam of fast neutral atoms, which do not cause charge effects, ions from the discharge plasma are accelerated towards the product and transformed into fast atoms. The beam is produced using a negatively biased cylindrical or a spherical grid immersed in the plasma. Ions accelerated by the grid turn into fast neutral atoms at p > 0.1 Pa due to charge exchange collisions with gas atoms in the space charge sheaths adjoining the grid. The atoms form a diverging neutral beam and a converging beam propagating from the grid in opposite directions. The beam propagating from the concave surface of a 0.24-m-wide cylindrical grid is focused on a target within a 10-mm-wide stripe, and the beam from the 0.24-m-diameter spherical grid is focused within a 10-mm-diameter circle. At the bias voltage U = 5 kV and p ˜ 0.1 Pa, the energy of fast argon atoms is distributed continuously from zero to eU ˜ 5 keV. The pressure increase to 1 Pa results in the tenfold growth of their equivalent current and a decrease in the mean energy by an order of magnitude, which substantially raises the efficiency of material etching. Sharpening by the beam of ceramic knife-blades proved that the new method for the generation of concentrated fast atom beams can be effectively used for the processing of dielectric materials in vacuum.

  10. Substrate-biasing during plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition to tailor metal-oxide thin film growth

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Profijt, H. B.; Sanden, M. C. M. van de; Kessels, W. M. M.

    2013-01-15

    Two substrate-biasing techniques, i.e., substrate-tuned biasing and RF biasing, have been implemented in a remote plasma configuration, enabling control of the ion energy during plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (ALD). With both techniques, substrate bias voltages up to -200 V have been reached, which allowed for ion energies up to 272 eV. Besides the bias voltage, the ion energy and the ion flux, also the electron temperature, the electron density, and the optical emission of the plasma have been measured. The effects of substrate biasing during plasma-assisted ALD have been investigated for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}, and TiO{sub 2}more » thin films. The growth per cycle, the mass density, and the crystallinity have been investigated, and it was found that these process and material properties can be tailored using substrate biasing. Additionally, the residual stress in substrates coated with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films varied with the substrate bias voltage. The results reported in this article demonstrate that substrate biasing is a promising technique to tailor the material properties of thin films synthesized by plasma-assisted ALD.« less

  11. Determination of rare earth and concomitant elements in magnesium alloys by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Fariñas, Juan C; Rucandio, Isabel; Pomares-Alfonso, Mario S; Villanueva-Tagle, Margarita E; Larrea, María T

    2016-07-01

    An Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, In, Mn, Ni, Si, Sr, Y, Zn, Zr and rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) in magnesium alloys, including the new rare earth elements-alloyed magnesium, has been developed. Robust conditions have been established as nebulizer argon flow rate of 0.5mLmin(-1) and RF incident power of 1500W, in which matrix effects were significantly reduced around 10%. Three acid digestion procedures were performed at 110°C in closed PFA vessels heated in an oven, in closed TFM vessels heated in a microwave furnace, and in open polypropylene tubes with reflux caps heated in a graphite block. The three digestion procedures are suitable to put into solution the magnesium alloys samples. From the most sensitive lines, one analytical line with lack or low spectral interferences has been selected for each element. Mg, Rh and Sc have been studied as internal standards. Among them, Rh was selected as the best one by using Rh I 343.488nm and Rh II 249.078nm lines as a function of the analytical lines. The trueness and precision have been established by using the Certified Reference Material BCS 316, as well as by means of recovery studies. Quantification limits were between 0.1 and 9mgkg(-1) for Lu and Pr, respectively, in a 2gL(-1) magnesium matrix solution. The method developed has been applied to the commercial alloys AM60, AZ80, ZK30, AJ62, WE54 and AE44. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Comparison of the Detection Characteristics of Trace Species Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Laser Breakdown Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Zhenzhen; Deguchi, Yoshihiro; Yan, Junjie; Liu, Jiping

    2015-01-01

    The rapid and precise element measurement of trace species, such as mercury, iodine, strontium, cesium, etc. is imperative for various applications, especially for industrial needs. The elements mercury and iodine were measured by two detection methods for comparison of the corresponding detection features. A laser beam was focused to induce plasma. Emission and ion signals were detected using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser breakdown time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LB-TOFMS). Multi-photon ionization and electron impact ionization in the plasma generation process can be controlled by the pressure and pulse width. The effect of electron impact ionization on continuum emission, coexisting molecular and atomic emissions became weakened in low pressure condition. When the pressure was less than 1 Pa, the plasma was induced by laser dissociation and multi-photon ionization in LB-TOFMS. According to the experimental results, the detection limits of mercury and iodine in N2 were 3.5 ppb and 60 ppb using low pressure LIBS. The mercury and iodine detection limits using LB-TOFMS were 1.2 ppb and 9.0 ppb, which were enhanced due to different detection features. The detection systems of LIBS and LB-TOFMS can be selected depending on the condition of each application. PMID:25769051

  13. Multi-elemental analysis of aqueous geochemical samples by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wolf, Ruth E.; Adams, Monique

    2015-01-01

    Typically, quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is used to determine as many as 57 major, minor, and trace elements in aqueous geochemical samples, including natural surface water and groundwater, acid mine drainage water, and extracts or leachates from geological samples. The sample solution is aspirated into the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) which is an electrodeless discharge of ionized argon gas at a temperature of approximately 6,000 degrees Celsius. The elements in the sample solution are subsequently volatilized, atomized, and ionized by the ICP. The ions generated are then focused and introduced into a quadrupole mass filter which only allows one mass to reach the detector at a given moment in time. As the settings of the mass analyzer change, subsequent masses are allowed to impact the detector. Although the typical quadrupole ICP-MS system is a sequential scanning instrument (determining each mass separately), the scan speed of modern instruments is on the order of several thousand masses per second. Consequently, typical total sample analysis times of 2–3 minutes are readily achievable for up to 57 elements.

  14. Speciation analysis of arsenic in biological matrices by automated hydride generation-cryotrapping-atomic absorption spectrometry with multiple microflame quartz tube atomizer (multiatomizer).

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper describes an automated system for the oxidation state specific speciation of inorganic and methylated arsenicals by selective hydride generation - cryotrapping- gas chromatography - atomic absorption spectrometry with the multiatomizer. The corresponding arsines are ge...

  15. Micro-column plasma emission liquid chromatograph

    DOEpatents

    Gay, Don D.

    1984-01-01

    In a direct current plasma emission spectrometer for use in combination with a micro-column liquid chromatograph, an improved plasma source unit. The plasma source unit includes a quartz capillary tube having an inlet means, outlet off gas means and a pair of spaced electrodes defining a plasma region in the tube. The inlet means is connected to and adapted to receive eluant of the liquid chromatograph along with a stream of plasma-forming gas. There is an opening through the wall of the capillary tube penetrating into the plasma region. A soft glass capillary light pipe is disposed at the opening, is connected to the spectrometer, and is adapted to transmit light passing from the plasma region to the spectrometer. There is also a source of electromotive force connected to the electrodes sufficient to initiate and sustain a plasma in the plasma region of the tube.

  16. Atomic Layer Epitaxy of Aluminum Nitride: Unraveling the Connection between Hydrogen Plasma and Carbon Contamination.

    PubMed

    Erwin, Steven C; Lyons, John L

    2018-06-13

    Atomistic control over the growth of semiconductor thin films, such as aluminum nitride, is a long-sought goal in materials physics. One promising approach is plasma-assisted atomic layer epitaxy, in which separate reactant precursors are employed to grow the cation and anion layers in alternating deposition steps. The use of a plasma during the growth-most often a hydrogen plasma-is now routine and generally considered critical, but the precise role of the plasma is not well-understood. We propose a theoretical atomistic model and elucidate its consequences using analytical rate equations, density functional theory, and kinetic Monte Carlo statistical simulations. We show that using a plasma has two important consequences, one beneficial and one detrimental. The plasma produces atomic hydrogen in the gas phase, which is important for removing methyl radicals left over from the aluminum precursor molecules. However, atomic hydrogen also leads to atomic carbon on the surface and, moreover, opens a channel for trapping these carbon atoms as impurities in the subsurface region, where they remain as unwanted contaminants. Understanding this dual role leads us to propose a solution for the carbon contamination problem which leaves the main benefit of the plasma largely unaffected.

  17. The role of atomic absorption spectrometry in geochemical exploration

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Viets, J.G.; O'Leary, R. M.

    1992-01-01

    In this paper we briefly describe the principles of atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and the basic hardware components necessary to make measurements of analyte concentrations. Then we discuss a variety of methods that have been developed for the introduction of analyte atoms into the light path of the spectrophotometer. This section deals with sample digestion, elimination of interferences, and optimum production of ground-state atoms, all critical considerations when choosing an AAS method. Other critical considerations are cost, speed, simplicity, precision, and applicability of the method to the wide range of materials sampled in geochemical exploration. We cannot attempt to review all of the AAS methods developed for geological materials but instead will restrict our discussion to some of those appropriate for geochemical exploration. Our background and familiarity are reflected in the methods we discuss, and we have no doubt overlooked many good methods. Our discussion should therefore be considered a starting point in finding the right method for the problem, rather than the end of the search. Finally, we discuss the future of AAS relative to other instrumental techniques and the promising new directions for AAS in geochemical exploration. ?? 1992.

  18. Excitation of Ion Acoustic Waves in Plasmas with Electron Emission from Walls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khrabrov, A. V.; Wang, H.; Kaganovich, I. D.; Raitses, Y.; Sydorenko, D.

    2015-11-01

    Various plasma propulsion devices exhibit strong electron emission from the walls either as a result of secondary processes or due to thermionic emission. To understand details of electron kinetics in plasmas with strong emission, we have performed kinetic simulations of such plasmas using EDIPIC code. We show that excitation of ion acoustic waves is ubiquitous phenomena in many different plasma configurations with strong electron emission from walls. Ion acoustic waves were observed to be generated near sheath if the secondary electron emission from the walls is strong. Ion acoustic waves were also observed to be generated in the plasma bulk due to presence of an intense electron beam propagating from the cathode. This intense electron beam can excite strong plasma waves, which in turn drive the ion acoustic waves. Research supported by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

  19. Spontaneous emission and atomic line shift in causal perturbation theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marzlin, Karl-Peter; Fitzgerald, Bryce

    2018-04-01

    We derive a spontaneous emission rate and line shift for two-level atoms coupled to the radiation field using causal perturbation theory. In this approach, employing the theory of distribution splitting prevents the occurrence of divergent integrals. Our method confirms the result for an atomic decay rate but suggests that the cutoff frequency for the atomic line shift is determined by the atomic mass, rather than the Bohr radius or electron mass.

  20. Studies for the Loss of Atomic and Molecular Species from Io

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smyth, William H.

    1998-01-01

    Updated neutral emission rates for electron impact excitation of atomic oxygen and sulfur based upon the Collisional Radiative Equilibrium (COREQ) model have been incorporated in the neutral cloud models. An empirical model for the Io plasma torus wake has also been added in the neutral cloud model to describe important enhancements in the neutral emission rates and lifetime rates in this spatial region. New insights into Io's atmosphere and its interaction with the plasma torus are discussed. These insights are based upon an initial comparison of simultaneous lo observations on October 14, 1997, for [0I] 6300 Angstrom emissions acquired by groundbased facilities and several ultraviolet emissions acquired by HST/STIS in the form of high-spatial- resolution images for atomic oxygen and sulfur.

  1. Static electric dipole polarizability of lithium atoms in Debye plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ning, Li-Na; Qi, Yue-Ying

    2012-12-01

    The static electric dipole polarizabilities of the ground state and n <= 3 excited states of a lithium atom embedded in a weekly coupled plasma environment are investigated as a function of the plasma screening radium. The plasma screening of the Coulomb interaction is described by the Debye—Hückel potential and the interaction between the valence electron and the atomic core is described by a model potential. The electron energies and wave functions for both the bound and continuum states are calculated by solving the Schrödinger equation numerically using the symplectic integrator. The oscillator strengths, partial-wave, and total static dipole polarizabilities of the ground state and n <= 3 excited states of the lithium atom are calculated. Comparison of present results with those of other authors, when available, is made. The results for the 2s ground state demonstrated that the oscillator strengths and the static dipole polarizabilities from np orbitals do not always increase or decrease with the plasma screening effect increasing, unlike that for hydrogen-like ions, especially for 2s→3p transition there is a zero value for both the oscillator strength and the static dipole polarizability for screening length D = 10.3106a0, which is associated with the Cooper minima.

  2. Matrix effects of calcium on high-precision sulfur isotope measurement by multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chenhui; Bian, Xiao-Peng; Yang, Tao; Lin, An-Jun; Jiang, Shao-Yong

    2016-05-01

    Multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) has been successfully applied in the rapid and high-precision measurement for sulfur isotope ratios in recent years. During the measurement, the presence of matrix elements would affect the instrumental mass bias for sulfur and these matrix-induced effects have aroused a lot of researchers' interest. However, these studies have placed more weight on highlighting the necessity for their proposed correction protocols (e.g., chemical purification and matrix-matching) while less attention on the key property of the matrix element gives rise to the matrix effects. In this study, four groups of sulfate solutions, which have different concentrations of sulfur (0.05-0.60mM) but a constant sequence of atomic calcium/sulfur ratios (0.1-50), are investigated under wet (solution) and dry (desolvation) plasma conditions to make a detailed evaluation on the matrix effects from calcium on sulfur isotope measurement. Based on a series of comparative analyses, we indicated that, the matrix effects of calcium on both measured sulfur isotope ratios and detected (32)S signal intensities are dependent mainly on the absolute calcium concentration rather than its relative concentration ratio to sulfur (i.e., atomic calcium/sulfur ratio). Also, for the same group of samples, the matrix effects of calcium under dry plasma condition are much more significant than that of wet plasma. This research affords the opportunity to realize direct and relatively precise sulfur isotope measurement for evaporite gypsum, and further provides some suggestions with regard to sulfur isotope analytical protocols for sedimentary pore water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Entanglement and nonlocality versus spontaneous emission in two-atom systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jakóbczyk, L.; Jamróz, A.

    2003-11-01

    We study evolution of entanglement of two two-level atoms in the presence of dissipation caused by spontaneous emission. We find explicit formulas for the amount of entanglement as a function of time, in the case of destruction of the initial entanglement and possible creation of a transient entanglement between atoms. We also discuss how spontaneous emission influences nonlocality of states expressed by violation of Bell-CHSH inequality. It is shown that evolving system very quickly becomes local, even if entanglement is still present or produced.

  4. Characterization of atomic oxygen from an ECR plasma source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naddaf, M.; Bhoraskar, V. N.; Mandale, A. B.; Sainkar, S. R.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

    2002-11-01

    A low-power microwave-assisted electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma system is shown to be a powerful and effective source of atomic oxygen (AO) useful in material processing. A 2.45 GHz microwave source with maximum power of 600 W was launched into the cavity to generate the ECR plasma. A catalytic nickel probe was used to determine the density of AO. The density of AO is studied as a function of pressure and axial position of the probe in the plasma chamber. It was found to vary from ~1×1020 to ~10×1020 atom m-3 as the plasma pressure was varied from 0.8 to 10 mTorr. The effect of AO in oxidation of silver is investigated by gravimetric analysis. The stoichiometric properties of the oxide are studied using the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as energy dispersive x-ray analysis. The degradation of the silver surface due to sputtering effect was viewed by scanning electron spectroscopy. The sputtering yield of oxygen ions in the plasma is calculated using the TRIM code. The effects of plasma pressure and the distance from the ECR zone on the AO density were also investigated. The density of AO measured by oxidation of silver is in good agreement with results obtained from the catalytic nickel probe.

  5. Single photon emission from plasma treated 2D hexagonal boron nitride.

    PubMed

    Xu, Zai-Quan; Elbadawi, Christopher; Tran, Toan Trong; Kianinia, Mehran; Li, Xiuling; Liu, Daobin; Hoffman, Timothy B; Nguyen, Minh; Kim, Sejeong; Edgar, James H; Wu, Xiaojun; Song, Li; Ali, Sajid; Ford, Mike; Toth, Milos; Aharonovich, Igor

    2018-05-03

    Artificial atomic systems in solids are becoming increasingly important building blocks in quantum information processing and scalable quantum nanophotonic networks. Amongst numerous candidates, 2D hexagonal boron nitride has recently emerged as a promising platform hosting single photon emitters. Here, we report a number of robust plasma and thermal annealing methods for fabrication of emitters in tape-exfoliated hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals. A two-step process comprising Ar plasma etching and subsequent annealing in Ar is highly robust, and yields an eight-fold increase in the concentration of emitters in hBN. The initial plasma-etching step generates emitters that suffer from blinking and bleaching, whereas the two-step process yields emitters that are photostable at room temperature with emission wavelengths greater than ∼700 nm. Density functional theory modeling suggests that the emitters might be associated with defect complexes that contain oxygen. This is further confirmed by generating the emitters via annealing hBN in air. Our findings advance the present understanding of the structure of quantum emitters in hBN and enhance the nanofabrication toolkit needed to realize integrated quantum nanophotonic circuits.

  6. Simple method for determination of selenium in biological materials by flameless atomic-absorption spectrometry using a carbon-tube atomizer.

    PubMed

    Ishizaki, M

    1978-03-01

    A method for determination of selenium in biological materials by flameless atomic-absorption spectrometry using a carbon-tube atomizer is described. The sample is burned by an oxygen-flask combustion procedure, the resulting solution is treated with a cation-exchange resin to eliminate interfering cations, the selenium is extracted with dithizone in carbon tetrachloride and the resulting selenium dithizonate is combined with nickel nitrate in the carbon tube to enhance the sensitivity for selenium and avoid volatilization losses. The method measures selenium concentrations as low as 0.01 mug/g with a relative standard deviation of 8%.

  7. Observing the Plasma-Physical Processes of Pulsar Radio Emission with Arecibo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rankin, Joanna M.

    2017-01-01

    With their enormous densities and fields, neutron stars entail some of the most exotic physics in the cosmos. Similarly, the physical mechanisms of pulsar radio emission are no less exotic, and we are only now beginning to understand them. The talk will provide an introduction to the phenomenology of radio pulsar emission and focus on those aspects of the exquisite Arecibo observations that bear on their challenging emission physics.The commonalities of the radio beamforms of most slow pulsars (and some millisecond pulsars) argue strongly that their magnetic fields have a nearly dipolar structure at the height of their radio emission regions. These heights can often be determined by aberration/retardation analyses. Similarly, measurement of the orientation of the polarized radio emission with respect to the emitting magnetic field facilitates identification of the physical(X/O) emission modes and study of the plasma coupling to the electromagnetic radiation.While the physics of primary plasma generation above the pulsar polar cap is only beginning to be understood, it is clear that the radio pulsars we see are able to generate copious amounts of electron-positron plasma in their emission regions. Within the nearly dipolar field structure of these emission regions, the plasma density is near to that of the Goldreich-Julian model, and so the physical conditions in these regions can be accurately estimated.These conditions show that the plasma frequencies in the emission regions are much higher than the frequency of the emitted radiation, such that the plasma couples most easily to the extraordinary mode as observed. Therefore, the only surviving emission mechanism is curvature radiation from charged solitons, produced by the two-stream instability. Such soliton emission has probably been observed directly in the Crab pulsar; however, a physical theory of charged soliton radiation does not yet exist.

  8. Analysis of the effects of atomic mass, jet velocity, and radiative cooling on the dimensionless parameters of counter-propagating, weakly collisional plasma flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Collins, Gilbert; Valenzuela, Julio; Beg, Farhat

    2016-10-01

    We have studied the collision of counter-propagating plasma flows using opposing conical wire arrays driven by the 200kA, 150ns rise-time `GenASIS' driver. These plasma flows produced weakly collisional, well-defined bow-shock structures. Varying initial parameters such as the opening angle of the array and the atomic mass of the wires allowed us to modify quantities such as the density contrast between jets, intra-jet mean free path (λmfp, scales with v, atomic mass A, and ionization state Zi-4) , Reynolds number (Re, scales with AZ), and the Peclet number (Pe, scales with Z). We calculate these dimensionless quantities using schlieren imagery, interferometry, and emission data, and determine whether they meet the scaling criteria necessary for the comparison to and subsequent study of astrophysical plasmas. This work was partially supported by the Department of Energy Grant Number DE-SC0014493.

  9. Generalized emission functions for photon emission from quark-gluon plasma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Suryanarayana, S. V.

    The Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal effects on photon emission from the quark-gluon plasma have been studied as a function of photon mass, at a fixed temperature of the plasma. The integral equations for the transverse vector function [f-tilde)(p-tilde){sub (perpendicular)})] and the longitudinal function [g-tilde)(p-tilde){sub (perpendicular)})] consisting of multiple scattering effects are solved by the self-consistent iterations method and also by the variational method for the variable set {l_brace}p{sub 0},q{sub 0},Q{sup 2}{r_brace}. We considered the bremsstrahlung and the off shell annihilation (aws) processes. We define two new dynamical scaling variables, x{sub T},x{sub L}, for bremsstrahlung and aws processes which are functions of variables p{submore » 0},q{sub 0},Q{sup 2}. We define four new emission functions for massive photon emission represented by g{sub T}{sup b},g{sub T}{sup a},g{sub L}{sup b},g{sub L}{sup a} and we constructed these using the exact numerical solutions of the integral equations. These four emission functions have been parametrized by suitable simple empirical fits. Using the empirical emission functions, we calculated the imaginary part of the photon polarization tensor as a function of photon mass and energy.« less

  10. ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATION OF GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/ATOMIC EMISSION DETECTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    A gas chromatography/atomic emission detector (GC/AED) system has been evaluated for its applicability to environmental analysis. Detection limits, elemental response factors, and regression analysis data were determined for 58 semivolatile environmental contaminants. Detection l...

  11. Spectral emission from the alkali inductively-coupled plasma: Theory and experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bazurto, R.; Huang, M.; Camparo, J.

    2018-04-01

    The weakly-ionized, alkali inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) has a long history as the light source for optical pumping. Today, its most significant application is perhaps in the rubidium atomic frequency standard (RAFS), arguably the workhorse of atomic timekeeping in space, where it is crucial to the RAFS' functioning and performance (and routinely referred to as the RAFS' "rf-discharge lamp"). In particular, the photon flux from the lamp determines the signal-to-noise ratio of the device, and variations in ICP brightness define the long-term frequency stability of the atomic clock as a consequence of the ac-Stark shift (i.e., the light-shift). Given the importance of Rb atomic clocks to diverse satellite navigation systems (e.g., GPS, Galileo, BeiDou) - and thereby the importance of alkali ICPs to these systems - it is somewhat surprising to find that the physical processes occurring within the discharge are not well understood. As a consequence, researchers do not understand how to improve the spectral emission from the lamp except at a trial-and-error level, nor do they fully understand the nonlinear mechanisms that result in ICP light instability. Here, we take a first step in developing an intuitive, semi-quantitative model of the alkali rf-discharge lamp, and we perform a series of experiments to validate the theory's predictions.

  12. Method for determining the concentration of atomic species in gases and solids

    DOEpatents

    Loge, Gary W.

    1999-01-01

    Method for determining the concentration of atomic species in gases and solids. Measurement of at least two emission intensities from a species in a plasma containing the species after a sufficient time period has elapsed after the generation of the plasma and during a second time period, permits an instantaneous temperature to be established within the sample. The concentration of the atomic species to be determined is then derived from the known emission intensity of a predetermined concentration of that species in the sample at the measured temperature, a quantity which is measured prior to the determination of the unknown concentration, and the actual measured emission from the unknown species, or by this latter emission and the emission intensity of a species having known concentration within the sample.

  13. Influence of inelastic Rydberg atom-atom collisional process on kinetic and optical properties of low-temperature laboratory and astrophysical plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klyucharev, A. N.; Bezuglov, N. N.; Mihajlov, A. A.; Ignjatović, Lj M.

    2010-11-01

    Elementary processes in plasma phenomena traditionally attract physicist's attention. The channel of charged-particle formation in Rydberg atom-atom thermal and sub-thermal collisions (the low temperature plasmas conditions) leads to creation of the molecular ions - associative ionization (AI). atomic ions - Penning-like ionization (PI) and the pair of the negative and positive ions. In our universe the chemical composition of the primordial gas consists mainly of Hydrogen and Helium (H, H-, H+, H2, He,He+). Hydrogen-like alkali-metal Lithium (Li, Li+,Li-) and combinations (HeH+, LiH-, LiH+). There is a wide range of plasma parameters in which the Rydberg atoms of the elements mentioned above make the dominant contribution to ionization and that process may be regarded as a prototype of the elementary process of light excitation energy transformation into electric one. The latest stochastic version of chemi-ionisation (AI+PI) on Rydberg atom-atom collisions extends the treatment of the "dipole resonant" model by taking into account redistribution of population over a range of Rydberg states prior to ionization. This redistribution is modelled as diffusion within the frame of stochastic dynamic of the Rydberg electron in the Rydberg energy spectrum. This may lead to anomalies of Rydberg atom spectra. Another result obtained in recent time is understanding that experimental results on chemi-ionization relate to the group of mixed Rydberg atom closed to the primary selected one. The Rydberg atoms ionisation theory today makes a valuable contribution in the deterministic and stochastic approaches correlation in atomic physic.

  14. Alpha-spectrometry and fractal analysis of surface micro-images for characterisation of porous materials used in manufacture of targets for laser plasma experiments

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Aushev, A A; Barinov, S P; Vasin, M G

    2015-06-30

    We present the results of employing the alpha-spectrometry method to determine the characteristics of porous materials used in targets for laser plasma experiments. It is shown that the energy spectrum of alpha-particles, after their passage through porous samples, allows one to determine the distribution of their path length in the foam skeleton. We describe the procedure of deriving such a distribution, excluding both the distribution broadening due to statistical nature of the alpha-particle interaction with an atomic structure (straggling) and hardware effects. The fractal analysis of micro-images is applied to the same porous surface samples that have been studied bymore » alpha-spectrometry. The fractal dimension and size distribution of the number of the foam skeleton grains are obtained. Using the data obtained, a distribution of the total foam skeleton thickness along a chosen direction is constructed. It roughly coincides with the path length distribution of alpha-particles within a range of larger path lengths. It is concluded that the combined use of the alpha-spectrometry method and fractal analysis of images will make it possible to determine the size distribution of foam skeleton grains (or pores). The results can be used as initial data in theoretical studies on propagation of the laser and X-ray radiation in specific porous samples. (laser plasma)« less

  15. A rapid and practical strategy for the determination of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium and gold in large amounts of ultrabasic rock by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry combined with ultrasound extraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Gai; Tian, Min

    2015-04-01

    This proposed method regulated the determination of platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium and gold in platinum-group ores by nickel sulfide fire assay—inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) combined with ultrasound extraction for the first time. The quantitative limits were 0.013-0.023μg/g. The samples were fused to separate the platinum-group elements from matrix. The nickel sulfide button was then dissolved with hydrochloric acid and the insoluble platinum-group sulfide residue was dissolved with aqua regia by ultrasound bath and finally determined by ICP-OES. The proposed method has been applied into the determination of platinum-group element and gold in large amounts of ultrabasic rocks from the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe.

  16. Trace determination of antimony by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry with analyte preconcentration/atomization in a dielectric barrier discharge atomizer.

    PubMed

    Zurynková, Pavla; Dědina, Jiří; Kratzer, Jan

    2018-06-20

    Atomization conditions for antimony hydride in the plasma atomizer based on a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with atomic absorption spectrometric detection were optimized. Argon was found as the best discharge gas under a flow rate of 50 mL min - 1 while the DBD power was optimum at 30 W. Analytical figures of merit including interference study of As, Se and Bi have been subsequently investigated and the results compared to those found in an externally heated quartz tube atomizer (QTA). The limit of detection (LOD) reached in DBD (0.15 ng mL -1  Sb) is comparable to that observed in QTA (0.14 ng mL -1  Sb). Finally, possibility of Sb preconcentration by stibane in situ trapping in a DBD atomizer was studied. For trapping time of 300 s, the preconcentration efficiency and LOD, respectively, were 103 ± 2% and 0.02 ng mL -1 . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICALLY RELEVANT ARSENICALS BY PH-SELECTIVE HYDRIDE GENERATION-ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

    EPA Science Inventory


    A method based on pH-selective generation and separation of arsines is commonly used for analysis of inorganic, methylated, and dimethylated trivalent and pentavalent arsenicals by hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS). We have optimized this method to pe...

  18. Solid sampling determination of magnesium in lithium niobate crystals by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dravecz, Gabriella; Laczai, Nikoletta; Hajdara, Ivett; Bencs, László

    2016-12-01

    The vaporization/atomization processes of Mg in high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFAAS) were investigated by evaporating solid (powder) samples of lithium niobate (LiNbO3) optical single crystals doped with various amounts of Mg in a transversally heated graphite atomizer (THGA). Optimal analytical conditions were attained by using the Mg I 215.4353 nm secondary spectral line. An optimal pyrolysis temperature of 1500 °C was found for Mg, while the compromise atomization temperature in THGAs (2400 °C) was applied for analyte vaporization. The calibration was performed against solid (powered) lithium niobate crystal standards. The standards were prepared with exactly known Mg content via solid state fusion of the oxide components of the matrix and analyte. The correlation coefficient (R value) of the linear calibration was not worse than 0.9992. The calibration curves were linear in the dopant concentration range of interest (0.74-7.25 mg/g Mg), when dosing 3-10 mg of the powder samples into the graphite sample insertion boats. The Mg content of the studied 19 samples was in the range of 1.69-4.13 mg/g. The precision of the method was better than 6.3%. The accuracy of the results was verified by means of flame atomic absorption spectrometry with solution sample introduction after digestion of several crystal samples.

  19. Iron-Isotopic Fractionation Studies Using Multiple Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anbar, A. D.; Zhang, C.; Barling, J.; Roe, J. E.; Nealson, K. H.

    1999-01-01

    The importance of Fe biogeochemistry has stimulated interest in Fe isotope fractionation. Recent studies using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and a "double spike" demonstrate the existence of biogenic Fe isotope effects. Here, we assess the utility of multiple-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry(MC-ICP-MS) with a desolvating sample introduction system for Fe isotope studies, and present data on Fe biominerals produced by a thermophilic bacterium. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

  20. Low-energy plasma-cathode electron gun with a perforated emission electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burdovitsin, Victor; Kazakov, Andrey; Medovnik, Alexander; Oks, Efim; Tyunkov, Andrey

    2017-11-01

    We describe research of influence of the geometric parameters of perforated electrode on emission parameters of a plasma cathode electron gun generating continuous electron beams at gas pressure 5-6 Pa. It is shown, that the emission current increases with increasing the hole diameters and decreasing the thickness of the perforated emission electrode. Plasma-cathode gun with perforated electron can provide electron extraction with an efficiency of up to 72 %. It is shown, that the current-voltage characteristic of the electron gun with a perforated emission electrode differs from that of similar guns with fine mesh grid electrode. The plasma-cathode electron gun with perforated emission electrode is used for electron beam welding and sintering.

  1. Elemental profiling and geographical differentiation of Ethiopian coffee samples through inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), ICP-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and direct mercury analyzer (DMA).

    PubMed

    Habte, Girum; Hwang, In Min; Kim, Jae Sung; Hong, Joon Ho; Hong, Young Sin; Choi, Ji Yeon; Nho, Eun Yeong; Jamila, Nargis; Khan, Naeem; Kim, Kyong Su

    2016-12-01

    This study was aimed to establish the elemental profiling and provenance of coffee samples collected from eleven major coffee producing regions of Ethiopia. A total of 129 samples were analyzed for forty-five elements using inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-optical emission spectroscopy (OES), ICP-mass spectrometry (MS) and direct mercury analyzer (DMA). Among the macro elements, K showed the highest levels whereas Fe was found to have the lowest concentration values. In all the samples, Ca, K, Mg, P and S contents were statistically significant (p<0.05). Micro elements showed the concentrations order of: Mn>Cu>Sr>Zn>Rb>Ni>B. Contents of the trace elements were lower than the permissible standard values. Inter-regions differentiation by cluster analysis (CA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and principal component analysis (PCA) showed that micro and trace elements are the best chemical descriptors of the analyzed coffee samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Identification of peptidase substrates in human plasma by FTMS based differential mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yates, Nathan A.; Deyanova, Ekaterina G.; Geissler, Wayne; Wiener, Matthew C.; Sachs, Jeffrey R.; Wong, Kenny K.; Thornberry, Nancy A.; Sinha Roy, Ranabir; Settlage, Robert E.; Hendrickson, Ronald C.

    2007-01-01

    Approximately 2% of the human genome encodes for proteases. Unfortunately, however, the biological roles of most of these enzymes remain poorly defined, since the physiological substrates are typically unknown and are difficult to identify using traditional methods. We have developed a proteomics experiment based on FTMS profiling and differential mass spectrometry (dMS) to identify candidate endogenous substrates of proteases using fractionated human plasma as the candidate substrate pool. Here we report proof-of-concept experiments for identifying in vitro substrates of aminopeptidase P2, (APP2) and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4), a peptidase of therapeutic interest for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. For both proteases, previously validated peptide substrates spiked into the human plasma pool were identified. Of note, the differential mass spectrometry experiments also identified novel substrates for each peptidase in the subfraction of human plasma. Targeted MS/MS analysis of these peptides in the complex human plasma pool and manual confirmation of the amino acid sequences led to the identification of these substrates. The novel DPP-4 substrate EPLGRQLTSGP was chemically synthesized and cleavage kinetics were determined in an in vitro DPP-4 enzyme assay. The apparent second order rate constant (kcat/KM) for DPP-4-mediated cleavage was determined to be 2.3 x 105 M-1 s-1 confirming that this peptide is efficiently processed by the peptidase in vitro. Collectively, these results demonstrate that differential mass spectrometry has the potential to identify candidate endogenous substrates of target proteases from a human plasma pool. Importantly, knowledge of the endogenous substrates can provide useful insight into the biology of these enzymes and provides useful biomarkers for monitoring their activity in vivo.

  3. Development of the Flame Test Concept Inventory: Measuring Student Thinking about Atomic Emission

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bretz, Stacey Lowery; Murata Mayo, Ana Vasquez

    2018-01-01

    This study reports the development of a 19-item Flame Test Concept Inventory, an assessment tool to measure students' understanding of atomic emission. Fifty-two students enrolled in secondary and postsecondary chemistry courses were interviewed about atomic emission and explicitly asked to explain flame test demonstrations and energy level…

  4. Spatial and temporal variations in infrared emissions of the upper atmosphere. 1. Atomic oxygen (λ 63 μm) emission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semenov, A. I.; Medvedeva, I. V.; Perminov, V. I.; Khomich, V. Yu.

    2016-09-01

    Rocket and balloon measurement data on atomic-oxygen (λ 63 µm) emission in the upper atmosphere are presented. The data from the longest (1989-2003) period of measurements of the atomic-oxygen (λ 63 µm) emission intensity obtained by spectral instruments on sounding balloons at an altitude of 38 km at midlatitudes have been systematized and analyzed. Regularities in diurnal and seasonal variations in the intensity of this emission, as well as in its relation with solar activity, have been revealed.

  5. Atomic oxygen recombination on the ODS PM 1000 at high temperature under air plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balat-Pichelin, M.; Bêche, E.

    2010-06-01

    High temperature materials are necessary for the design of primary heat shields for future reusable space vehicles re-entering atmospheric planet at hypersonic velocity. During the re-entry phase on earth, one of the most important phenomena occurring on the heat shield is the recombination of atomic oxygen and this phenomenon is more or less catalyzed by the material of the heat shield. PM 1000 is planned to be use on the EXPERT capsule to study in real conditions its catalycity. Before the flight, it is necessary to perform measurements on ground test facility. Experimental data of the recombination coefficient of atomic oxygen under air plasma flow were obtained in the diffusion reactor MESOX on pre-oxidized PM 1000, for two total pressures 300 and 1000 Pa in the temperature range (850-1650 K) using actinometry and optical emission spectroscopy. In this investigation, the evolution of the recombination coefficient is dependent of temperature, pressure level and also of the chemical composition of the surface leading to one order of magnitude for a given temperature. The recombination coefficient is increasing with temperature and also dependent on the static pressure. The surface change due to the plasma exposure is inspected with SEM, XRD and XPS. As chromium oxide is the main part of the oxide layer formed during the oxidation in air plasma conditions, a sintered Cr 2O 3 sample was elaborated from powders to compare the data of the recombination coefficient obtained on PM 1000. Pre- and post-test analyses on the several materials were carried out using SEM, WDS, XRD and XPS.

  6. Multielemental analysis of prehistoric animal teeth by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Galiova, Michaela; Kaiser, Jozef; Fortes, Francisco J.

    2010-05-01

    Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry (MS) were utilized for microspatial analyses of a prehistoric bear (Ursus arctos) tooth dentine. The distribution of selected trace elements (Sr, Ba, Fe) was measured on a 26 mmx15 mm large and 3 mm thick transverse cross section of a canine tooth. The Na and Mg content together with the distribution of matrix elements (Ca, P) was also monitored within this area. The depth of the LIBS craters was measured with an optical profilometer. As shown, both LIBS and LA-ICP-MS can be successfully used for themore » fast, spatially resolved analysis of prehistoric teeth samples. In addition to microchemical analysis, the sample hardness was calculated using LIBS plasma ionic-to-atomic line intensity ratios of Mg (or Ca). To validate the sample hardness calculations, the hardness was also measured with a Vickers microhardness tester.« less

  7. Accelerated procedure to solve kinetic equation for neutral atoms in a hot plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tokar, Mikhail Z.

    2017-12-01

    The recombination of plasma charged components, electrons and ions of hydrogen isotopes, on the wall of a fusion reactor is a source of neutral molecules and atoms, recycling back into the plasma volume. Here neutral species participate, in particular, in charge-exchange (c-x) collisions with the plasma ions and, as a result, atoms of high energies with chaotically directed velocities are generated. Some fraction of these hot atoms hit the wall. Statistical Monte Carlo methods normally used to model c-x atoms are too time consuming for reasonably small level of accident errors and extensive parameter studies are problematic. By applying pass method to evaluate integrals from functions, including the ion velocity distribution, an iteration approach to solve one-dimensional kinetic equation [1], being alternative to Monte Carlo procedure, has been tremendously accelerated, at least by a factor of 30-50 [2]. Here this approach is developed further to solve the 2-D kinetic equation, applied to model the transport of c-x atoms in the vicinity of an opening in the wall, e.g., the entrance of the duct guiding to a diagnostic installation. This is necessary to determine firmly the energy spectrum of c-x atoms penetrating into the duct and to assess the erosion of the installation there. The results of kinetic modeling are compared with those obtained with the diffusion description for c-x atoms, being strictly relevant under plasma conditions of low temperature and high density, where the mean free path length between c-x collisions is much smaller than that till the atom ionization by electrons. It is demonstrated that the previous calculations [3], done with the diffusion approximation for c-x atoms, overestimate the erosion rate of Mo mirrors in a reactor by a factor of 3 compared to the result of the present kinetic study.

  8. Regimes of enhanced electromagnetic emission in beam-plasma interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Timofeev, I. V.; Annenkov, V. V.; Arzhannikov, A. V.

    2015-11-01

    The ways to improve the efficiency of electromagnetic waves generation in laboratory experiments with high-current relativistic electron beams injected into a magnetized plasma are discussed. It is known that such a beam can lose, in a plasma, a significant part of its energy by exciting a high level of turbulence and heating plasma electrons. Beam-excited plasma oscillations may simultaneously participate in nonlinear processes resulting in a fundamental and second harmonic emissions. It is obvious, however, that in the developed plasma turbulence the role of these emissions in the total energy balance is always negligible. In this paper, we investigate whether electromagnetic radiation generated in the beam-plasma system can be sufficiently enhanced by the direct linear conversion of resonant beam-driven modes into electromagnetic ones on preformed regular inhomogeneities of plasma density. Due to the high power of relativistic electron beams, the mechanism discussed may become the basis for the generator of powerful sub-terahertz radiation.

  9. Regimes of enhanced electromagnetic emission in beam-plasma interactions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Timofeev, I. V.; Annenkov, V. V.; Arzhannikov, A. V.

    2015-11-15

    The ways to improve the efficiency of electromagnetic waves generation in laboratory experiments with high-current relativistic electron beams injected into a magnetized plasma are discussed. It is known that such a beam can lose, in a plasma, a significant part of its energy by exciting a high level of turbulence and heating plasma electrons. Beam-excited plasma oscillations may simultaneously participate in nonlinear processes resulting in a fundamental and second harmonic emissions. It is obvious, however, that in the developed plasma turbulence the role of these emissions in the total energy balance is always negligible. In this paper, we investigate whethermore » electromagnetic radiation generated in the beam-plasma system can be sufficiently enhanced by the direct linear conversion of resonant beam-driven modes into electromagnetic ones on preformed regular inhomogeneities of plasma density. Due to the high power of relativistic electron beams, the mechanism discussed may become the basis for the generator of powerful sub-terahertz radiation.« less

  10. Modeling of radiative properties of Sn plasmas for extreme-ultraviolet source

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sasaki, Akira; Sunahara, Atsushi; Furukawa, Hiroyuki

    Atomic processes in Sn plasmas are investigated for application to extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light sources used in microlithography. We develop a full collisional radiative (CR) model of Sn plasmas based on calculated atomic data using Hebrew University Lawrence Livermore Atomic Code (HULLAC). Resonance and satellite lines from singly and multiply excited states of Sn ions, which contribute significantly to the EUV emission, are identified and included in the model through a systematic investigation of their effect on the emission spectra. The wavelengths of the 4d-4f+4p-4d transitions of Sn{sup 5+} to Sn{sup 13+} are investigated, because of their importance for determining themore » conversion efficiency of the EUV source, in conjunction with the effect of configuration interaction in the calculation of atomic structure. Calculated emission spectra are compared with those of charge exchange spectroscopy and of laser produced plasma EUV sources. The comparison is also carried out for the opacity of a radiatively heated Sn sample. A reasonable agreement is obtained between calculated and experimental EUV emission spectra observed under the typical condition of EUV sources with the ion density and ionization temperature of the plasma around 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3} and 20 eV, respectively, by applying a wavelength correction to the resonance and satellite lines. Finally, the spectral emissivity and opacity of Sn plasmas are calculated as a function of electron temperature and ion density. The results are useful for radiation hydrodynamics simulations for the optimization of EUV sources.« less

  11. DETERMINATION OF TOTAL MERCURY IN FISH TISSUES USING PYROLYSIS ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY WITH GOLD AMALGAMATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    A simple and rapid procedure for measuring total mercury in fish tissues is evaluated and
    compared with conventional techniques. Using an automated instrument incorporating combustion, preconcentration by amalgamation with gold, and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), mill...

  12. Hybrid Sargassum-sand sorbent: a novel adsorbent in packed column to treat metal-bearing wastewaters from inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Vijayaraghavan, K; Joshi, U M

    2013-01-01

    Laboratory batch and column experiments were carried out to examine the efficiency of algal-based treatment technique to clean-up wastewaters emanating from inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Chemical characterization revealed the extreme complexity of the wastewater, with the presence of 14 different metals under very low pH (pH = 1.1), high conductivity (6.98 mS/cm), total dissolved solid (4.46 g/L) and salinity (3.77). Batch experiments using Sargassum biomass indicated that it was possible to attain high removal efficiencies at optimum pH of 4.0. Efforts were also made to continuously treat ICP-OES wastewater using up-flow packed column. However, swelling of Sargassum biomass leads to stoppage of column. To address the problem, Sargassum was mixed with sand at a ratio of 40: 60 on volume basis. Remarkably, the hybrid Sargassum-sand sorbent showed very high removal efficiency towards multiple metal ions with the column able to operate for 11 h at a flow rate of 10 mL/min. Metal ions such as Cu, Cd, and Pb were only under trace levels in the treated water until 11 h. The results of the treatment process were compared with trade effluent discharge standards. Further the process evaluation and cost analysis were presented.

  13. Atomic structure data based on average-atom model for opacity calculations in astrophysical plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trzhaskovskaya, M. B.; Nikulin, V. K.

    2018-03-01

    Influence of the plasmas parameters on the electron structure of ions in astrophysical plasmas is studied on the basis of the average-atom model in the local thermodynamic equilibrium approximation. The relativistic Dirac-Slater method is used for the electron density estimation. The emphasis is on the investigation of an impact of the plasmas temperature and density on the ionization stages required for calculations of the plasmas opacities. The level population distributions and level energy spectra are calculated and analyzed for all ions with 6 ≤ Z ≤ 32 occurring in astrophysical plasmas. The plasma temperature range 2 - 200 eV and the density range 2 - 100 mg/cm3 are considered. The validity of the method used is supported by good agreement between our values of ionization stages for a number of ions, from oxygen up to uranium, and results obtained earlier by various methods among which are more complicated procedures.

  14. Ion sampling and transport in Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farnsworth, Paul B.; Spencer, Ross L.

    2017-08-01

    Quantitative accuracy and high sensitivity in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) depend on consistent and efficient extraction and transport of analyte ions from an inductively coupled plasma to a mass analyzer, where they are sorted and detected. In this review we examine the fundamental physical processes that control ion sampling and transport in ICP-MS and compare the results of theory and computerized models with experimental efforts to characterize the flow of ions through plasma mass spectrometers' vacuum interfaces. We trace the flow of ions from their generation in the plasma, into the sampling cone, through the supersonic expansion in the first vacuum stage, through the skimmer, and into the ion optics that deliver the ions to the mass analyzer. At each stage we consider idealized behavior and departures from ideal behavior that affect the performance of ICP-MS as an analytical tool.

  15. Polymeric spatial resolution test patterns for mass spectrometry imaging using nano-thermal analysis with atomic force microscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Tai, Tamin; Kertesz, Vilmos; Lin, Ming -Wei; ...

    2017-05-11

    As the spatial resolution of mass spectrometry imaging technologies has begun to reach into the nanometer regime, finding readily available or easily made resolution reference materials has become particularly challenging for molecular imaging purposes. This study describes the fabrication, characterization and use of vertical line array polymeric spatial resolution test patterns for nano-thermal analysis/atomic force microscopy/mass spectrometry chemical imaging.

  16. Polymeric spatial resolution test patterns for mass spectrometry imaging using nano-thermal analysis with atomic force microscopy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tai, Tamin; Kertesz, Vilmos; Lin, Ming -Wei

    As the spatial resolution of mass spectrometry imaging technologies has begun to reach into the nanometer regime, finding readily available or easily made resolution reference materials has become particularly challenging for molecular imaging purposes. This study describes the fabrication, characterization and use of vertical line array polymeric spatial resolution test patterns for nano-thermal analysis/atomic force microscopy/mass spectrometry chemical imaging.

  17. Visible light emission measurements from a dense electrothermal launcher plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hankins, O. E.; Bourham, M. A.; Earnhart, J.; Gilligan, J. G.

    1993-01-01

    Measurements of the visible light emission from dense, weakly non-ideal plasmas have been performed on the experimental electrothermal launcher device 'SIRENS'. The plasma is created by the ablation or a Lexan insulator in the source, which then flows through a cylindrical barrel which serves as the material sample. Visible light emission spectra have been observed both in-bore and from the muzzle flash or the barrel, and from the flash or the source. Due to high plasma opacity (the plasma emits as a near blackbody) and absorption by the molecular components of the vapor shield, the hotter core or the arc has been difficult to observe. Recent measurements along the axis or the device indicate time-averaged plasma temperatures in the barrel or about 1 eV for lower energy shots, which agree with experimental measurements of the average heat flux and plasma conductivity along the barrel. Measurements or visible emission from the source indicate time averaged temperatures of 1 to 2 eV which agree with the theoretical estimates derived from ablated mass measurements and calculated estimates derived from plasma conductivity measurements.

  18. Determination of metals in coal fly ashes using ultrasound-assisted digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Pontes, Fernanda V M; Mendes, Bruna A de O; de Souza, Evelyn M F; Ferreira, Fernanda N; da Silva, Lílian I D; Carneiro, Manuel C; Monteiro, Maria I C; de Almeida, Marcelo D; Neto, Arnaldo A; Vaitsman, Delmo S

    2010-02-05

    A method for determination of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ti, V and Zn in coal fly ash samples using ultrasound-assisted digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) is proposed. The digestion procedure consisted in the sonication of the previously dried sample with hydrofluoric acid and aqua regia at 80 degrees C for 30 min, elimination of fluorides by heating until dryness for about 1h and dissolution of the residue with nitric acid solution. A classical digestion method, used as comparative method, consisted in the addition of HCl, HNO(3) and HF to 1 g of sample, and heating on a hot plate until dryness for about 6h. The proposed method presents several advantages: it requires lower amounts of sample and reagents, and it is faster. It is also advantageous when compared to the published methods, which also use ultrasound-assisted digestion procedure: lower detection limits for Co, Cu, Ni, V and Zn, and it does not require shaking during the digestion. The detection limits (microg g(-1)) for Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ti, V and Zn were 0.06, 0.37, 1.0, 25, 0.93, 0.45, 4.0, 1.7 and 4.3, respectively. The results were in good agreement with those obtained by the classical method and reference values. The exception was Cr, which presented low recoveries in classical and proposed methods (83 and 87%, respectively). Also, the concentration for Cu obtained by the proposed method was significantly different from the reference value, in spite of the good recovery (91+/-1%). Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Atomic Data in X-Ray Astrophysics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brickhouse, N. S.

    2000-01-01

    With the launches of the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) and the X-ray Multimirror Mission (XMM) and the upcoming launch of the Japanese mission ASTRO-E, high resolution X-ray spectroscopy of cosmic sources has begun. Early, deep observations of three stellar coronal sources will provide not only invaluable calibration data, but will also give us benchmarks for the atomic data under collisional equilibrium conditions. Analysis of the Chandra X-ray Observatory data, and data from other telescopes taken simultaneously, for these stars is ongoing as part of the Emission Line Project. Goals of the Emission Line Project are: (1) to determine and verify accurate and robust diagnostics and (2) to identify and prioritize issues in fundamental spectroscopy which will require further theoretical and/or laboratory work. The Astrophysical Plasma Emission Database will be described in some detail, as it is introducing standardization and flexibility into X-ray spectral modeling. Spectral models of X-ray astrophysical plasmas can be generally classified as dominated by either collisional ionization or by X-ray photoionization. While the atomic data needs for spectral models under these two types of ionization are significantly different, there axe overlapping data needs, as I will describe. Early results from the Emission Line Project benchmarks are providing an invaluable starting place, but continuing work to improve the accuracy and completeness of atomic data is needed. Additionally, we consider the possibility that some sources will require that both collisional ionization and photoionization be taken into account, or that time-dependent ionization be considered. Thus plasma spectral models of general use need to be computed over a wide range of physical conditions.

  20. Spectral interferences in the determination of rhenium in molybdenum and copper concentrates by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karadjov, Metody; Velitchkova, Nikolaya; Veleva, Olga; Velichkov, Serafim; Markov, Pavel; Daskalova, Nonka

    2016-05-01

    This paper deals with spectral interferences of complex matrix containing Mo, Al, Ti, Fe, Mg, Ca and Cu in the determination of rhenium in molybdenum and copper concentrates by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). By radial viewing 40.68 MHz ICP equipped with a high resolution spectrometer (spectral bandwidth = 5 pm) the hyperfine structure (HFS) of the most prominent lines of rhenium (Re II 197.248 nm, Re II 221.426 nm and Re II 227.525 nm) was registered. The HFS components under high resolution conditions were used as separate prominent line in order to circumvent spectral interferences. The Q-concept was applied for quantification of spectral interferences. The quantitative databases for the type and the magnitude of the spectral interferences in the presence of above mentioned matrix constituents were obtained by using a radial viewing 40.68 MHz ICP with high resolution and an axial viewing 27.12 MHz ICP with middle resolution. The data for the both ICP-OES systems were collected chiefly with a view to spectrochemical analysis for comparing the magnitude of line and wing (background) spectral interference and the true detection limits with spectroscopic apparatus with different spectral resolution. The sample pretreatment methods by sintering with magnesium oxide and oxidizing agents as well as a microwave acid digestion were applied. The feasibility, accuracy and precision of the analytical results were experimentally demonstrated by certified reference materials.

  1. Standoff Detection of Uranium and its Isotopes by Femtosecond Filament Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Hartig, Kyle C.; Ghebregziabher, Isaac; Jovanovic, Igor

    2017-01-01

    The ability to perform not only elementally but also isotopically sensitive detection and analysis at standoff distances is impor-tant for remote sensing applications in diverse ares, such as nuclear nonproliferation, environmental monitoring, geophysics, and planetary science. We demonstrate isotopically sensitive real-time standoff detection of uranium by the use of femtosecond filament-induced laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry. A uranium oxide molecular emission isotope shift of 0.05 ± 0.007 nm is reported at 593.6 nm. We implement both spectroscopic and acoustic diagnostics to characterize the properties of uranium plasma generated at different filament-uranium interaction points. The resulting uranium oxide emis-sion exhibits a nearly constant signal-to-background ratio over the length of the filament, unlike the uranium atomic and ionic emission, for which the signal-to-background ratio varies significantly along the filament propagation. This is explained by the different rates of increase of plasma density and uranium oxide density along the filament length resulting from spectral and temporal evolution of the filament along its propagation. The results provide a basis for the optimal use of filaments for standoff detection and analysis of uranium isotopes and indicate the potential of the technique for a wider range of remote sensing applications that require isotopic sensitivity. PMID:28272450

  2. Surface Phenomena During Plasma-Assisted Atomic Layer Etching of SiO2.

    PubMed

    Gasvoda, Ryan J; van de Steeg, Alex W; Bhowmick, Ranadeep; Hudson, Eric A; Agarwal, Sumit

    2017-09-13

    Surface phenomena during atomic layer etching (ALE) of SiO 2 were studied during sequential half-cycles of plasma-assisted fluorocarbon (CF x ) film deposition and Ar plasma activation of the CF x film using in situ surface infrared spectroscopy and ellipsometry. Infrared spectra of the surface after the CF x deposition half-cycle from a C 4 F 8 /Ar plasma show that an atomically thin mixing layer is formed between the deposited CF x layer and the underlying SiO 2 film. Etching during the Ar plasma cycle is activated by Ar + bombardment of the CF x layer, which results in the simultaneous removal of surface CF x and the underlying SiO 2 film. The interfacial mixing layer in ALE is atomically thin due to the low ion energy during CF x deposition, which combined with an ultrathin CF x layer ensures an etch rate of a few monolayers per cycle. In situ ellipsometry shows that for a ∼4 Å thick CF x film, ∼3-4 Å of SiO 2 was etched per cycle. However, during the Ar plasma half-cycle, etching proceeds beyond complete removal of the surface CF x layer as F-containing radicals are slowly released into the plasma from the reactor walls. Buildup of CF x on reactor walls leads to a gradual increase in the etch per cycle.

  3. Automated plasma control with optical emission spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ward, P. P.

    Plasma etching and desmear processes for printed wiring board (PWB) manufacture are difficult to predict and control. Non-uniformity of most plasma processes and sensitivity to environmental changes make it difficult to maintain process stability from day to day. To assure plasma process performance, weight loss coupons or post-plasma destructive testing must be used. These techniques are not real-time methods however, and do not allow for immediate diagnosis and process correction. These tests often require scrapping some fraction of a batch to insure the integrity of the rest. Since these tests verify a successful cycle with post-plasma diagnostics, poor test results often determine that a batch is substandard and the resulting parts unusable. These tests are a costly part of the overall fabrication cost. A more efficient method of testing would allow for constant monitoring of plasma conditions and process control. Process anomalies should be detected and corrected before the parts being treated are damaged. Real time monitoring would allow for instantaneous corrections. Multiple site monitoring would allow for process mapping within one system or simultaneous monitoring of multiple systems. Optical emission spectroscopy conducted external to the plasma apparatus would allow for this sort of multifunctional analysis without perturbing the glow discharge. In this paper, optical emission spectroscopy for non-intrusive, in situ process control will be explored along with applications of this technique to for process control, failure analysis and endpoint determination in PWB manufacture.

  4. Optimization and determination of Cd (II) in different environmental water samples with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction preconcentration combined with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Salahinejad, Maryam; Aflaki, Fereydoon

    2011-06-01

    Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry has been investigated for determination of Cd(II) ions in water samples. Ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate was used as chelating agent. Several factors influencing the microextraction efficiency of Cd (II) ions such as extracting and dispersing solvent type and their volumes, pH, sample volume, and salting effect were optimized. The optimization was performed both via one variable at a time, and central composite design methods and the optimum conditions were selected. Both optimization methods showed nearly the same results: sample size 5 mL; dispersive solvent ethanol; dispersive solvent volume 2 mL; extracting solvent chloroform; extracting solvent volume 200 [Formula: see text]L; pH and salt amount do not affect significantly the microextraction efficiency. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.8 and 2.5 ng L( - 1), respectively. The relative standard deviation for five replicate measurements of 0.50 mg L( - 1) of Cd (II) was 4.4%. The recoveries for the spiked real samples from tap, mineral, river, dam, and sea waters samples ranged from 92.2% to 104.5%.

  5. Simultaneous extraction and preconcentration of uranium and thorium in aqueous samples by new modified mesoporous silica prior to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry determination.

    PubMed

    Yousefi, Seyed Reza; Ahmadi, Seyed Javad; Shemirani, Farzaneh; Jamali, Mohammad Reza; Salavati-Niasari, Masoud

    2009-11-15

    A new synthesized modified mesoporous silica (MCM-41) using 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde (fural) was applied as an effective sorbent for the solid phase extraction of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions from aqueous solution for the measurement by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). The influences of some analytical parameters on the quantitative recoveries of the analyte ions were investigated in batch method. Under optimal conditions, the analyte ions were sorbed by the sorbent at pH 5.5 and then eluted with 1.0 mL of 1.0 mol L(-1) HNO(3). The preconcentration factor was 100 for a 100mL sample volume. The limits of detection (LOD) obtained for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) were 0.3 microg L(-1). The maximum sorption capacity of the modified MCM-41 was found to be 47 and 49 mg g(-1) for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV), respectively. The sorbent exhibited good stability, reusability, high adsorption capacity and fast rate of equilibrium for sorption/desorption of uranium and thorium ions. The applicability of the synthesized sorbent was examined using CRM and real water samples.

  6. Determination of metallo-organic and particulate wear metals in lubricating oils associated with hybrid ceramic bearings by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Russell, Robin Ann

    It is possible to increase both the performance and operating environment of jet engines by using hybrid ceramic bearings. Our laboratory is concerned with investigating lubricating fluids for wear metals associated with silicon nitride ball bearings and steel raceways. Silicon nitride is characterized by low weight, low thermal expansion, high strength, and corrosion resistance. These attributes result in longer engine lifetimes than when metallic ball bearings are used. Before the routine use of ceramic ball bearings can be realized, the wear mechanisms of the materials should be thoroughly understood. One important variable in determining wear degradation is the concentration of metal present in the lubricating oils used with the bearings. A complete method for analyzing used lubricating oils for wear metal content must accurately determine all metal forms present. Oil samples pose problems for routine analysis due to complex organic matrices. Nebulizing these types of samples into an Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometer introduces many problems including clogging of the sample cone with carbon and increasing interferences. In addition, other techniques such as Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Atomic Emission Spectrometry are particle size dependent. They are unable to analyze particles greater than 10 mum in size. This dissertation describes a method of analyzing lubricating oils for both metallo-organic and particulate species by ICP-MS. Microwave digestion of the oil samples eliminates the need for elaborate sample introduction schemes as well as the use of a modified carrier gas. Al, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mo, Ni, Ti, and Y have been determined in both aqueous and organic media. Metallo-organic solutions of these metals were successfully digested, nebulized into the ICP, and the singly charged ions measured by mass spectrometry. Metal particulates in oil matrices have also been quantitatively determined by the above method. Linear analytical curves were

  7. Final report on CCQM-K125: elements in infant formula

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Merrick, J.; Saxby, D.; Dutra, E. S.; Sena, R. C.; Araújo, T. O.; Almeida, M. D.; Yang, L.; Pihillagawa, I. G.; Mester, Z.; Sandoval, S.; Wei, C.; Castillo, M. E. D.; Oster, C.; Fisicaro, P.; Rienitz, O.; Pape, C.; Schulz, U.; Jährling, R.; Görlitz, V.; Lampi, E.; Kakoulides, E.; Sin, D. W. M.; Yip, Y. C.; Tsoi, Y. T.; Zhu, Y.; Okumu, T. O.; Yim, Y. H.; Heo, S. W.; Han, M.; Lim, Y.; Osuna, M. A.; Regalado, L.; Uribe, C.; Buzoianu, M. M.; Duta, S.; Konopelko, L.; Krylov, A.; Shin, R.; Linsky, M.; Botha, A.; Magnusson, B.; Haraldsson, C.; Thiengmanee, U.; Klich, H.; Can, S. Z.; Coskun, F. G.; Tunc, M.; Entwisle, J.; O'Reilly, J.; Hill, S.; Goenaga-Infante, H.; Winchester, M.; Rabb, S. A.; Pérez, R.

    2017-01-01

    CCQM-K125 was organized by the Inorganic Analysis Working Group (IAWG) of CCQM to assess and document the capabilities of the national metrology institutes (NMIs) or the designated institutes (DIs) to measure the mass fractions of trace elements (K, Cu and I) in infant formula. Government Laboratory, Hong Kong SAR (GLHK) acted as the coordinating laboratory. In CCQM-K125, 25 institutes submitted the results for potassium, 24 institutes submitted the results for copper and 8 institutes submitted the results for iodine. For examination of potassium and copper, most of the participants used microwave-assisted acid digestion methods for sample dissolution. A variety of instrumental techniques including inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), flame atomic emission spectrometry (FAES) and microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (MP-AES) were employed by the participants for determination. For analysis of iodine, most of the participants used alkaline extraction methods for sample preparation. ICP-MS and ID-ICP-MS were used by the participants for the determination. Generally, the participants' results of CCQM-K125 were found consistent for all measurands according to their equivalence statements. Except with some extreme values, most of the participants obtained the values of di/U(di) within +/- 1 for the measurands. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

  8. Combustor exhaust-emissions and blowout-limits with diesel number 2 and Jet A fuels utilizing air-atomizing and pressure-atomizing nozzles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ingebo, R. D.; Norgren, C. T.

    1975-01-01

    The effect of fuel properties on exhaust emissions and blowout limits of a high-pressure combustor segment is evaluated using a splash-groove air-atomizing fuel injector and a pressure-atomizing simplex fuel nozzle to burn both diesel number 2 and Jet A fuels. Exhaust emissions and blowout data are obtained and compared on the basis of the aromatic content and volatility of the two fuels. Exhaust smoke number and emission indices for oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and unburned hydrocarbons are determined for comparison. As compared to the pressure-atomizing nozzle, the air-atomizing nozzle is found to reduce nitrogen oxides by 20%, smoke number by 30%, carbon monoxide by 70%, and unburned hydrocarbons by 50% when used with diesel number 2 fuel. The higher concentration of aromatics and lower volatility of diesel number 2 fuel as compared to Jet A fuel appears to have the most detrimental effect on exhaust emissions. Smoke number and unburned hydrocarbons are twice as high with diesel number 2 as with Jet A fuel.

  9. Growth mechanism of Al2O3 film on an organic layer in plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, J. Y.; Kim, D. W.; Kang, W. S.; Lee, J. O.; Hur, M.; Han, S. H.

    2018-01-01

    Differences in the physical and chemical properties of Al2O3 films on a Si wafer and a C x H y layer were investigated in the case of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. The Al2O3 film on the Si had a sharper interface and lower thickness than the Al2O3 film on the C x H y . The amount of carbon-impurity near the interface was larger for Al2O3 on the C x H y than for Al2O3 on the Si. In order to understand these differences, the concentrations of Al, O, C, and Si atoms through the Al2O3 films were evaluated by using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling. The emission intensities of CO molecule were analyzed for different numbers of deposition cycles, by using time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Finally, a growth mechanism for Al2O3 on an organic layer was proposed, based on the XPS and OES results for the Si wafer and the C x H y layer.

  10. Influence of the plasma environment on atomic structure using an ion-sphere model

    DOE PAGES

    Belkhiri, Madeny Jean; Fontes, Christopher John; Poirier, Michel

    2015-09-03

    Plasma environment effects on atomic structure are analyzed using various atomic structure codes. To monitor the effect of high free-electron density or low temperatures, Fermi-Dirac and Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are compared. After a discussion of the implementation of the Fermi-Dirac approach within the ion-sphere model, several applications are considered. In order to check the consistency of the modifications brought here to extant codes, calculations have been performed using the Los Alamos Cowan Atomic Structure (cats) code in its Hartree-Fock or Hartree-Fock-Slater form and the parametric potential Flexible Atomic Code (fac). The ground-state energy shifts due to the plasma effects for themore » six most ionized aluminum ions have been calculated using the fac and cats codes and fairly agree. For the intercombination resonance line in Fe 22+, the plasma effect within the uniform electron gas model results in a positive shift that agrees with the MCDF value of B. Saha et al.« less

  11. Influence of the plasma environment on atomic structure using an ion-sphere model

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Belkhiri, Madeny Jean; Fontes, Christopher John; Poirier, Michel

    Plasma environment effects on atomic structure are analyzed using various atomic structure codes. To monitor the effect of high free-electron density or low temperatures, Fermi-Dirac and Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are compared. After a discussion of the implementation of the Fermi-Dirac approach within the ion-sphere model, several applications are considered. In order to check the consistency of the modifications brought here to extant codes, calculations have been performed using the Los Alamos Cowan Atomic Structure (cats) code in its Hartree-Fock or Hartree-Fock-Slater form and the parametric potential Flexible Atomic Code (fac). The ground-state energy shifts due to the plasma effects for themore » six most ionized aluminum ions have been calculated using the fac and cats codes and fairly agree. For the intercombination resonance line in Fe 22+, the plasma effect within the uniform electron gas model results in a positive shift that agrees with the MCDF value of B. Saha et al.« less

  12. Development of atomic radical monitoring probe and its application to spatial distribution measurements of H and O atomic radical densities in radical-based plasma processing

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Takahashi, Shunji; Katagiri Engineering Co., Ltd., 3-5-34 Shitte Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0003; Takashima, Seigo

    2009-09-01

    Atomic radicals such as hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) play important roles in process plasmas. In a previous study, we developed a system for measuring the absolute density of H, O, nitrogen, and carbon atoms in plasmas using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (VUVAS) with a compact light source using an atmospheric pressure microplasma [microdischarge hollow cathode lamp (MHCL)]. In this study, we developed a monitoring probe for atomic radicals employing the VUVAS with the MHCL. The probe size was 2.7 mm in diameter. Using this probe, only a single port needs to be accessed for radical density measurements. We successfullymore » measured the spatial distribution of the absolute densities of H and O atomic radicals in a radical-based plasma processing system by moving the probe along the radial direction of the chamber. This probe allows convenient analysis of atomic radical densities to be carried out for any type of process plasma at any time. We refer to this probe as a ubiquitous monitoring probe for atomic radicals.« less

  13. Surface analysis using a new plasma assisted desorption/ionisation source for mass spectrometry in ambient air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowfield, A.; Barrett, D. A.; Alexander, M. R.; Ortori, C. A.; Rutten, F. M.; Salter, T. L.; Gilmore, I. S.; Bradley, J. W.

    2012-06-01

    The authors report on a modified micro-plasma assisted desorption/ionisation (PADI) device which creates plasma through the breakdown of ambient air rather than utilising an independent noble gas flow. This new micro-PADI device is used as an ion source for ambient mass spectrometry to analyse species released from the surfaces of polytetrafluoroethylene, and generic ibuprofen and paracetamol tablets through remote activation of the surface by the plasma. The mass spectra from these surfaces compare favourably to those produced by a PADI device constructed using an earlier design and confirm that the new ion source is an effective device which can be used to achieve ambient mass spectrometry with improved spatial resolution.

  14. Design of a portable optical emission tomography system for microwave induced compact plasma for visible to near-infrared emission lines

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rathore, Kavita, E-mail: kavira@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: pmunshi@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: sudeepb@iitk.ac.in; Munshi, Prabhat, E-mail: kavira@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: pmunshi@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: sudeepb@iitk.ac.in; Bhattacharjee, Sudeep, E-mail: kavira@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: pmunshi@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: sudeepb@iitk.ac.in

    A new non-invasive diagnostic system is developed for Microwave Induced Plasma (MIP) to reconstruct tomographic images of a 2D emission profile. A compact MIP system has wide application in industry as well as research application such as thrusters for space propulsion, high current ion beams, and creation of negative ions for heating of fusion plasma. Emission profile depends on two crucial parameters, namely, the electron temperature and density (over the entire spatial extent) of the plasma system. Emission tomography provides basic understanding of plasmas and it is very useful to monitor internal structure of plasma phenomena without disturbing its actualmore » processes. This paper presents development of a compact, modular, and versatile Optical Emission Tomography (OET) tool for a cylindrical, magnetically confined MIP system. It has eight slit-hole cameras and each consisting of a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor linear image sensor for light detection. The optical noise is reduced by using aspheric lens and interference band-pass filters in each camera. The entire cylindrical plasma can be scanned with automated sliding ring mechanism arranged in fan-beam data collection geometry. The design of the camera includes a unique possibility to incorporate different filters to get the particular wavelength light from the plasma. This OET system includes selected band-pass filters for particular argon emission 750 nm, 772 nm, and 811 nm lines and hydrogen emission H{sub α} (656 nm) and H{sub β} (486 nm) lines. Convolution back projection algorithm is used to obtain the tomographic images of plasma emission line. The paper mainly focuses on (a) design of OET system in detail and (b) study of emission profile for 750 nm argon emission lines to validate the system design.« less

  15. Topographical and Chemical Imaging of a Phase Separated Polymer Using a Combined Atomic Force Microscopy/Infrared Spectroscopy/Mass Spectrometry Platform

    DOE PAGES

    Tai, Tamin; Karácsony, Orsolya; Bocharova, Vera; ...

    2016-02-18

    This article describes how the use of a hybrid atomic force microscopy/infrared spectroscopy/mass spectrometry imaging platform was demonstrated for the acquisition and correlation of nanoscale sample surface topography and chemical images based on infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

  16. Effect of the chamber wall on fluorocarbon-assisted atomic layer etching of SiO2 using cyclic Ar/C4F8 plasma

    PubMed Central

    Kawakami, Masatoshi; Metzler, Dominik; Li, Chen; Oehrlein, Gottlieb S.

    2016-01-01

    The authors studied the effect of the temperature and chemical state of the chamber wall on process performance for atomic layer etching of SiO2 using a steady-state Ar plasma, periodic injection of a defined number of C4F8 molecules, and synchronized plasma-based Ar+ ion bombardment. To evaluate these effects, the authors measured the quartz coupling window temperature. The plasma gas phase chemistry was characterized using optical emission spectroscopy. It was found that although the thickness of the polymer film deposited in each cycle is constant, the etching behavior changed, which is likely related to a change in the plasma gas phase chemistry. The authors found that the main gas phase changes occur after C4F8 injection. The C4F8 and the quartz window react and generate SiF and CO. The emission intensity changes with wall surface state and temperature. Therefore, changes in the plasma gas species generation can lead to a shift in etching performance during processing. During initial cycles, minimal etching is observed, while etching gradually increases with cycle number. PMID:27375342

  17. High intensity, plasma-induced electron emission from large area carbon nanotube array cathodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liao Qingliang; Yang Ya; Qi Junjie

    2010-02-15

    The plasma-induced electron emission properties of large area carbon nanotube (CNT) array cathodes under different pulse electric fields were investigated. The formation and expansion of cathode plasmas were proved; in addition, the cathodes have higher emission current in the double-pulse mode than that in the single-pulse mode due to the expansion of plasma. Under the double-pulse electric field of 8.16 V/mum, the plasma's expansion velocity is about 12.33 cm/mus and the highest emission current density reached 107.72 A/cm{sup 2}. The Cerenkov radiation was used to diagnose the distribution of electron beams, and the electron beams' generating process was plasma-induced emission.

  18. Tomography of a simply magnetized toroidal plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruggero, BARNI; Stefano, CALDIROLA; Luca, FATTORINI; Claudia, RICCARDI

    2018-02-01

    Optical emission spectroscopy is a passive diagnostic technique, which does not perturb the plasma state. In particular, in a hydrogen plasma, Balmer-alpha (H α ) emission can be easily measured in the visible range along a line of sight from outside the plasma vessel. Other emission lines in the visible spectral range from hydrogen atoms and molecules can be exploited too, in order to gather complementary pieces of information on the plasma state. Tomography allows us to capture bi-dimensional structures. We propose to adopt an emission spectroscopy tomography for studying the transverse profiles of magnetized plasmas when Abel inversion is not exploitable. An experimental campaign was carried out at the Thorello device, a simple magnetized torus. The characteristics of the profile extraction method, which we implemented for this purpose are discussed, together with a few results concerning the plasma profiles in a simply magnetized torus configuration.

  19. X-ray emission from high temperature plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harries, W. L.

    1974-01-01

    X-rays from a 25-hJ plasma focus apparatus were observed with pinhole cameras. The cameras consist of 0.4 mm diameter pinholes in 2 cm thick lead housing enclosing an X-ray intensifying screen at the image plane. Pictures recorded through thin aluminum foils or plastic sheets for X-ray energies sub gamma smaller than 15 keV show distributed X-ray emissions from the focussed plasma and from the anode surface. However, when thick absorbers are used, radial filamentary structure in the X-ray emission from the anode surface is revealed. Occasionally larger structures are observed in addition to the filaments. Possible mechanisms for the filamentary structure are discussed.

  20. Determination of albendazole sulfoxide in human plasma by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Saraner, Nihal; Özkan, Güler Yağmur; Güney, Berrak; Alkan, Erkin; Burul-Bozkurt, Nihan; Sağlam, Onursal; Fikirdeşici, Ezgi; Yıldırım, Mevlüt

    2016-06-01

    A rapid, simple and sensitive method was developed and validated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for determination of albendazole sulfoxide (ABZOX) in human plasma. The plasma samples were extracted by protein precipitation using albendazole sulfoxide-d3 as internal standard (IS). The chromatographic separation was performed on Waters Xbridge C18Column (100×4.6mm, 3.5μm) with a mobile phase consisting of ammonia solution, water and methanol at a flow rate of 0.70mL/min. ABZOX was detected and identified by mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive ion and multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The method was linear in the range of 3-1500ng/mL for ABZOX. This method was successfully applied to the bioequivalence study in human plasma samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Imaging of turbulent structures and tomographic reconstruction of TORPEX plasma emissivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iraji, D.; Furno, I.; Fasoli, A.; Theiler, C.

    2010-12-01

    In the TORPEX [A. Fasoli et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 055902 (2006)], a simple magnetized plasma device, low frequency electrostatic fluctuations associated with interchange waves, are routinely measured by means of extensive sets of Langmuir probes. To complement the electrostatic probe measurements of plasma turbulence and study of plasma structures smaller than the spatial resolution of probes array, a nonperturbative direct imaging system has been developed on TORPEX, including a fast framing Photron-APX-RS camera and an image intensifier unit. From the line-integrated camera images, we compute the poloidal emissivity profile of the plasma by applying a tomographic reconstruction technique using a pixel method and solving an overdetermined set of equations by singular value decomposition. This allows comparing statistical, spectral, and spatial properties of visible light radiation with electrostatic fluctuations. The shape and position of the time-averaged reconstructed plasma emissivity are observed to be similar to those of the ion saturation current profile. In the core plasma, excluding the electron cyclotron and upper hybrid resonant layers, the mean value of the plasma emissivity is observed to vary with (Te)α(ne)β, in which α =0.25-0.7 and β =0.8-1.4, in agreement with collisional radiative model. The tomographic reconstruction is applied to the fast camera movie acquired with 50 kframes/s rate and 2 μs of exposure time to obtain the temporal evolutions of the emissivity fluctuations. Conditional average sampling is also applied to visualize and measure sizes of structures associated with the interchange mode. The ω-time and the two-dimensional k-space Fourier analysis of the reconstructed emissivity fluctuations show the same interchange mode that is detected in the ω and k spectra of the ion saturation current fluctuations measured by probes. Small scale turbulent plasma structures can be detected and tracked in the reconstructed emissivity movies

  2. Imaging of turbulent structures and tomographic reconstruction of TORPEX plasma emissivity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Iraji, D.; Furno, I.; Fasoli, A.

    In the TORPEX [A. Fasoli et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 055902 (2006)], a simple magnetized plasma device, low frequency electrostatic fluctuations associated with interchange waves, are routinely measured by means of extensive sets of Langmuir probes. To complement the electrostatic probe measurements of plasma turbulence and study of plasma structures smaller than the spatial resolution of probes array, a nonperturbative direct imaging system has been developed on TORPEX, including a fast framing Photron-APX-RS camera and an image intensifier unit. From the line-integrated camera images, we compute the poloidal emissivity profile of the plasma by applying a tomographic reconstruction technique usingmore » a pixel method and solving an overdetermined set of equations by singular value decomposition. This allows comparing statistical, spectral, and spatial properties of visible light radiation with electrostatic fluctuations. The shape and position of the time-averaged reconstructed plasma emissivity are observed to be similar to those of the ion saturation current profile. In the core plasma, excluding the electron cyclotron and upper hybrid resonant layers, the mean value of the plasma emissivity is observed to vary with (T{sub e}){sup {alpha}}(n{sub e}){sup {beta}}, in which {alpha}=0.25-0.7 and {beta}=0.8-1.4, in agreement with collisional radiative model. The tomographic reconstruction is applied to the fast camera movie acquired with 50 kframes/s rate and 2 {mu}s of exposure time to obtain the temporal evolutions of the emissivity fluctuations. Conditional average sampling is also applied to visualize and measure sizes of structures associated with the interchange mode. The {omega}-time and the two-dimensional k-space Fourier analysis of the reconstructed emissivity fluctuations show the same interchange mode that is detected in the {omega} and k spectra of the ion saturation current fluctuations measured by probes. Small scale turbulent plasma structures can be

  3. Effect of secondary electron emission on the plasma sheath

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Langendorf, S.; Walker, M.

    2015-03-01

    In this experiment, plasma sheath potential profiles are measured over boron nitride walls in argon plasma and the effect of secondary electron emission is observed. Results are compared to a kinetic model. Plasmas are generated with a number density of 3 × 1012 m-3 at a pressure of 10-4 Torr-Ar, with a 1%-16% fraction of energetic primary electrons. The sheath potential profile at the surface of each sample is measured with emissive probes. The electron number densities and temperatures are measured in the bulk plasma with a planar Langmuir probe. The plasma is non-Maxwellian, with isotropic and directed energetic electron populations from 50 to 200 eV and hot and cold Maxwellian populations from 3.6 to 6.4 eV and 0.3 to 1.3 eV, respectively. Plasma Debye lengths range from 4 to 7 mm and the ion-neutral mean free path is 0.8 m. Sheath thicknesses range from 20 to 50 mm, with the smaller thickness occurring near the critical secondary electron emission yield of the wall material. Measured floating potentials are within 16% of model predictions. Measured sheath potential profiles agree with model predictions within 5 V (˜1 Te), and in four out of six cases deviate less than the measurement uncertainty of 1 V.

  4. Mercury in Environmental and Biological Samples Using Online Combustion with Sequential Atomic Absorption and Fluorescence Measurements: A Direct Comparison of Two Fundamental Techniques in Spectrometry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cizdziel, James V.

    2011-01-01

    In this laboratory experiment, students quantitatively determine the concentration of an element (mercury) in an environmental or biological sample while comparing and contrasting the fundamental techniques of atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). A mercury analyzer based on sample combustion,…

  5. Excitation of atoms and ions in plasmas by ultra-short electromagnetic pulses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Astapenko, V. A.; Sakhno, S. V.; Svita, S. Yu; Lisitsa, V. S.

    2017-02-01

    The problem of atoms and ions diagnostics in rarefied and dense plasmas by ultrashort laser pulses (USP) is under consideration. The application of USP provides: 1) excitation from ground states due to their carrier frequency high enough, 2) penetration into optically dense media due to short pulses duration. The excitation from ground atomic states increases sharply populations of excited atomic states in contrast with standard laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy based on radiative transitions between excited atomic states. New broadening parameter in radiation absorption, namely inverse pulse duration time 1/τ appears in addition to standard line-shape width in the profile G(ω). The Lyman-beta absorption spectra for USP are calculated for Holtsmark static broadening mechanism. Excitation of highly charged H-like ions in hot plasmas is described by both Gaussian shapes for Doppler broadening and pulse spectrum resulting in analytical absorption line-shape. USP penetration into optically thick media and corresponding excitation probability are calculated. It is shown a great effect of USP duration on excitation probabilities in optically thick media. The typical situations for plasma diagnostics by USP are discussed in details.

  6. Correlation between the plasma characteristics and the surface chemistry of plasma-treated polymers through partial least-squares analysis.

    PubMed

    Mavadat, Maryam; Ghasemzadeh-Barvarz, Massoud; Turgeon, Stéphane; Duchesne, Carl; Laroche, Gaétan

    2013-12-23

    We investigated the effect of various plasma parameters (relative density of atomic N and H, plasma temperature, and vibrational temperature) and process conditions (pressure and H2/(N2 + H2) ratio) on the chemical composition of modified poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). The plasma parameters were measured by means of near-infrared (NIR) and UV-visible emission spectroscopy with and without actinometry. The process conditions of the N2-H2 microwave discharges were set at various pressures ranging from 100 to 2000 mTorr and H2/(N2+H2) gas mixture ratios between 0 and 0.4. The surface chemical composition of the modified polymers was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A mathematical model was constructed using the partial least-squares regression algorithm to correlate the plasma information (process condition and plasma parameters as determined by emission spectroscopy) with the modified surface characteristics. To construct the model, a set of data input variables containing process conditions and plasma parameters were generated, as well as a response matrix containing the surface composition of the polymer. This model was used to predict the composition of PTFE surfaces subjected to N2-H2 plasma treatment. Contrary to what is generally accepted in the literature, the present data demonstrate that hydrogen is not directly involved in the defluorination of the surface but rather produces atomic nitrogen and/or NH radicals that are shown to be at the origin of fluorine atom removal from the polymer surface. The results show that process conditions alone do not suffice in predicting the surface chemical composition and that the plasma characteristics, which cannot be easily correlated with these conditions, should be considered. Process optimization and control would benefit from plasma diagnostics, particularly infrared emission spectroscopy.

  7. Temperature-controlled electrothermal atomization-atomic absorption spectrometry using a pyrometric feedback system in conjunction with a background monitoring device

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Deijck, W.; Roelofsen, A. M.; Pieters, H. J.; Herber, R. F. M.

    The construction of a temperature-controlled feedback system for electrothermal atomization-atomic absorption spectrometry (ETA-AAS) using an optical pyrometer applied to the atomization stage is described. The system was used in conjunction with a fast-response background monitoring device. The heating rate of the furnace amounted to 1400° s -1 with a reproducibility better than 1%. The precision of the temperature control at a steady state temperature of 2000°C was 0.1%. The analytical improvements offered by the present system have been demonstrated by the determination of cadmium and lead in blood and finally by the determination of lead in serum. Both the sensitivity and the precision of the method have been improved. The accuracy of the method was checked by determining the lead content for a number of scrum samples both by ETA-AAS and differential pulse anodic stripping voltametry (DPASV) and proved to be satisfactory.

  8. Surface interaction of polyimide with oxygen ECR plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naddaf, M.; Balasubramanian, C.; Alegaonkar, P. S.; Bhoraskar, V. N.; Mandle, A. B.; Ganeshan, V.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

    2004-07-01

    Polyimide (Kapton-H), was subjected to atomic oxygen from an electron cyclotron resonance plasma. An optical emission spectrometer was used to characterize the atomic oxygen produced in the reactor chamber. The energy of the ions was measured using a retarding field analyzer, placed near the substrate. The density of atomic oxygen in the plasma was estimated using a nickel catalytic probe. The surface wettability of the polyimide samples monitored by contact angle measurements showed considerable improvement when treated with plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies showed that the atomic oxygen in the plasma is the main specie affecting the surface chemistry and adhesion properties of polyimide. The improvement in the surface wettability is attributed to the high degree of cross-linking and large concentration of polar groups generated in the surface region of polyimide, after plasma treatment. The changes in the surface region of polyimide were observed by atomic force microscopic analysis.

  9. Influence Of Inelastic Ridberg Atom-Atom Collisional Process On Kinetic And Optical Properties Of Low-Temperature Laboratory And Astrophysical Plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klyucharev, A. N.; Bezuglov, N. N.; Mihajlov, A. A.; Ignjatovic, Lj. M.

    2010-07-01

    Elementary processes in plasma phenomena traditionally attract physicist`s attention. The channel of charged-particle formation in Rydberg Atom-Atom thermal and subthermal collisions (the low temperature plasmas conditions) leads to creation of the molecular ions - associative ionization (AI), atomic ions - penning-like ionization (PI) and the pair of the negative and positive ions. In our universe the chemical composition of the primordial gas consists mainly of Hydrogen and Helium (H, H- , H+, H2, He, He+ ), Hydrogen-like alkali-metal Litium (Li, Li+, Li-) and combinations (HeH+ , LiH- , LiH+). There is a wide range of plasma parameters in which the Rydberg Atoms of the elements called above make the dominant construction to ionization and that process may be regarded as a prototype of the elementary process of light excitation energy transformation into electric one. The first series of quantitative measurements of the rate constants for Rydberg Atoms starts in 1978 (Devdariani, Klyucharev et al.). The method of AI and PI calculations, so-called "dipole resonant" mechanism proposed in 1971 (Smirnov, Mihaylov) was used in semiclassical (Mihailov and Janev 1981) and quantum mechanical theories (Duman, Shmatov, 1980). The latest stochastic version of chemi-ionisation (AI+PI) on Rydberg Atom - Atom collisions extends the treatment of the "dipole resonant" model by taking into account redistribution of population over a range of Rydberg states prior to ionization. This redistribution is modeled as diffusion in the frame of stochastic dynamic of the Rydberg electron in the Rydberg energy spectrum (Bezuglov, Borodin, Klyucharev et al. 1997). Such approach makes it possible to operate on efficiently of inelastic collisional processes and sometimes to operate on time of Rydberg Atoms life. This may lead to anomalies of Rydberg Atoms spectra. Another result obtained in recent time is understanding that experimental results on chemi-ionization relate to the group of mixed

  10. Gunshot residue (GSR) analysis by single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS).

    PubMed

    Heringer, Rodrigo D; Ranville, James F

    2018-05-25

    Single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) was investigated as a screening-level technique for the analysis and characterization of inorganic gunshot residue (IGSR) nanoparticles. spICP-MS works with undigested samples whereby nanoparticles (NPs) in a suspension are individually atomized and ionized as they reach the plasma, each resulting in a pulse of analyte ions that can be quantified. The method is rapid, and signals from hundreds of NPs can be collected in 1-2min per sample. The technique is quantitative for NP mass and number concentration when only one element (single element mode) is measured using a quadrupole MS. Likewise, a qualitative elemental fingerprint can be obtained for individual NPs when peak-hopping between two elements (dual element mode). For this proof of concept study, each shooter's hand was sampled with ultrapure water or swab to obtain NPs suspensions. Measurements of antimony, barium, and lead were performed using both analysis modes. With no sample preparation and fully automated sample introduction, it is possible to analyze more than 100 samples in a day. Results show that this technique opens a new perspective for future research on GSR sample identification and characterization and can complement SEM/EDX analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Surface loss probability of atomic hydrogen for different electrode cover materials investigated in H₂-Ar low-pressure plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sode, M., E-mail: maik.sode@ipp.mpg.de; Schwarz-Selinger, T.; Jacob, W.

    2014-07-07

    In an inductively coupled H₂-Ar plasma at a total pressure of 1.5 Pa, the influence of the electrode cover material on selected line intensities of H, H₂, and Ar are determined by optical emission spectroscopy and actinometry for the electrode cover materials stainless steel, copper, tungsten, Macor{sup ®}, and aluminum. Hydrogen dissociation degrees for the considered conditions are determined experimentally from the measured emission intensity ratios. The surface loss probability β{sub H} of atomic hydrogen is correlated with the measured line intensities, and β{sub H} values are determined for the considered materials. Without the knowledge of the atomic hydrogen temperature,more » β{sub H} cannot be determined exactly. However, ratios of β{sub H} values for different surface materials are in first order approximation independent of the atomic hydrogen temperature. Our results show that β{sub H} of copper is equal to the value of stainless steel, β{sub H} of Macor{sup ®} and tungsten is about 2 times smaller and β{sub H} of aluminum about 5 times smaller compared with stainless steel. The latter ratio is in reasonable agreement with literature. The influence of the atomic hydrogen temperature T{sub H} on the absolute value is thoroughly discussed. For our assumption of T{sub H}=600 K, we determine a β{sub H} for stainless steel of 0.39±0.13.« less

  12. Analysis of Dithiocarbamate Fungicides in Vegetable Matrices Using HPLC-UV Followed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Al-Alam, Josephine; Bom, Laura; Chbani, Asma; Fajloun, Ziad; Millet, Maurice

    2017-04-01

    A simple method combining ion-pair methylation, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis with detection at 272 nm and atomic absorption spectrometry was developed in order to determine 10 dithiocarbamate fungicides (Dazomet, Metam-sodium, Ferbam, Ziram, Zineb, Maneb, Mancozeb, Metiram, Nabam and Propineb) and distinguish ethylenbisdithiocarbamates (EBDTCs) Zineb, Maneb and Mancozeb in diverse matrices. This method associates reverse phase analysis by HPLC analysis with detection at 272 nm, with atomic absorption spectrometry in order to distinguish, with the same extraction protocol, Maneb, Mancozeb and Zineb. The limits of detection (0.4, 0.8, 0.5, 1.25 and 1.97) and quantification (1.18, 2.5, 1.52, 4.2 and 6.52) calculated in injected nanogram, respectively, for Dazomet, Metam-Na, dimethyldithiocarbamates (DMDTCs), EBDTCs and propylenebisdithiocarbamates (PBDTCs) justify the sensitivity of the method used. The coefficients of determination R2 were 0.9985, 0.9978, 0.9949, 0.988 and 0.9794, respectively, for Dazomet, Metam-Na, DMDTCs, EBDTCs and PBDTCs, and the recovery from fortified apple and leek samples was above 90%. Results obtained with the atomic absorption method in comparison with spectrophotometric analysis focus on the importance of the atomic absorption as a complementary specific method for the distinction between different EBDTCs fungicides. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Atomic hydrogen and diatomic titanium-monoxide molecular spectroscopy in laser-induced plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parigger, Christian G.; Woods, Alexander C.

    2017-03-01

    This article gives a brief review of experimental studies of hydrogen Balmer series emission spectra. Ongoing research aims to evaluate early plasma evolution following optical breakdown in laboratory air. Of interest is as well laser ablation of metallic titanium and characterization of plasma evolution. Emission of titanium monoxide is discussed together with modeling of diatomic spectra to infer temperature. The behavior of titanium particles in plasma draws research interests ranging from the modeling of stellar atmospheres to the enhancement of thin film production via pulsed laser deposition.

  14. FOREWORD: The 5th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tchang-Brillet, Wad Lydia; Wyart, Jean-François; Zeippen, Claude

    1996-01-01

    the same editors. The major trends already apparent during the preceding meetings have been confirmed. The quality of astrophysical observations is being continuously improved In particular, the Hubble Space Telescope launched between the third and the fourth colloquia continues to bring high-resolution data while the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is at the beginning of its adventure and the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) is expected. Astrophysicists interested in solar or stellar atmospheres are facing new diagnostic problems concerning line broadening and deviation from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). Studies of laboratory plasma like X-ray lasers and fusion plasma are still demanding more atomic data, for instance for problems related to a tokamak divertor in the future International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The need for atomic data in the interpretation of the new observations constitutes a stimulating challenge for atomic physicists. Theoreticians not only continue to improve the description of atomic structure including relativistic and nuclear hyperhe effects, but also carry out methodological developments, such as global and statistical approaches. They are able, using up-to-date computational techniques, to produce large amounts of data and are organising these data in user-friendly computerised databases. Results of systematic calculations (such as the Opacity Project) now are being exploited for modelling. A new tool for plasma diagnostics is proposed via the polarisation of X-ray emission. On the experimental side, novelties of the last decade like the Electron Beam Ion Trap and the VW Fourier transform spectrometer are fully operational. Emission measurements and the combination of atomic beam and laser techniques proved to be complementary and fruitful for lifetime determinations. Efforts are made by atomic physicists to estimate the precision of measured or calculated data released. Laboratory spectroscopy

  15. On Floating Potential of Emissive Probes in a Partially-Magnetized Plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raitses, Yevgeny; Kraus, Brian

    2016-10-01

    We compare measurements of plasma potential in a cross-field Penning discharge from two probes: swept biased Langmuir probe and floating emissive probe. The plasma potential was deduced from the first derivative of the Langmuir probe characteristic. In previous studies, the emissive and swept biased probes were placed at the channel exit of a Hall thruster (HT). Measurements showed that the emissive probe floats below the plasma potential, in agreement with conventional theories. However, recent measurements in the Penning discharge indicate a floating potential of a strongly-emitting hot probe above the plasma potential. In both probe applications, xenon plasmas have magnetized electrons and non-magnetized ions with similar plasma densities (1010 - 1011 cm-3) . Though their electron temperatures differ by an order of magnitude (Penning 5 eV, HT 50 eV), this difference cannot explain the difference in measurement values of the hot floating potential because both temperatures are much higher than the emitting wire. In this work, we investigate how the ion velocity and other plasma parameters affect this discrepancy between probe measurements of the plasma potential. This work was supported by DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

  16. Evidence of adipocere in a burial pit from the foot and mouth epidemic of 1967 using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Vane, Christopher H; Trick, Julian K

    2005-11-10

    Gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to characterise the fatty acids from soils and associated tissues excavated from a 1967 Foot and Mouth burial pit. Subcutaneous fats were mainly comprised of 55-75% palmitic acid, 17-22% stearic acid and 3-16% oleic acid as well as 5-7% myristic acid. The distribution of fatty acids confirmed that the tissues were decayed to adipocere. The loss of oleic acid to <3% in two of the decayed fats suggested advanced stages of adipocere. However, adipocere formation was limited in a third tissue sample recovered from greater depth. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry of the pore waters revealed a decrease in Ca concentration and concurrent increase in Na concentrations this suggested that insoluble calcium salt had formed through displacement of sodium. The use of fatty acid profiles from soils and soil interstitial pore waters provide complementary evidence of adipocere formation in foot and mouth burial pits.

  17. Study of atomic and molecular emission spectra of Sr by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

    PubMed

    Bhatt, Chet R; Alfarraj, Bader; Ayyalasomayajula, Krishna K; Ghany, Charles; Yueh, Fang Y; Singh, Jagdish P

    2015-12-01

    Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is an ideal analytical technique for in situ analysis of elemental composition. We have performed a comparative study of the quantitative and qualitative analysis of atomic and molecular emission from LIBS spectra. In our experiments, a mixture of SrCl2 and Al2O3 in powder form was used as a sample. The atomic emission from Sr and molecular emission from SrCl and SrO observed in LIBS spectra were analyzed. The optimum laser energies, gate delays, and gate widths for selected atomic lines and molecular bands were determined from spectra recorded at various experimental parameters. These optimum experimental conditions were used to collect calibration data, and the calibration curves were used to predict the Sr concentration. Limits of detection (LODs) for selected atomic and molecular emission spectra were determined.

  18. Comparison of Three Plasma Sources for Ambient Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McKay, Kirsty; Salter, Tara L.; Bowfield, Andrew; Walsh, James L.; Gilmore, Ian S.; Bradley, James W.

    2014-09-01

    Plasma-based desorption/ionization sources are an important ionization technique for ambient surface analysis mass spectrometry. In this paper, we compare and contrast three competing plasma based desorption/ionization sources: a radio-frequency (rf) plasma needle, a dielectric barrier plasma jet, and a low-temperature plasma probe. The ambient composition of the three sources and their effectiveness at analyzing a range of pharmaceuticals and polymers were assessed. Results show that the background mass spectrum of each source was dominated by air species, with the rf needle producing a richer ion spectrum consisting mainly of ionized water clusters. It was also seen that each source produced different ion fragments of the analytes under investigation: this is thought to be due to different substrate heating, different ion transport mechanisms, and different electric field orientations. The rf needle was found to fragment the analytes least and as a result it was able to detect larger polymer ions than the other sources.

  19. Comparison of three plasma sources for ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    McKay, Kirsty; Salter, Tara L; Bowfield, Andrew; Walsh, James L; Gilmore, Ian S; Bradley, James W

    2014-09-01

    Plasma-based desorption/ionization sources are an important ionization technique for ambient surface analysis mass spectrometry. In this paper, we compare and contrast three competing plasma based desorption/ionization sources: a radio-frequency (rf) plasma needle, a dielectric barrier plasma jet, and a low-temperature plasma probe. The ambient composition of the three sources and their effectiveness at analyzing a range of pharmaceuticals and polymers were assessed. Results show that the background mass spectrum of each source was dominated by air species, with the rf needle producing a richer ion spectrum consisting mainly of ionized water clusters. It was also seen that each source produced different ion fragments of the analytes under investigation: this is thought to be due to different substrate heating, different ion transport mechanisms, and different electric field orientations. The rf needle was found to fragment the analytes least and as a result it was able to detect larger polymer ions than the other sources.

  20. Mid-IR enhanced laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, Staci; Ford, Alan; Akpovo, Codjo A.; Johnson, Lewis

    2016-08-01

    A double-pulsed laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (DP-LIBS) technique utilizing wavelengths in the mid-infrared (MIR) for the second pulse, referred to as double-pulse LAMIS (DP-LAMIS), was examined for its effect on detection limits compared to single-pulse laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry (LAMIS). A MIR carbon dioxide (CO2) laser pulse at 10.6 μm was employed to enhance spectral emissions from nanosecond-laser-induced plasma via mid-IR reheating and in turn, improve the determination of the relative abundance of isotopes in a sample. This technique was demonstrated on a collection of 10BO and 11BO molecular spectra created from enriched boric acid (H3BO3) isotopologues in varying concentrations. Effects on the overall ability of both LAMIS and DP-LAMIS to detect the relative abundance of boron isotopes in a starting sample were considered. Least-squares fitting to theoretical models was used to deduce plasma parameters and understand reproducibility of results. Furthermore, some optimization for conditions of the enhanced emission was achieved, along with a comparison of the overall emission intensity, plasma density, and plasma temperature generated by the two techniques.

  1. The Challenges of Plasma Modeling: Current Status and Future Plans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foster, A. R.; Smith, R. K.; Brickhouse, N. S.; Kallman, T. R.; Witthoeft, M. C.

    2010-12-01

    Successfully modeling X-ray emission from astrophysical plasmas requires a wide range of atomic data to be rapidly accessible by modeling codes, enabling calculation of synthetic spectra for fitting with observations. Over many years the astrophysical databases have roughly kept pace with the advances in detector and spectrometer technology. We outline here the basic atomic processes contributing to the emission from different types of plasmas and briefly touch on the difference between the methods used to calculate this data. We then discuss in more detail the different issues addressed by atomic databases in regards to what data to store and how to make it accessible. Finally, the question of the effect of uncertainties in atomic data is explored, as a reminder to observers that atomic data is not known to infinite precision, and should not be treated as such.

  2. Electron emission and plasma generation in a modulator electron gun using ferroelectric cathode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Shutao; Zheng, Shuxin; Zhu, Ziqiu; Dong, Xianlin; Tang, Chuanxiang

    2006-10-01

    Strong electron emission and dense plasma generation have been observed in a modulator electron gun with a Ba 0.67Sr 0.33TiO 3 ferroelectric cathode. Parameter of the modulator electron gun and lifetime of the ferroelectric cathode were investigated. It was shown that electron emission from Ba 0.67Sr 0.33TiO 3 cathode with a positive triggering pulse is a sort of plasma emission. Electrons were emitted by the co-effect of surface plasma and non-compensated negative polarization charges at the surface of the ferroelectric. The element analyses of the graphite collector after emission process was performed to show the ingredient of the plasma consist of Ba, Ti and Cu heavy cations of the ceramic compound and electrode. It was demonstrated the validity of the Child-Langmuir law by introducing the decrease of vacuum gap and increase of emission area caused by the expansion of the surface plasma.

  3. Temperature dependence of emission measure in solar X-ray plasmas. 1: Non-flaring active regions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Phillips, K. J. H.

    1974-01-01

    X-ray and ultraviolet line emission from hot, optically thin material forming coronal active regions on the sun may be described in terms of an emission measure distribution function, Phi (T). A relationship is developed between line flux and Phi (T), a theory which assumes that the electron density is a single-valued function of temperature. The sources of error involved in deriving Phi (T) from a set of line fluxes are examined in some detail. These include errors in atomic data (collisional excitation rates, assessment of other mechanisms for populating excited states of transitions, element abundances, ion concentrations, oscillator strengths) and errors in observed line fluxes arising from poorly - known instrumental responses. Two previous analyses are discussed in which Phi (T) for a non-flaring active region is derived. A least squares method of Batstone uses X-ray data of low statistical significance, a fact which appears to influence the results considerably. Two methods for finding Phi (T) ab initio are developed. The coefficients are evaluated by least squares. These two methods should have application not only to active-region plasmas, but also to hot, flare-produced plasmas.

  4. Quantitative bioanalysis of strontium in human serum by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Somarouthu, Srikanth; Ohh, Jayoung; Shaked, Jonathan; Cunico, Robert L; Yakatan, Gerald; Corritori, Suzana; Tami, Joe; Foehr, Erik D

    2015-01-01

    Aim: A bioanalytical method using inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to measure endogenous levels of strontium in human serum was developed and validated. Results & methodology: This article details the experimental procedures used for the method development and validation thus demonstrating the application of the inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry method for quantification of strontium in human serum samples. The assay was validated for specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery and stability. Significant endogenous levels of strontium are present in human serum samples ranging from 19 to 96 ng/ml with a mean of 34.6 ± 15.2 ng/ml (SD). Discussion & conclusion: Calibration procedures and sample pretreatment were simplified for high throughput analysis. The validation demonstrates that the method was sensitive, selective for quantification of strontium (88Sr) and is suitable for routine clinical testing of strontium in human serum samples. PMID:28031925

  5. Novel Cyclosilazane-Type Silicon Precursor and Two-Step Plasma for Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition of Silicon Nitride.

    PubMed

    Park, Jae-Min; Jang, Se Jin; Lee, Sang-Ick; Lee, Won-Jun

    2018-03-14

    We designed cyclosilazane-type silicon precursors and proposed a three-step plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process to prepare silicon nitride films with high quality and excellent step coverage. The cyclosilazane-type precursor, 1,3-di-isopropylamino-2,4-dimethylcyclosilazane (CSN-2), has a closed ring structure for good thermal stability and high reactivity. CSN-2 showed thermal stability up to 450 °C and a sufficient vapor pressure of 4 Torr at 60 °C. The energy for the chemisorption of CSN-2 on the undercoordinated silicon nitride surface as calculated by density functional theory method was -7.38 eV. The PEALD process window was between 200 and 500 °C, with a growth rate of 0.43 Å/cycle. The best film quality was obtained at 500 °C, with hydrogen impurity of ∼7 atom %, oxygen impurity less than 2 atom %, low wet etching rate, and excellent step coverage of ∼95%. At 300 °C and lower temperatures, the wet etching rate was high especially at the lower sidewall of the trench pattern. We introduced the three-step PEALD process to improve the film quality and the step coverage on the lower sidewall. The sequence of the three-step PEALD process consists of the CSN-2 feeding step, the NH 3 /N 2 plasma step, and the N 2 plasma step. The H radicals in NH 3 /N 2 plasma efficiently remove the ligands from the precursor, and the N 2 plasma after the NH 3 plasma removes the surface hydrogen atoms to activate the adsorption of the precursor. The films deposited at 300 °C using the novel precursor and the three-step PEALD process showed a significantly improved step coverage of ∼95% and an excellent wet etching resistance at the lower sidewall, which is only twice as high as that of the blanket film prepared by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition.

  6. Plasma process control with optical emission spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ward, P. P.

    Plasma processes for cleaning, etching and desmear of electronic components and printed wiring boards (PWB) are difficult to predict and control. Non-uniformity of most plasma processes and sensitivity to environmental changes make it difficult to maintain process stability from day to day. To assure plasma process performance, weight loss coupons or post-plasma destructive testing must be used. The problem with these techniques is that they are not real-time methods and do not allow for immediate diagnosis and process correction. These methods often require scrapping some fraction of a batch to insure the integrity of the rest. Since these methods verify a successful cycle with post-plasma diagnostics, poor test results often determine that a batch is substandard and the resulting parts unusable. Both of these methods are a costly part of the overall fabrication cost. A more efficient method of testing would allow for constant monitoring of plasma conditions and process control. Process failures should be detected before the parts being treated. are damaged. Real time monitoring would allow for instantaneous corrections. Multiple site monitoring would allow for process mapping within one system or simultaneous monitoring of multiple systems. Optical emission spectroscopy conducted external to the plasma apparatus would allow for this sort of multifunctional analysis without perturbing the glow discharge. In this paper, optical emission spectroscopy for non-intrusive, in situ process control will be explored. A discussion of this technique as it applies towards process control, failure analysis and endpoint determination will be conducted. Methods for identifying process failures, progress and end of etch back and desmear processes will be discussed.

  7. Absorption and emission spectra of Li atoms trapped in rare gas matrices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, J. J.; Balling, L. C.

    1980-10-01

    Pulsed-dye-laser excitation has been used to investigate the optical absorption and emission spectra of Li atoms trapped in Ar, Kr, and Xe matrices at 10 °K. Attempts to stabilize Li atoms in a Ne matrix at 2 °K were unsuccessful. Results for all three rare gases were qualitatively the same. White light absorption scans showed a single absorption with three peaks centered near the free-atom 2s→2p transition wavelength. The intensity of fluorescence produced by dye-laser excitation within this absorption band was measured as a function of emission wavelength. Excitation of the longest- and shortest-wavelength absorption peaks produced identical emission profiles, but no distinct fluorescence signal was detected when the laser was tuned to the central absorption peaks, indicating that the apparent absorption triplet is actually the superposition of a singlet and a doublet absorption originating from two different trapping sites. No additional absorption bands were detected.

  8. Two new advanced forms of spectrometry for space and commercial applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schlager, Kenneth J.

    1991-01-01

    Reagentless ultraviolet absorption spectrometry (UVAS) and Liquid Atomic Emission Spectrometry (LAES) represent new forms of spectrometry with extensive potential in both space and commercial applications. Originally developed under KSC sponsorship for monitoring nutrient solutions for the Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS), both UVAS and LAES have extensive analytical capabilities for both organic and inorganic chemical compounds. Both forms of instrumentation involve the use of remote fiber optic probes and real-time measurements for on-line process monitoring. Commercial applications exist primarily in environmental analysis and for process control in the chemical, pulp and paper, food processing, metal plating, and water/wastewater treatment industries.

  9. Automated standardization technique for an inductively-coupled plasma emission spectrometer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garbarino, John R.; Taylor, Howard E.

    1982-01-01

    The manifold assembly subsystem described permits real-time computer-controlled standardization and quality control of a commercial inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. The manifold assembly consists of a branch-structured glass manifold, a series of microcomputer-controlled solenoid valves, and a reservoir for each standard. Automated standardization involves selective actuation of each solenoid valve that permits a specific mixed standard solution to be pumped to the nebulizer of the spectrometer. Quality control is based on the evaluation of results obtained for a mixed standard containing 17 analytes, that is measured periodically with unknown samples. An inaccurate standard evaluation triggers restandardization of the instrument according to a predetermined protocol. Interaction of the computer-controlled manifold assembly hardware with the spectrometer system is outlined. Evaluation of the automated standardization system with respect to reliability, simplicity, flexibility, and efficiency is compared to the manual procedure. ?? 1982.

  10. Sub-microanalysis of solid samples with near-field enhanced atomic emission spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Xiaohua; Liang, Zhisen; Meng, Yifan; Wang, Tongtong; Hang, Wei; Huang, Benli

    2018-03-01

    A novel approach, which we have chosen to name it as near-field enhanced atomic emission spectroscopy (NFE-AES), was proposed by introducing a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) system into a laser-induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS). The near-field enhancement of a laser-illuminated tip was utilized to improve the lateral resolution tremendously. Using the hybrid arrangement, pure metal tablets were analyzed to verify the performance of NFE-AES both in atmosphere and in vacuum. Due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), the incident electromagnetic field is enhanced and confined at the apex of tip, resulting in sub-micron scale ablation and elemental emission signal. We discovered that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the spectral resolution obtained in vacuum condition are better than those acquired in atmospheric condition. The quantitative capability of NFE-AES was demonstrated by analyzing Al and Pb in Cu matrix, respectively. Submicron-sized ablation craters were achieved by performing NFE-AES on a Si wafer with an Al film, and the spectroscopic information from a crater of 650 nm diameter was successfully obtained. Due to its advantage of high lateral resolution, NFE-AES imaging of micro-patterned Al lines on an integrated circuit of a SIM card was demonstrated with a sub-micron lateral resolution. These results reveal the potential of the NFE-AES technique in sub-microanalysis of solids, opening an opportunity to map chemical composition at sub-micron scale.

  11. Atmospheric nonequilibrium mini-plasma jet created by a 3D printer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Takamatsu, Toshihiro, E-mail: toshihiro@plasma.es.titech.ac.jp; Tokyo Institute of Technology, Department of Energy Sciences, J2-32, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8502; Kawano, Hiroaki

    2015-07-15

    In this study, a small-sized plasma jet source with a 3.7 mm head diameter was created via a 3D printer. The jet’s emission properties and OH radical concentrations (generated by argon, helium, and nitrogen plasmas) were investigated using optical emission spectrometry (OES) and electron spin resonance (ESR). As such, for OES, each individual gas plasma propagates emission lines that derive from gases and ambient air inserted into the measurement system. For the case of ESR, a spin adduct of the OH radical is typically observed for all gas plasma treatment scenarios with a 10 s treatment by helium plasma generatingmore » the largest amount of OH radicals at 110 μM. Therefore, it was confirmed that a plasma jet source made by a 3D printer can generate stable plasmas using each of the aforementioned three gases.« less

  12. Toward improved understanding and control in analytical atomic spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hieftje, Gary M.

    1989-01-01

    As with most papers which attempt to predict the future, this treatment will begin with a coverage of past events. It will be shown that progress in the field of analytical atomic spectrometry has occurred through a series of steps which involve the addition of new techniques and the occasional displacement of established ones. Because it is difficult or impossible to presage true breakthroughs, this manuscript will focus on how such existing methods can be modified or improved to greatest advantage. The thesis will be that rational improvement can be accomplished most effectively by understanding fundamentally the nature of an instrumental system, a measurement process, and a spectrometric technique. In turn, this enhanced understanding can lead to closer control, from which can spring improved performance. Areas where understanding is now lacking and where control is most greatly needed will be identified and a possible scheme for implementing control procedures will be outlined. As we draw toward the new millennium, these novel procedures seem particularly appealing; new high-speed computers, the availability of expert systems, and our enhanced understanding of atomic spectrometric events combine to make future prospects extremely bright.

  13. Atomic and molecular hydrogen gas temperatures in a low-pressure helicon plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Samuell, Cameron M.; Corr, Cormac S.

    2015-08-01

    Neutral gas temperatures in hydrogen plasmas are important for experimental and modelling efforts in fusion technology, plasma processing, and surface modification applications. To provide values relevant to these application areas, neutral gas temperatures were measured in a low pressure (< 10 mTorr) radiofrequency helicon discharge using spectroscopic techniques. The atomic and molecular species were not found to be in thermal equilibrium with the atomic temperature being mostly larger then the molecular temperature. In low power operation (< 1 kW), the molecular hydrogen temperature was observed to be linearly proportional to the pressure while the atomic hydrogen temperature was inversely proportional. Both temperatures were observed to rise linearly with input power. For high power operation (5-20 kW), the molecular temperature was found to rise with both power and pressure up to a maximum of approximately 1200 K. Spatially resolved measurements near a graphite target demonstrated localised cooling near the sample surface. The temporal evolution of the molecular gas temperature during a high power 1.1 ms plasma pulse was also investigated and found to vary considerably as a function of pressure.

  14. Apparatus for recording emissions from a rapidly generated plasma from a single plasma producing event

    DOEpatents

    Tan, Tai Ho; Williams, Arthur H.

    1985-01-01

    An optical fiber-coupled detector visible streak camera plasma diagnostic apparatus. Arrays of optical fiber-coupled detectors are placed on the film plane of several types of particle, x-ray and visible spectrometers or directly in the path of the emissions to be measured and the output is imaged by a visible streak camera. Time and spatial dependence of the emission from plasmas generated from a single pulse of electromagnetic radiation or from a single particle beam burst can be recorded.

  15. Apparatus for recording emissions from a rapidly generated plasma from a single plasma producing event

    DOEpatents

    Tan, T.H.; Williams, A.H.

    An optical fiber-coupled detector visible streak camera plasma diagnostic apparatus. Arrays of optical fiber-coupled detectors are placed on the film plane of several types of particle, x-ray and visible spectrometers or directly in the path of the emissions to be measured and the output is imaged by a visible streak camera. Time and spatial dependence of the emission from plasma generated from a single pulse of electromagnetic radiation or from a single particle beam burst can be recorded.

  16. Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of chromium in water by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McLain, B.J.

    1993-01-01

    Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry is a sensitive, precise, and accurate method for the determination of chromium in natural water samples. The detection limit for this analytical method is 0.4 microg/L with a working linear limit of 25.0 microg/L. The precision at the detection limit ranges from 20 to 57 percent relative standard deviation (RSD) with an improvement to 4.6 percent RSD for concentrations more than 3 microg/L. Accuracy of this method was determined for a variety of reference standards that was representative of the analytical range. The results were within the established standard deviations. Samples were spiked with known concentrations of chromium with recoveries ranging from 84 to 122 percent. In addition, a comparison of data between graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry and direct-current plasma atomic emission spectrometry resulted in suitable agreement between the two methods, with an average deviation of +/- 2.0 microg/L throughout the analytical range.

  17. Minimally-invasive Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry analysis of model ancient copper alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walaszek, Damian; Senn, Marianne; Wichser, Adrian; Faller, Markus; Wagner, Barbara; Bulska, Ewa; Ulrich, Andrea

    2014-09-01

    This work describes an evaluation of a strategy for multi-elemental analysis of typical ancient bronzes (copper, lead bronze and tin bronze) by means of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS).The samples originating from archeological experiments on ancient metal smelting processes using direct reduction in a ‘bloomery’ furnace as well as historical casting techniques were investigated with the use of the previously proposed analytical procedure, including metallurgical observation and preliminary visual estimation of the homogeneity of the samples. The results of LA-ICPMS analysis were compared to the results of bulk composition obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) after acid digestion. These results were coherent for most of the elements confirming the usefulness of the proposed analytical procedure, however the reliability of the quantitative information about the content of the most heterogeneously distributed elements was also discussed in more detail.

  18. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet with high-voltage power supply based on piezoelectric transformer.

    PubMed

    Babij, Michał; Kowalski, Zbigniew W; Nitsch, Karol; Silberring, Jerzy; Gotszalk, Teodor

    2014-05-01

    The dielectric barrier discharge plasma jet, an example of the nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), generates low-temperature plasmas that are suitable for the atomization of volatile species and can also be served as an ionization source for ambient mass and ion mobility spectrometry. A new design of APPJ for mass spectrometry has been built in our group. In these plasma sources magnetic transformers (MTs) and inductors are typically used in power supplies but they present several drawbacks that are even more evident when dealing with high-voltage normally used in APPJs. To overcome these disadvantages, high frequency generators with the absence of MT are proposed in the literature. However, in the case of miniaturized APPJs these conventional power converters, built of ferromagnetic cores and inductors or by means of LC resonant tank circuits, are not so useful as piezoelectric transformer (PT) based power converters due to bulky components and small efficiency. We made and examined a novel atmospheric pressure plasma jet with PT supplier served as ionization source for ambient mass spectrometry, and especially mobile spectrometry where miniaturization, integration of components, and clean plasma are required. The objective of this paper is to describe the concept, design, and implementation of this miniaturized piezoelectric transformer-based atmospheric pressure plasma jet.

  19. Atomic Oxygen Energy in Low Frequency Hyperthermal Plasma Ashers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banks, Bruce A.; Miller, Sharon K R.; Kneubel, Christian A.

    2014-01-01

    Experimental and analytical analysis of the atomic oxygen erosion of pyrolytic graphite as well as Monte Carlo computational modeling of the erosion of Kapton H (DuPont, Wilmington, DE) polyimide was performed to determine the hyperthermal energy of low frequency (30 to 35 kHz) plasma ashers operating on air. It was concluded that hyperthermal energies in the range of 0.3 to 0.9 eV are produced in the low frequency air plasmas which results in texturing similar to that in low Earth orbit (LEO). Monte Carlo computational modeling also indicated that such low energy directed ions are fully capable of producing the experimentally observed textured surfaces in low frequency plasmas.

  20. A Benchmark Experiment for Photoionized Plasma Emission from Accretion-Powered X-ray Sources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loisel, G.; Bailey, J.; Nagayama, T.; Hansen, S.; Rochau, G.; Liedahl, D.; Fontes, C.; Kallman, T.; Mancini, R.

    2017-10-01

    Accretion-powered emission from X-ray binaries or black-hole accretion in Active Galactic Nuclei is a powerful diagnostic for their behavior and structure. Interpretation of x-ray emission from these objects requires a spectral synthesis model for photoionized plasma. Models must predict the photoionized charge state distribution, the photon emission processes, and the radiation transport influence on the observed emission. At the Z facility, we have measured simultaneously emission and absorption from a photoionized silicon plasma suitable to benchmark photoionization and spectrum formation models with +/-5% reproducibility and E/dE >2500 spectral resolution. Plasma density, temperature, and charge state distribution are determined with absorption spectroscopy. Self-emission measured at adjustable column densities tests radiation transport effects. Observation of 14 transitions in He-like silicon will help understand population mechanisms in a photoionized plasma. First observation of radiative recombination continuum in a photoionized plasma will be presented. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA-0003525.

  1. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and electrospray mass spectrometry for speciation analysis: applications and instrumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosen, Amy L.; Hieftje, Gary M.

    2004-02-01

    To gain an understanding of the function, toxicity and distribution of trace elements, it is necessary to determine not only the presence and concentration of the elements of interest, but also their speciation, by identifying and characterizing the compounds within which each is present. For sensitive detection of compounds containing elements of interest, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a popular method, and for identification of compounds via determination of molecular weight, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is gaining increasing use. ICP-MS and ESI-MS, usually coupled to a separation technique such as chromatography or capillary electrophoresis, have already been applied to a large number of research problems in such diverse fields as environmental chemistry, nutritional science, and bioinorganic chemistry, but a great deal of work remains to be completed. Current areas of research to which ICP-MS and ESI-MS have been applied are discussed, and the existing instrumentation used to solve speciation problems is described.

  2. Design, Fabrication, and Testing of Emissive Probes to Determine the Plasma Potential of the Plumes of Various Electric Thrusters

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, Erinna M.

    2005-01-01

    A significant problem in the use of electric thrusters in spacecraft is the formation of low-energy ions in the thruster plume. Low-energy ions are formed in the plume via random collisions between high-velocity ions ejected from the thruster and slow-moving neutral atoms of propellant effusing from the engine. The sputtering of spacecraft materials due to interactions with low-energy ions may result in erosion or contamination of the spacecraft. The trajectory of these ions is determined primarily by the plasma potential of the plume. Thus, accurate characterization of the plasma potential is essential to predicting low-energy ion contamination. Emissive probes were utilized to determine the plasma potential. When the ion and electron currents to the probe are balanced, the potential of such probes float to the plasma potential. Two emissive probes were fabricated; one utilizing a DC power supply, another utilizing a rectified AC power source. Labview programs were written to coordinate and automate probe motion in the thruster plume. Employing handshaking interaction, these motion programs were synchronized to various data acquisition programs to ensure precision and accuracy of the measurements. Comparing these experimental values to values from theoretical models will allow for a more accurate prediction of low-energy ion interaction.

  3. Determination of tetraalkyllead compounds in gasoline by liquid chromatography-atomic absorption spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Messman, J.D.; Rains, T.C.

    1981-01-01

    A liquid chromatography-atomic absorption spectrometry (LC-AAS) hybrid analytical technique is presented for metal speciation measurements on complex liquid samples. The versatility and inherent metal selectivity of the technique are Illustrated by the rapid determination of five tetraalkyllead compounds in commercial gasoline. Separation of the individual tetraalkyllead species is achieved by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using an acetonitrile/water mobile phase. The effluent from the liquid Chromatograph Is introduced directly into the aspiration uptake capillary of the nebulizer of an air/acetylene flame atomic absorption spectrometer. Spectral interferences due to coeluting hydrocarbon matrix constituents were not observed at the 283.3-nm resonance line of lead used for analysis. Detection limits of this LC-AAS hydrid analytical technique, based on a 20-??L injection, are approximately 10 ng Pb for each tetraalkyllead compound.

  4. Classical plasma dynamics of Mie-oscillations in atomic clusters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kull, H.-J.; El-Khawaldeh, A.

    2018-04-01

    Mie plasmons are of basic importance for the absorption of laser light by atomic clusters. In this work we first review the classical Rayleigh-theory of a dielectric sphere in an external electric field and Thomson’s plum-pudding model applied to atomic clusters. Both approaches allow for elementary discussions of Mie oscillations, however, they also indicate deficiencies in describing the damping mechanisms by electrons crossing the cluster surface. Nonlinear oscillator models have been widely studied to gain an understanding of damping and absorption by outer ionization of the cluster. In the present work, we attempt to address the issue of plasmon relaxation in atomic clusters in more detail based on classical particle simulations. In particular, we wish to study the role of thermal motion on plasmon relaxation, thereby extending nonlinear models of collective single-electron motion. Our simulations are particularly adopted to the regime of classical kinetics in weakly coupled plasmas and to cluster sizes extending the Debye-screening length. It will be illustrated how surface scattering leads to the relaxation of Mie oscillations in the presence of thermal motion and of electron spill-out at the cluster surface. This work is intended to give, from a classical perspective, further insight into recent work on plasmon relaxation in quantum plasmas [1].

  5. Qualitative tissue differentiation by analysing the intensity ratios of atomic emission lines using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS): prospects for a feedback mechanism for surgical laser systems.

    PubMed

    Kanawade, Rajesh; Mahari, Fanuel; Klämpfl, Florian; Rohde, Maximilian; Knipfer, Christian; Tangermann-Gerk, Katja; Adler, Werner; Schmidt, Michael; Stelzle, Florian

    2015-01-01

    The research work presented in this paper focuses on qualitative tissue differentiation by monitoring the intensity ratios of atomic emissions using 'Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy' (LIBS) on the plasma plume created during laser tissue ablation. The background of this study is to establish a real time feedback control mechanism for clinical laser surgery systems during the laser ablation process. Ex-vivo domestic pig tissue samples (muscle, fat, nerve and skin) were used in this experiment. Atomic emission intensity ratios were analyzed to find a characteristic spectral line for each tissue. The results showed characteristic elemental emission intensity ratios for the respective tissues. The spectral lines and intensity ratios of these specific elements varied among the different tissue types. The main goal of this study is to qualitatively and precisely identify different tissue types for tissue specific laser surgery. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Biophotonics published by WILEY-VCH Verlag.

  6. Rapid determination of 237Np in soil samples by multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry and gamma spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Yi, Xiaowei; Shi, Yanmei; Xu, Jiang; He, Xiaobing; Zhang, Haitao; Lin, Jianfeng

    A radiochemical procedure is developed for the determination of 237 Np in soil with multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) and gamma-spectrometry. 239 Np (milked from 243 Am) was used as an isotopic tracer for chemical yield determination. The neptunium in the soil is separated by thenoyl-trifluoracetone extraction from 1 M HNO 3 solution after reducing Np to Np(IV) with ferrous sulfamate, and then purified with Dowex 1 × 2 anion exchange resin. 239 Np in the resulting solution is measured with gamma-spectrometry for chemical yield determination while the 237 Np is measured with MC-ICP-MS. Measurement results for soil samples are presented together with those for two reference samples. By comparing the determined value with the reference value of the 237 Np activity concentration, the feasibility of the procedure was validated.

  7. Simultaneous multielement atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace atomization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harnly, James M.; Miller-Ihli, Nancy J.; O'Haver, Thomas C.

    The extended analytical range capability of a simultaneous multielement atomic absorption continuum source spectrometer (SIMAAC) was tested for furnace atomization with respect to the signal measurement mode (peak height and area), the atomization mode (from the wall or from a platform), and the temperature program mode (stepped or ramped atomization). These parameters were evaluated with respect to the shapes of the analytical curves, the detection limits, carry-over contamination and accuracy. Peak area measurements gave more linear calibration curves. Methods for slowing the atomization step heating rate, the use of a ramped temperature program or a platform, produced similar calibration curves and longer linear ranges than atomization with a stepped temperature program. Peak height detection limits were best using stepped atomization from the wall. Peak area detection limits for all atomization modes were similar. Carry-over contamination was worse for peak area than peak height, worse for ramped atomization than stepped atomization, and worse for atomization from a platform than from the wall. Accurate determinations (100 ± 12% for Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn in National Bureau of Standards' Standard Reference Materials Bovine Liver 1577 and Rice Flour 1568 were obtained using peak area measurements with ramped atomization from the wall and stepped atomization from a platform. Only stepped atomization from a platform gave accurate recoveries for K. Accurate recoveries, 100 ± 10%, with precisions ranging from 1 to 36 % (standard deviation), were obtained for the determination of Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni. Pb, V and Zn in Acidified Waters (NBS SRM 1643 and 1643a) using stepped atomization from a platform.

  8. Micro-column plasma emission liquid chromatograph. [Patent application

    DOEpatents

    Gay, D.D.

    1982-08-12

    In a direct current plasma emission spectrometer for use in combination with a microcolumn liquid chromatograph, an improved plasma source unit is claimed. The plasma source unit includes a quartz capillary tube having an inlet means, outlet off gas means and a pair of spaced electrodes defining a plasma region in the tube. The inlet means is connected to and adapted to receive eluant of the liquid chromatograph along with a stream of plasma-forming gas. There is an opening through the wall of the capillary tube penetrating into the plasma region. A soft glass capillary light pipe is disposed at the opening, is connected to the spectrometer, and is adapted to transmit light passing from the plasma region to the spectrometer. There is also a source of electromotive force connected to the electrodes sufficient to initiate and sustain a plasma in the plasma region of the tube.

  9. Electron impact ionization in plasma technologies; studies on atomic boron and BN molecule

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Joshi, Foram M., E-mail: foram29@gmail.com; Joshipura, K. N., E-mail: knjoshipura22@gmail.com; Chaudhari, Asha S., E-mail: ashaschaudhari@gmail.com

    2016-05-06

    Electron impact ionization plays important role in plasma technologies. Relevant cross sections on atomic boron are required to understand the erosion processes in fusion experiments. Boronization of plasma exposed surfaces of tokomaks has proved to be an effective way to produce very pure fusion plasmas. This paper reports comprehensive theoretical investigations on electron scattering with atomic Boron and Boron Nitride in solid phases. Presently we determine total ionization cross-section Q{sub ion} and the summed-electronic excitation cross section ΣQ{sub exc} in a standard quantum mechanical formalism called SCOP and CSP-ic methods. Our calculated cross sections are examined as functions of incidentmore » electron energy along with available comparisons.« less

  10. [Determination of mercury in Boletus impolitus by flow injection-atomic absorption spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Li, Tao; Wang, Yuan-Zhong

    2008-04-01

    Various test conditions and effect factors for the determination of mercury by flow injection-atomic absorption spectrometry were discussed, and a method for the determination of mercury in Boletus impolitus has been developed. The linear range for mercury is 0-60 microg x L(-1). The relative standard deviation is less than 3.0%, and the recovery is 96%-107%. This method is simple, rapid and has been applied to the determination of mercury in Boletus impolitus samples with satisfactory results.

  11. Electron cyclotron emission from nonthermal tokamak plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Harvey, R.W.; O'Brien, M.R.; Rozhdestvensky, V.V.

    1993-02-01

    Electron cyclotron emission can be a sensitive indicator of nonthermal electron distributions. A new, comprehensive ray-tracing and cyclotron emission code that is aimed at predicting and interpreting the cyclotron emission from tokamak plasmas is described. The radiation transfer equation is solved along Wentzel--Kramers--Brillouin (WKB) rays using a fully relativistic calculation of the emission and absorption from electron distributions that are gyrotropic and toroidally symmetric, but may be otherwise arbitrary functions of the constants of motion. Using a radial array of electron distributions obtained from a bounce-averaged Fokker--Planck code modeling dc electron field and electron cyclotron heating effects, the cyclotron emissionmore » spectra are obtained. A pronounced strong nonthermal cyclotron emission feature that occurs at frequencies relativistically downshifted to second harmonic cyclotron frequencies outside the tokamak is calculated, in agreement with experimental results from the DIII-D [J. L. Luxon and L. G. Davies, Fusion Technol. [bold 8], 441 (1985)] and FT-1 [D. G. Bulyginsky [ital et] [ital al]., in [ital Proceedings] [ital of] [ital the] 15[ital th] [ital European] [ital Conference] [ital on] [ital Controlled] [ital Fusion] [ital and] [ital Plasma] [ital Heating], Dubrovnik, 1988 (European Physical Society, Petit-Lancy, 1988), Vol. 12B, Part II, p. 823] tokamaks. The calculations indicate the presence of a strong loss mechanism that operates on electrons in the 100--150 keV energy range.« less

  12. Atomic rate coefficients in a degenerate plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aslanyan, Valentin; Tallents, Greg

    2015-11-01

    The electrons in a dense, degenerate plasma follow Fermi-Dirac statistics, which deviate significantly in this regime from the usual Maxwell-Boltzmann approach used by many models. We present methods to calculate the atomic rate coefficients for the Fermi-Dirac distribution and present a comparison of the ionization fraction of carbon calculated using both models. We have found that for densities close to solid, although the discrepancy is small for LTE conditions, there is a large divergence from the ionization fraction by using classical rate coefficients in the presence of strong photoionizing radiation. We have found that using these modified rates and the degenerate heat capacity may affect the time evolution of a plasma subject to extreme ultraviolet and x-ray radiation such as produced in free electron laser irradiation of solid targets.

  13. STATISTICAL VALIDATION OF SULFATE QUANTIFICATION METHODS USED FOR ANALYSIS OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Turbidimetric method (TM), ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) with and without acid digestion have been compared and validated for the determination of sulfate in mining wastewater. Analytical methods were chosen to compa...

  14. DOUBLE code simulations of emissivities of fast neutrals for different plasma observation view-lines of neutral particle analyzers on the COMPASS tokamak

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitosinkova, K.; Tomes, M.; Stockel, J.; Varju, J.; Stano, M.

    2018-03-01

    Neutral particle analyzers (NPA) measure line-integrated energy spectra of fast neutral atoms escaping the tokamak plasma, which are a product of charge-exchange (CX) collisions of plasma ions with background neutrals. They can observe variations in the ion temperature T i of non-thermal fast ions created by additional plasma heating. However, the plasma column which a fast atom has to pass through must be sufficiently short in comparison with the fast atom’s mean-free-path. Tokamak COMPASS is currently equipped with one NPA installed at a tangential mid-plane port. This orientation is optimal for observing non-thermal fast ions. However, in this configuration the signal at energies useful for T i derivation is lost in noise due to the too long fast atoms’ trajectories. Thus, a second NPA is planned to be connected for the purpose of measuring T i. We analyzed different possible view-lines (perpendicular mid-plane, tangential mid-plane, and top view) for the second NPA using the DOUBLE Monte-Carlo code and compared the results with the performance of the present NPA with tangential orientation. The DOUBLE code provides fast-atoms’ emissivity functions along the NPA view-line. The position of the median of these emissivity functions is related to the location from where the measured signal originates. Further, we compared the difference between the real central T i used as a DOUBLE code input and the T iCX derived from the exponential decay of simulated energy spectra. The advantages and disadvantages of each NPA location are discussed.

  15. Investigation of RF Emissions from Electric Field Dominated Plasmas

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-03-31

    David Rosenberg and Mr. Paul D. Spence, "RF Plasma Emissions Measured with Calibrated, Broadband Antenna". February 19 Mr. Antonino Carnevali, Fusion...plasma equipment exhibitors, and major Japanese i fusion facilities. November 20 Dr. Antonino Carnevalli, RPI and Fusion Energy Division, ORNL: "H av Ion

  16. Energy resolved actinometry for simultaneous measurement of atomic oxygen densities and local mean electron energies in radio-frequency driven plasmas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Greb, Arthur, E-mail: ag941@york.ac.uk; Niemi, Kari; O'Connell, Deborah

    2014-12-08

    A diagnostic method for the simultaneous determination of atomic oxygen densities and mean electron energies is demonstrated for an atmospheric pressure radio-frequency plasma jet. The proposed method is based on phase resolved optical emission measurements of the direct and dissociative electron-impact excitation dynamics of three distinct emission lines, namely, Ar 750.4 nm, O 777.4 nm, and O 844.6 nm. The energy dependence of these lines serves as basis for analysis by taking into account two line ratios. In this frame, the method is highly adaptable with regard to pressure and gas composition. Results are benchmarked against independent numerical simulations and two-photon absorption laser-inducedmore » fluorescence experiments.« less

  17. Aerosol Vacuum-Assisted Plasma Ionization (Aero-VaPI) Coupled to Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blair, Sandra L.; Ng, Nga L.; Zambrzycki, Stephen C.; Li, Anyin; Fernández, Facundo M.

    2018-02-01

    In this communication, we report on the real-time analysis of organic aerosol particles by Vacuum-assisted Plasma Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (Aero-VaPI-MS) using a home-built VaPI ion source coupled to a Synapt G2-S HDMS ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) system. Standards of organic molecules of interest in prebiotic chemistry were used to generate aerosols. Monocaprin and decanoic acid aerosol particles were successfully detected in both the positive and negative ion modes, respectively. A complex aerosol mixture of different sizes of polymers of L-malic acid was also examined through ion mobility (IM) separations, resulting in the detection of polymers of up to eight monomeric units. This noncommercial plasma ion source is proposed as a low cost alternative to other plasma ionization platforms used for aerosol analysis, and a higher-performance alternative to more traditional aerosol mass spectrometers. VaPI provides robust online ionization of organics in aerosols without extensive ion activation, with the coupling to IM-MS providing higher peak capacity and excellent mass accuracy. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  18. Population kinetics on K alpha lines of partially ionized Cl atoms.

    PubMed

    Kawamura, Tohru; Nishimura, Hiroaki; Koike, Fumihiro; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Matsui, Ryoji; Miao, Wen Yong; Okihara, Shinichiro; Sakabe, Shuji; Uschmann, Ingo; Förster, Eckhart; Mima, Kunioki

    2002-07-01

    A population kinetics code was developed to analyze K alpha emission from partially ionized chlorine atoms in hydrocarbon plasmas. Atomic processes are solved under collisional-radiative equilibrium for two-temperature plasmas. It is shown that the fast electrons dominantly contribute to ionize the K-shell bound electrons (i.e., inner-shell ionization) and the cold electrons to the outer-shell bound ones. Ratios of K alpha lines of partially ionized atoms are presented as a function of cold-electron temperature. The model was validated by observation of the K alpha lines from a chlorinated plastic target irradiated with 1 TW Ti:sapphire laser pulses at 1.5 x 10(17) W/cm(2), inferring a plasma temperature of about 100 eV on the target surface.

  19. Method for atmospheric pressure reactive atom plasma processing for surface modification

    DOEpatents

    Carr, Jeffrey W [Livermore, CA

    2009-09-22

    Reactive atom plasma processing can be used to shape, polish, planarize and clean the surfaces of difficult materials with minimal subsurface damage. The apparatus and methods use a plasma torch, such as a conventional ICP torch. The workpiece and plasma torch are moved with respect to each other, whether by translating and/or rotating the workpiece, the plasma, or both. The plasma discharge from the torch can be used to shape, planarize, polish, and/or clean the surface of the workpiece, as well as to thin the workpiece. The processing may cause minimal or no damage to the workpiece underneath the surface, and may involve removing material from the surface of the workpiece.

  20. An investigation of conducted and radiated emissions from a hollow-cathode plasma contactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buchholtz, Brett W.; Wilbur, Paul J.

    1993-07-01

    An investigation conducted on the electrical interference induced by the operation of a hollow-cathode plasma contractor in a ground-based facility is described. The types of electrical interference, or noise, which are important to Space Station Freedom designers are classified as either conducted or radiated emissions. The procedures required to perform conducted and radiated emission measurements on a plasma contactor are examined. The experimental data obtained are typically examined in the frequency domain (i.e. amplitudes of the noise fluctuations versus frequency). Results presented indicate the conducted emissions, which are the current fluctuations from the contactor into the space station wiring, are affected by operating parameters such as expellant flow rate and discharge current. The radiated emissions, which are the electromagnetic waves induced and emitted by the contactor, appear to be influenced by the contactor emission current. Other experimental results suggest possible sources which are responsible for the observed noise. For example, the influence of the plasma environment downstream from the contactor on noise emission levels is described. In addition, a brief discussion is given on the correlation between conducted and radiated emissions and the mechanisms through which both are influenced by the plasma downstream of the contactor.

  1. An investigation of conducted and radiated emissions from a hollow-cathode plasma contactor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buchholtz, Brett W.; Wilbur, Paul J.

    1993-01-01

    An investigation conducted on the electrical interference induced by the operation of a hollow-cathode plasma contractor in a ground-based facility is described. The types of electrical interference, or noise, which are important to Space Station Freedom designers are classified as either conducted or radiated emissions. The procedures required to perform conducted and radiated emission measurements on a plasma contactor are examined. The experimental data obtained are typically examined in the frequency domain (i.e. amplitudes of the noise fluctuations versus frequency). Results presented indicate the conducted emissions, which are the current fluctuations from the contactor into the space station wiring, are affected by operating parameters such as expellant flow rate and discharge current. The radiated emissions, which are the electromagnetic waves induced and emitted by the contactor, appear to be influenced by the contactor emission current. Other experimental results suggest possible sources which are responsible for the observed noise. For example, the influence of the plasma environment downstream from the contactor on noise emission levels is described. In addition, a brief discussion is given on the correlation between conducted and radiated emissions and the mechanisms through which both are influenced by the plasma downstream of the contactor.

  2. Lithogeochemistry of mineralized and altered rock samples from the northern Talkeetna Mountains, south-central Alaska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Light, Thomas D.; Schmidt, Jeanine M.

    2011-01-01

    Mineralized and altered rock samples collected from the northern Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska, were analyzed by two different inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) methods for as many as 44 elements; by fire assay and either direct-coupled plasma (DCP) or atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) for gold (Au); by cold vapor atomic absorption (CVAA) for mercury (Hg); and by irradiated neutron activation analysis (INAA) for tungsten (W). The analytical results showed that some samples contain high values of multiple elements and may be potential indicators of hydrothermal mineralization in the area.

  3. Field electron emission from diamond and related films synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Xianfeng

    The focus of this thesis is the study of the field electron emission (FEE) of diamond and related films synthesized by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The diamond and related films with different morphologies and compositions were prepared in a microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor and a hot filament CVD reactor. Various analytical techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Raman spectroscopy were employed to characterize the surface morphology and chemical composition. The influence of surface morphology on the field electron emission property of diamond films was studied. The emission current of well-oriented microcrystalline diamond films is relatively small compared to that of randomly oriented microcrystalline diamond films. Meanwhile, the nanocrystalline diamond film has demonstrated a larger emission current than microcrystalline diamond films. The nanocone structure significantly improves the electron emission current of diamond films due to its strong field enhancement effect. The sp2 phase concentration also has significant influence on the field electron emission property of diamond films. For the diamond films synthesized by gas mixture of hydrogen and methane, their field electron emission properties were enhanced with the increase of methane concentration. The field electron emission enhancement was attributed to the increase of sp2 phase concentration, which increases the electrical conductivity of diamond films. For the diamond films synthesized through graphite etching, the growth rate and nucleation density of diamond films increase significantly with decreasing hydrogen flow rate. The field electron emission properties of the diamond films were also enhanced with the decrease of hydrogen flow rate. The field electron emission enhancement can be also attributed to the increase of the sp 2 phase concentration. In addition, the deviation of the experimental

  4. Liquid chromatography-hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry for the speciation of tin in seafoods.

    PubMed

    Viñas, Pilar; López-García, Ignacio; Merino-Meroño, Beatriz; Campillo, Natalia; Hernández-Cordóba, Manuel

    2004-04-01

    Liquid chromatography with hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry as the detection system was applied to the separation and determination of inorganic tin, tributyltin, dibutyltin, monobutyltin, diphenyltin and monophenyltin. A reversed phase C18 column and a methanol/water/acetic acid (70:27:3, v/v/v) mixture containing 0.05%(v/v) triethylamine and 0.1%(w/v) tropolone as the mobile phase (isocratic elution) were used. Extraction of organotins from the samples was carried out using methanol containing 0.05%(w/v) tropolone, a process that was repeated twice. The supernatants were shaken with water and dichloromethane in a separating funnel and the organic phase was collected and evaporated to dryness. When the method was applied to the speciation of tin in fresh and canned mussels, no organotins above the detection limits were identified in any of the samples, inorganic tin being the only species detected. The reliability of the procedure was checked by analyzing the total tin content of the samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and by speciation of tin in a certified reference material, mussel tissue (CRM 477). The method can be used for environmental monitoring of organotins contaminated samples.

  5. Deviation from Normal Boltzmann Distribution of High-lying Energy Levels of Iron Atom Excited by Okamoto-cavity Microwave-induced Plasmas Using Pure Nitrogen and Nitrogen-Oxygen Gases.

    PubMed

    Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes several interesting excitation phenomena occurring in a microwave-induced plasma (MIP) excited with Okamoto-cavity, especially when a small amount of oxygen was mixed with nitrogen matrix in the composition of the plasma gas. An ion-to-atom ratio of iron, which was estimated from the intensity ratio of ion to atomic lines having almost the same excitation energy, was reduced by adding oxygen gas to the nitrogen MIP, eventually contributing to an enhancement in the emission intensities of the atomic lines. Furthermore, Boltzmann plots for iron atomic lines were observed in a wide range of the excitation energy from 3.4 to 6.9 eV, indicating that plots of the atomic lines having lower excitation energies (3.4 to 4.8 eV) were well fitted on a straight line while those having more than 5.5 eV deviated upwards from the linear relationship. This overpopulation would result from any other excitation process in addition to the thermal excitation that principally determines the Boltzmann distribution. A Penning-type collision with excited species of nitrogen molecules probably explains this additional excitation mechanism, in which the resulting iron ions recombine with captured electrons, followed by cascade de-excitations between closely-spaced excited levels just below the ionization limit. As a result, these high-lying levels might be more populated than the low-lying levels of iron atom. The ionization of iron would be caused less actively in the nitrogen-oxygen plasma than in a pure nitrogen plasma, because excited species of nitrogen molecule, which can provide the ionization energy in a collision with iron atom, are consumed through collisions with oxygen molecules to cause their dissociation. It was also observed that the overpopulation occurred to a lesser extent when oxygen gas was added to the nitrogen plasma. The reason for this was also attributed to decreased number density of the excited nitrogen species due to collisions with oxygen

  6. [Novel Hyphenated Techniques of Atomic Spectrometry for Metal Species Interaction with Biomolecules].

    PubMed

    Li, Yan; Yan, Xiu-ping

    2015-09-01

    Trace metals may be adopted by biological systems to assist in the syntheses and metabolic functions of genes (DNA and RNA) and proteins in the environment. These metals may be beneficial or may pose a risk to humans and other life forms. Novel hybrid techniques are required for studies on the interaction between different metal species and biomolecules, which is significant for biology, biochemistry, nutrition, agriculture, medicine, pharmacy, and environmental science. In recent years, our group dwells on new hyphenated techniques based on capillary electrophoresis (CE), electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), and their application for different metal species interaction with biomolecules such as DNA, HSA, and GSH. The CE-ETAAS assay and CE-ICP-MS assay allow sensitively probing the level of biomolecules such as DNA damage by different metal species and extracting the kinetic and thermodynamic information on the interactions of different metal species with biomolecules, provides direct evidences for the formation of different metal species--biomolecule adducts. In addition, the consequent structural information were extracted from circular dichroism (CD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The present works represent the most complete and extensive study to date on the interactions between different metal species with biomolecules, and also provide new evidences for and insights into the interactions of different metal species with biomolecules for further understanding of the toxicological effects of metal species.

  7. Determination of Fe, Hg, Mn, and Pb in three-rings of poplar (Populus alba L.) by U-shaped DC arc

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marković, D. M.; Novović, I.; Vilotić, D.; Ignjatović, Lj.

    2007-09-01

    The U-shaped DC arc with aerosol supply was applied for the determination of Fe, Hg, Mn, and Pb in poplar (Populus alba L.) tree-rings. By optimization of the operating parameters and by selection of the most appropriate signal integration time (20 s for Fe, Mn, and Pb and 30 s for Hg), the obtained limits of detection for Fe, Hg, Mn, and Pb are 5.8, 2.6, 1.6, and 2.0 ng/ml, respectively. The detection limits achieved by this method for Fe, Hg, Mn, and Pb are comparable with the detection limits obtained for these elements by such methods as inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), direct coupled plasmatomic emission spectrometry (DCP-AES), and microwave-induced plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (MIP-AES). We used the tree-rings of poplar from two different locations. The first one is in the area close to the power plant “Nikola Tesla” TENT A, Obrenovac, while the other one is in the urban area of Novi Sad. In almost all cases, samples from the location at Obrenovac registered elevated average concentrations of Fe, Hg, Mn, and Pb in the tree-rings of poplar.

  8. Laser-Induced-Emission Spectroscopy In Hg/Ar Discharge

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maleki, Lutfollah; Blasenheim, Barry J.; Janik, Gary R.

    1992-01-01

    Laser-induced-emission (LIE) spectroscopy used to probe low-pressure mercury/argon discharge to determine influence of mercury atoms in metastable 6(Sup3)P(Sub2) state on emission of light from discharge. LIE used to study all excitation processes affected by metastable population, including possible effects on excitation of atoms, ions, and buffer gas. Technique applied to emissions of other plasmas. Provides data used to make more-accurate models of such emissions, exploited by lighting and laser industries and by laboratories studying discharges. Also useful in making quantitative measurements of relative rates and cross sections of direct and two-step collisional processes involving metastable level.

  9. Photon emission from quark-gluon plasma out of equilibrium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hauksson, Sigtryggur; Jeon, Sangyong; Gale, Charles

    2018-01-01

    The photon emission from a nonequilibrium quark-gluon plasma is analyzed. We derive an integral equation that describes photon production through quark-antiquark annihilation and quark bremsstrahlung. It includes coherence between different scattering sites, also known as the Landau-Pomeranchuk-Migdal effect. These leading-order processes are studied for the first time together in an out-of-equilibrium field theoretical treatment that enables the inclusion of viscous corrections to the calculation of electromagnetic emission rates. In the special case of an isotropic, viscous, plasma the integral equation only depends on three constants, which capture the nonequilibrium nature of the medium.

  10. Effect of the chamber wall on fluorocarbon-assisted atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using cyclic Ar/C{sub 4}F{sub 8} plasma

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kawakami, Masatoshi; Metzler, Dominik; Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu

    2016-07-15

    The authors studied the effect of the temperature and chemical state of the chamber wall on process performance for atomic layer etching of SiO{sub 2} using a steady-state Ar plasma, periodic injection of a defined number of C{sub 4}F{sub 8} molecules, and synchronized plasma-based Ar{sup +} ion bombardment. To evaluate these effects, the authors measured the quartz coupling window temperature. The plasma gas phase chemistry was characterized using optical emission spectroscopy. It was found that although the thickness of the polymer film deposited in each cycle is constant, the etching behavior changed, which is likely related to a change inmore » the plasma gas phase chemistry. The authors found that the main gas phase changes occur after C{sub 4}F{sub 8} injection. The C{sub 4}F{sub 8} and the quartz window react and generate SiF and CO. The emission intensity changes with wall surface state and temperature. Therefore, changes in the plasma gas species generation can lead to a shift in etching performance during processing. During initial cycles, minimal etching is observed, while etching gradually increases with cycle number.« less

  11. Extractive alkylation of 6-mercaptopurine and determination in plasma by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Floberg, S; Hartvig, P; Lindström, B; Lönner-Holm, G; Odlind, B

    1981-09-11

    An analytical procedure was developed for the determination of 6-mercaptopurine in plasma. Owing to the polar character and low plasma concentration of the compound, extraction and derivatization was carried out directly from the plasma sample by extractive alkylation. Determination was made using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with multiple-ion detection. Conditions with respect to the rate of formation and the stability of the derivative formed in the extractive alkylation step were evaluated. The selectively of the method to azathioprine and to metabolites was thoroughly investigated. No 6-mercaptopurine was formed from azathioprine added to water or plasma and run through the method. The method enables the detection of 2 ng of 6 mercaptopurine in a 1.0-ml plasma sample. Quantitative determinations were done down to 10 ng/ml 6 mercaptopurine in plasma.

  12. Formation of stable inverse sheath in ion–ion plasma by strong negative ion emission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zhe; Wu, Bang; Yang, Shali; Zhang, Ya; Chen, Dezhi; Fan, Mingwu; Jiang, Wei

    2018-06-01

    The effect of strong charged particle emission on plasma–wall interactions is a classical, yet unresolved question in plasma physics. Previous studies on secondary electron emission have shown that with different emission coefficients, there are classical, space-charge-limited, and inverse sheaths. In this letter, we demonstrate that a stable ion–ion inverse sheath and ion–ion plasma are formed with strong surface emission of negative ions. The continuous space-charge-limited to inverse ion–ion sheath transition is observed, and the plasma near the surface consequently transforms into pure ion–ion plasma. The results may explain the long-puzzled experimental observation that the density of negative ions depends on only charge not mass in negative ion sources.

  13. Atomic kinetics of a neon photoionized plasma experiment at Z

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayes, Daniel C.; Mancini, Roberto; Bailey, James E.; Loisel, Guillaume; Rochau, Gregory; ZAPP Collaboration

    2018-06-01

    We discuss an experimental effort to study the atomic kinetics in astrophysically relevant photoionized plasmas via K-shell line absorption spectroscopy. The experiment employs the intense x-ray flux emitted at the collapse of a Z-pinch to heat and backlight a photoionized plasma contained within a cm-scale gas cell placed at a variable distance from the Z-pinch and filled with neon gas pressures in the range from 3.5 to 30 Torr. The experimental platform affords an order of magnitude range in the ionization parameter characterizing the photoionized plasma at the peak of the x-ray drive from about 5 to 80 erg*cm/s. Thus, the experiment allows for the study of trends in ionization distribution as a function of the ionization parameter. An x-ray crystal spectrometer capable of time-integrated and/or time-gated configurations is used to collect absorption spectra. The spectra show line absorption by several ionization stages of neon, including Be-, Li-, He-, and H-like ions. Analysis of these spectra yields ion areal densities and charge state distributions, which can be compared with simulation results from atomic kinetics codes. In addition, the electron temperature is extracted from level population ratios of nearby energy levels in Li- and Be-like ions, which can be used to test heating models of photoionized plasmas.

  14. Self-consistent particle-in-cell simulations of fundamental and harmonic radio plasma emission mechanisms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsiklauri, D.; Thurgood, J. O.

    2015-12-01

    first co-author Jonathan O. Thurgood (QMUL) The simulation of three-wave interaction based plasma emission, an underlying mechanism for type III solar radio bursts, is a challenging task requiring fully-kinetic, multi-dimensional models. This paper aims to resolve a contradiction in past attempts, whereby some authors report that no such processes occur and others draw conflicting conclusions, by using 2D, fully kinetic, particle-in-cell simulations of relaxing electron beams. Here we present the results of particle-in-cell simulations which for different physical parameters permit or prohibit the plasma emission. We show that the possibility of plasma emission is contingent upon the frequency of the initial electrostatic waves generated by the bump-in-tail instability, and that these waves may be prohibited from participating in the necessary three-wave interactions due to the frequency beat requirements. We caution against simulating astrophysical radio bursts using unrealistically dense beams (a common approach which reduces run time), as the resulting non-Langmuir characteristics of the initial wave modes significantly suppresses the emission. Comparison of our results indicates that, contrary to the suggestions of previous authors, a plasma emission mechanism based on two counter-propagating beams is unnecessary in astrophysical context. Finally, we also consider the action of the Weibel instability, which generates an electromagnetic beam mode. As this provides a stronger contribution to electromagnetic energy than the emission, we stress that evidence of plasma emission in simulations must disentangle the two contributions and not simply interpret changes in total electromagnetic energy as the evidence of plasma emission. In summary, we present the first self-consistent demonstration of fundamental and harmonic plasma emission from a single-beam system via fully kinetic numerical simulation. Pre-print can be found at http://astro.qmul.ac.uk/~tsiklauri/jtdt1

  15. Simulation of UV atomic radiation for application in exhaust plume spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wallace, T. L.; Powers, W. T.; Cooper, A. E.

    1993-06-01

    Quantitative analysis of exhaust plume spectral data has long been a goal of developers of advanced engine health monitoring systems which incorporate optical measurements of rocket exhaust constituents. Discussed herein is the status of present efforts to model and predict atomic radiation spectra and infer free-atom densities from emission/absorption measurements as part of the Optical Plume Anomaly Detection (OPAD) program at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). A brief examination of the mathematical formalism is provided in the context of predicting radiation from the Mach disk region of the SSME exhaust flow at nominal conditions during ground level testing at MSFC. Computational results are provided for Chromium and Copper at selected transitions which indicate a strong dependence upon broadening parameter values determining the absorption-emission line shape. Representative plots of recent spectral data from the Stennis Space Center (SSC) Diagnostic Test Facility (DTF) rocket engine are presented and compared to numerical results from the present self-absorbing model; a comprehensive quantitative analysis will be reported at a later date.

  16. VUV Emission of Microwave Driven Argon Plasma Source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henriques, Julio; Espinho, Susana; Felizardo, Edgar; Tatarova, Elena; Dias, Francisco; Ferreira, Carlos

    2013-09-01

    An experimental and kinetic modeling investigation of a low-pressure (0.1-1.2 mbar), surface wave (2.45 GHz) induced Ar plasma as a source vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light is presented, using visible and VUV optical spectroscopy. The electron density and the relative VUV emission intensities of excited Ar atoms (at 104.8 nm and 106.6 nm) and ions (at 92.0 nm and 93.2 nm) were determined as a function of the microwave power and pressure. The experimental results were analyzed using a 2D self-consistent theoretical model based on a set of coupled equations including the electron Boltzmann equation, the rate balance equations for the most important electronic excited species and for charged particles, the gas thermal balance equation, and the wave electrodynamics. The principal collisional and radiative processes for neutral Ar(3p54s) and Ar(3p54p) and ionized Ar(3s3p6 2S1/2) levels are accounted for. Model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. This study was funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology, Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science, under the research contract PTDC/FIS/108411/2008.

  17. Calibration of a high harmonic spectrometer by laser induced plasma emission.

    PubMed

    Farrell, J P; McFarland, B K; Bucksbaum, P H; Gühr, M

    2009-08-17

    We present a method that allows for a convenient switching between high harmonic generation (HHG) and accurate calibration of the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer used to analyze the harmonic spectrum. The accurate calibration of HHG spectra is becoming increasingly important for the determination of electronic structures. The wavelength of the laser harmonics themselves depend on the details of the harmonic geometry and phase matching, making them unsuitable for calibration purposes. In our calibration mode, the target resides directly at the focus of the laser, thereby enhancing plasma emission and suppressing harmonic generation. In HHG mode, the source medium resides in front or after the focus, showing enhanced HHG and no plasma emission lines. We analyze the plasma emission and use it for a direct calibration of our HHG spectra. (c) 2009 Optical Society of America

  18. Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-07-15

    REPRINT 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...substrate and an adjacent metal cathode element. The substrate potential is held positive of the cathode with gate elements. In plasma , the gate is...eliminated due to ambient ion flux which maintains the substrate potential near plasma ground. Prototype devices have been tested using a laboratory plasma

  19. Influence of the plasma environment on atomic structure using an ion-sphere model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belkhiri, Madeny; Fontes, Christopher J.; Poirier, Michel

    2015-09-01

    Plasma environment effects on atomic structure are analyzed using various atomic structure codes. To monitor the effect of high free-electron density or low temperatures, Fermi-Dirac and Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are compared. After a discussion of the implementation of the Fermi-Dirac approach within the ion-sphere model, several applications are considered. In order to check the consistency of the modifications brought here to extant codes, calculations have been performed using the Los Alamos Cowan Atomic Structure (cats) code in its Hartree-Fock or Hartree-Fock-Slater form and the parametric potential Flexible Atomic Code (fac). The ground-state energy shifts due to the plasma effects for the six most ionized aluminum ions have been calculated using the fac and cats codes and fairly agree. For the intercombination resonance line in Fe22 +, the plasma effect within the uniform electron gas model results in a positive shift that agrees with the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock value of B. Saha and S. Fritzsche [J. Phys. B 40, 259 (2007), 10.1088/0953-4075/40/2/002]. Last, the present model is compared to experimental data in titanium measured on the terawatt Astra facility and provides values for electron temperature and density in agreement with the maria code.

  20. Single- and double-core-hole ion emission spectroscopy of transient neon plasmas produced by ultraintense x-ray laser pulses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Cheng; Zeng, Jiaolong; Yuan, Jianmin

    2016-02-01

    Single-core-hole (SCH) and double-core-hole (DCH) spectroscopy is investigated systematically for neon gas in the interaction with ultraintense x-ray pulses with photon energy from 937 eV to 2000 eV. A time-dependent rate equation, implemented in detailed level accounting approximation, is utilized to study the dynamical evolution of the level population and emission properties of the laser-produced highly transient plasmas. The plasma-density effects on level populations and charge-state distribution are demonstrated with an x-ray photon energy of 2000 eV. It is shown that atomic number density of relevant experiment is about 1 × 1018 cm-3, which is comparable to a recent experiment. At this density, we systematically investigate the emissivity of the transient neon plasmas. For laser photon energy in the range 937-1360 eV, resonant absorptions (RA) of 1s\\to {np} (n≥slant 2) transitions play important roles in time evolution of the population and DCH emission spectroscopy. The RA effects are illustrated in detail for an x-ray pulse of 944 eV photon energy, which creates the 1s\\to 2p RA from the SCH states (1s2{s}22{p}4, 1s2s2p5, and 1s2p6) of Ne3+. After averaging over the space and time distribution of x-ray pulse, DCH emission spectroscopy is studied at x-ray photon energies of 937, 944, 955, 968, 980, and 990 eV, where there exist 1s\\to 2p resonances from SCH states of Ne2+-Ne7+. The processes with producing DCH states are discussed. For x-ray photon energy larger than 1360 eV, no RA exist and transient plasmas show different features in the DCH spectroscopy.

  1. Novel atmospheric pressure plasma device releasing atomic hydrogen: reduction of microbial-contaminants and OH radicals in the air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nojima, Hideo; Park, Rae-Eun; Kwon, Jun-Hyoun; Suh, Inseon; Jeon, Junsang; Ha, Eunju; On, Hyeon-Ki; Kim, Hye-Ryung; Choi, Kyoung Hui; Lee, Kwang-Hee; Seong, Baik-Lin; Jung, Hoon; Kang, Shin Jung; Namba, Shinichi; Takiyama, Ken

    2007-01-01

    A novel atmospheric pressure plasma device releasing atomic hydrogen has been developed. This device has specific properties such as (1) deactivation of airborne microbial-contaminants, (2) neutralization of indoor OH radicals and (3) being harmless to the human body. It consists of a ceramic plate as a positive ion generation electrode and a needle-shaped electrode as an electron emission electrode. Release of atomic hydrogen from the device has been investigated by the spectroscopic method. Optical emission of atomic hydrogen probably due to recombination of positive ions, H+(H2O)n, generated from the ceramic plate electrode and electrons emitted from the needle-shaped electrode have been clearly observed in the He gas (including water vapour) environment. The efficacy of the device to reduce airborne concentrations of influenza virus, bacteria, mould fungi and allergens has been evaluated. 99.6% of airborne influenza virus has been deactivated with the operation of the device compared with the control test in a 1 m3 chamber after 60 min. The neutralization of the OH radical has been investigated by spectroscopic and biological methods. A remarkable reduction of the OH radical in the air by operation of the device has been observed by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The cell protection effects of the device against OH radicals in the air have been observed. Furthermore, the side effects have been checked by animal experiments. The harmlessness of the device has been confirmed.

  2. Uranium plasma emission at gas-core reaction conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, M. D.; Jalufka, N. W.; Hohl, F.; Lee, J. H.

    1976-01-01

    The results of uranium plasma emission produced by two methods are reported. For the first method a ruby laser was focused on the surface of a pure U-238 sample to create a plasma plume with a peak plasma density of about 10 to the 20th power/cu cm and a temperature of about 38,600 K. The absolute intensity of the emitted radiation, covering the range from 300 to 7000 A was measured. For the second method, the uranium plasma was produced in a 20 kilovolt, 25 kilojoule plasma-focus device. The 2.5 MeV neutrons from the D-D reaction in the plasma focus are moderated by polyethylene and induce fissions in the U-235. Spectra of both uranium plasmas were obtained over the range from 30 to 9000 A. Because of the low fission yield the energy input due to fissions is very small compared to the total energy in the plasma.

  3. Total sulfur determination in gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after direct sample introduction as detergent emulsions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santelli, Ricardo Erthal; Oliveira, Eliane Padua; de Carvalho, Maria de Fátima Batista; Bezerra, Marcos Almeida; Freire, Aline Soares

    2008-07-01

    Herein, we present the development of a procedure for the determination of total sulfur in petroleum-derived products (gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel) employing inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). For this procedure, samples were prepared as emulsions that were made using concentrated nitric acid, Triton X-100, sample, and ultra pure water in proportions of 5/10/7/78% (v/v), respectively. Sample volumes were weighed because of the density differences, and oxygen was added to the sheat gas entrance of the ICP OES in order to decrease carbon deposition in the torch and to minimize background effects. A Doehlert design was applied as an experimental matrix to investigate the flow ratios of argon (sheat and plasma gas) and oxygen in relation to the signal-to-background ratio. A comparative study among the slopes of the analytical curves built in aqueous media, surfactant/HNO 3, and by spike addition for several sample emulsions indicates that a unique solution of surfactant in acidic media can be employed to perform the external calibration for analysis of the emulsions. The developed procedure allows for the determination of the total sulfur content in petroleum derivatives with a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.72 and 2.4 μg g - 1 , respectively. Precision values, expressed as the relative standard deviations (% RSD, n = 10) for 12 and 400 μg g - 1 , were 2.2% and 1.3%, respectively. The proposed procedure was applied toward the determination of total sulfur in samples of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel commercialized in the city of Niterói/RJ, Brazil. The accuracy of the proposed method was evaluated by the determination of the total sulfur in three different standard reference materials (SRM): NIST 2723a (sulfur in diesel fuel oil), NIST 1616b (sulfur in kerosene), and NIST 2298 (sulfur in gasoline). The data indicate that the methodology can be successfully applied to these types of samples

  4. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet with high-voltage power supply based on piezoelectric transformer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Babij, Michał; Kowalski, Zbigniew W., E-mail: zbigniew.w.kowalski@pwr.wroc.pl; Nitsch, Karol

    The dielectric barrier discharge plasma jet, an example of the nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), generates low-temperature plasmas that are suitable for the atomization of volatile species and can also be served as an ionization source for ambient mass and ion mobility spectrometry. A new design of APPJ for mass spectrometry has been built in our group. In these plasma sources magnetic transformers (MTs) and inductors are typically used in power supplies but they present several drawbacks that are even more evident when dealing with high-voltage normally used in APPJs. To overcome these disadvantages, high frequency generators with themore » absence of MT are proposed in the literature. However, in the case of miniaturized APPJs these conventional power converters, built of ferromagnetic cores and inductors or by means of LC resonant tank circuits, are not so useful as piezoelectric transformer (PT) based power converters due to bulky components and small efficiency. We made and examined a novel atmospheric pressure plasma jet with PT supplier served as ionization source for ambient mass spectrometry, and especially mobile spectrometry where miniaturization, integration of components, and clean plasma are required. The objective of this paper is to describe the concept, design, and implementation of this miniaturized piezoelectric transformer-based atmospheric pressure plasma jet.« less

  5. Investigation of uranium plasma emission from 1050 to 6000 A

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mack, J.M. Jr.

    1977-12-01

    Absolute emission coefficient measurements on arc-generated uranium plasmas in local thermodynamic equilibrium are described for a wavelength bandwidth of 1050 to 6000A. Low- and high-pressure arcs were investigated for their emission properties, characteristic temperatures and uranium partial pressures. Temperatures from 5500 to 8000 K and uranium partial pressures from 0.001 to 0.01 atm were found at the arc centerline. The new emission data are compared with other similar experimental results and to existing theoretical calculations. The effects of cold-layer UF/sub 6/ photoabsorption on uranium plasma emission characteristics are established for UF/sub 6/ molecular densities ranging from 1.0 x 10/sup 16/more » to 1.0 x 10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ and layer thickness from 1.0 to 5.0 cm.« less

  6. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: an emerging technology for detecting rare cells in tissue sections.

    PubMed

    Managh, Amy J; Hutchinson, Robert W; Riquelme, Paloma; Broichhausen, Christiane; Wege, Anja K; Ritter, Uwe; Ahrens, Norbert; Koehl, Gudrun E; Walter, Lisa; Florian, Christian; Schlitt, Hans J; Reid, Helen J; Geissler, Edward K; Sharp, Barry L; Hutchinson, James A

    2014-09-01

    Administering immunoregulatory cells to patients as medicinal agents is a potentially revolutionary approach to the treatment of immunologically mediated diseases. Presently, there are no satisfactory, clinically applicable methods of tracking human cells in patients with adequate spatial resolution and target cell specificity over a sufficient period of time. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) represents a potential solution to the problem of detecting very rare cells in tissues. In this article, this exquisitely sensitive technique is applied to the tracking of gold-labeled human regulatory macrophages (Mregs) in immunodeficient mice. Optimal conditions for labeling Mregs with 50-nm gold particles were investigated by exposing Mregs in culture to variable concentrations of label: Mregs incubated with 3.5 × 10(9) particles/ml for 1 h incorporated an average of 3.39 × 10(8) Au atoms/cell without loss of cell viability. Analysis of single, gold-labeled Mregs by LA-ICP-MS registered an average of 1.9 × 10(5) counts/cell. Under these conditions, 100% labeling efficiency was achieved, and label was retained by Mregs for ≥36 h. Gold-labeled Mregs adhered to glass surfaces; after 24 h of culture, it was possible to colabel these cells with human-specific (154)Sm-tagged anti-HLA-DR or (174)Yb-tagged anti-CD45 mAbs. Following injection into immunodeficient mice, signals from gold-labeled human Mregs could be detected in mouse lung, liver, and spleen for at least 7 d by solution-based inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and LA-ICP-MS. These promising results indicate that LA-ICP-MS tissue imaging has great potential as an analytical technique in immunology. Copyright © 2014 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  7. Rapid and simple determination of selenium in blood serum by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

    PubMed

    Labat, L; Dehon, B; Lhermitte, M

    2003-05-01

    An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) with a rapid sample-preparative procedure was used for the determination of selenium in blood serum. Blood serum was prepared by dilution in an acidic solution consisting of nitric acid (1%), X-triton (0.1%) and 1-butanol (0.8%). A calibration curve was established for 1-40 microg mL(-1) (r(2)>0.99). The limit of detection was 0.5 microg mL(-1). Repeatability and intermediate precision were satisfactory with relative standard deviations (RSD) of 2.0% and 3.2%, respectively. This method was easily applied to reference materials with satisfactory accuracy. Good correlation (r(2)=0.96) was observed between ICP-MS and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) for the determination of (82)Se in blood serum from 23 patients. These results suggest that the sample preparative procedure coupled with ICP-MS can be used for the routine determination of (82)Se in human blood serum.

  8. Effect of oxygen plasma on field emission characteristics of single-wall carbon nanotubes grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kumar, Avshish; Parveen, Shama; Husain, Samina

    2014-02-28

    Field emission properties of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) grown on iron catalyst film by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition system were studied in diode configuration. The results were analysed in the framework of Fowler-Nordheim theory. The grown SWCNTs were found to be excellent field emitters, having emission current density higher than 20 mA/cm{sup 2} at a turn-on field of 1.3 V/μm. The as grown SWCNTs were further treated with Oxygen (O{sub 2}) plasma for 5 min and again field emission characteristics were measured. The O{sub 2} plasma treated SWCNTs have shown dramatic improvement in their field emission properties with emission current densitymore » of 111 mA/cm{sup 2} at a much lower turn on field of 0.8 V/μm. The as grown as well as plasma treated SWCNTs were also characterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy before and after O{sub 2} plasma treatment and the findings are being reported in this paper.« less

  9. The measurement of argon metastable atoms in the barrier discharge plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghildina, Anna R.; Mikheyev, Pavel Anatolyevich; Chernyshov, Aleksandr Konstantinovich; Lunev, Nikolai Nikolaevich; Azyazov, Valeriy Nikolaevich

    2018-04-01

    The mandatory condition for efficient operation of an optically-pumped all-rare-gas laser (OPRGL) is the presence of rare gas metastable atoms in the discharge plasma with number density of the order of 1012-1013 cm-3. This requirement mainly depends on the choice of a discharge system. In this study the number density values of argon metastable atoms were obtained in the condition of the dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) at an atmospheric pressure.

  10. Atomic oxygen production scaling in a nanosecond-pulsed externally grounded dielectric barrier plasma jet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sands, Brian; Schmidt, Jacob; Ganguly, Biswa; Scofield, James

    2014-10-01

    Atomic oxygen production is studied in a capillary dielectric barrier plasma jet that is externally grounded and driven with a 20-ns risetime positive unipolar pulsed voltage at pulse repetition rates up to 25 kHz. The power coupled to the discharge can be easily increased by increasing the pulse repetition rate. At a critical turnover frequency, determined by the net energy density coupled to the discharge, the plasma chemistry abruptly changes. This is indicated by increased plasma conductance and a transition in reactive oxygen species production from an ozone-dominated production regime below the turnover frequency to atomic-oxygen-dominated production at higher pulse rates. Here, we characterize atomic oxygen production scaling using spatially- and temporally-resolved two-photon absorption laser-induced-fluorescence (TALIF). Quantitative results are obtained via calibration with xenon using a similar laser excitation and collection system. These results are compared with quantitative ozone and discharge power measurements using a helium gas flow with oxygen admixtures up to 3%.

  11. On-line determination of Sb(III) and total Sb using baker's yeast immobilized on polyurethane foam and hydride generation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Menegário, Amauri A.; Silva, Ariovaldo José; Pozzi, Eloísa; Durrant, Steven F.; Abreu, Cassio H.

    2006-09-01

    The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was immobilized in cubes of polyurethane foam and the ability of this immobilized material to separate Sb(III) and Sb(V) was investigated. A method based on sequential determination of total Sb (after on-line reduction of Sb(V) to Sb(III) with thiourea) and Sb(III) (after on-line solid-liquid phase extraction) by hydride generation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry is proposed. A flow system assembled with solenoid valves was used to manage all stages of the process. The effects of pH, sample loading and elution flow rates on solid-liquid phase extraction of Sb(III) were evaluated. Also, the parameters related to on-line pre-reduction (reaction coil and flow rates) were optimized. Detection limits of 0.8 and 0.15 μg L - 1 were obtained for total Sb and Sb(III), respectively. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of river water and effluent samples. The results obtained for the determination of total Sb were in agreement with expected values, including the river water Standard Reference Material 1640 certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Recoveries of Sb(III) and Sb(V) in spiked samples were between 81 ± 19 and 111 ±15% when 120 s of sample loading were used.

  12. Determination and identification of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in confectionery foods, marketed in South Korea, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy.

    PubMed

    Kim, Namhoon; Kim, Changkyu; Jung, Soyoung; Park, Youngae; Lee, Youngju; Jo, Juyeon; Hong, Misun; Lee, Sangmi; Oh, Younghee; Jung, Kweon

    2018-06-18

    Food-grade titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is a common and widespread food additive in many processed foods, personal care products, and other industrial categories as it boosts the brightness and whiteness of colours. Although it is generally recognised as safe for humans, there is a growing interest in the health risks associated with its oral intake. This study quantified and identified TiO 2 nanoparticles present in confectionery foods, which are children's favourite foods, with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A reliable digestion method using hot sulphuric acid and a digestion catalyst (K 2 SO 4 :CuSO 4  = 9:1) was suggested for titanium analysis. Validations of the experimental method were quite acceptable in terms of linearity, recoveries, detection limits, and quantification limits. Of all the 88 analysed foods, TiO 2 was detected in 19 products, all except three declared TiO 2 in their labelling. The mean TiO 2 content of candies, chewing gums, and chocolates were 0.36 mg g -1 , 0.04 mg g -1 , and 0.81 mg g -1 , respectively. Whitish particles isolated from the confectionery foods were confirmed as TiO 2 nanoparticles via TEM and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), in which nanosized particles (<100 nm) were identified.

  13. Transition Region Emission and the Energy Input to Thermal Plasma in Solar Flares

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holman, Gordon D.; Holman, Gordon D.; Dennis, Brian R.; Haga, Leah; Raymond, John C.; Panasyuk, Alexander

    2005-01-01

    Understanding the energetics of solar flares depends on obtaining reliable determinations of the energy input to flare plasma. X-ray observations of the thermal bremsstrahlung from hot flare plasma provide temperatures and emission measures which, along with estimates of the plasma volume, allow the energy content of this hot plasma to be computed. However, if thermal energy losses are significant or if significant energy goes directly into cooler plasma, this is only a lower limit on the total energy injected into thermal plasma during the flare. We use SOHO UVCS observations of O VI flare emission scattered by coronal O VI ions to deduce the flare emission at transition region temperatures between 100,000 K and 1 MK for the 2002 July 23 and other flares. We find that the radiated energy at these temperatures significantly increases the deduced energy input to the thermal plasma, but by an amount that is less than the uncertainty in the computed energies. Comparisons of computed thermal and nonthermal electron energies deduced from RHESSI, GOES, and UVCS are shown.

  14. Sampling modulation technique in radio-frequency helium glow discharge emission source by use of pulsed laser ablation.

    PubMed

    Naeem, Tariq Mahmood; Matsuta, Hideyuki; Wagatsuma, Kazuaki

    2004-05-01

    An emission excitation source comprising a high-frequency diode-pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and a radio-frequency powered glow discharge lamp is proposed. In this system sample atoms ablated by the laser irradiation are introduced into the lamp chamber and subsequently excited by the helium glow discharge plasma. The pulsed operation of the laser can produce a cyclic variation in the emission intensities of the sample atoms whereas the plasma gas species emit the radiation continuously. The salient feature of the proposed technique is the selective detection of the laser modulation signal from the rest of the continuous background emissions, which can be achieved with the phase sensitive detection of the lock-in amplifier. The arrangement may be used to estimate the emission intensity of the laser ablated atom, free from the interference of other species present in the plasma. The experiments were conducted with a 13.56 MHz radio-frequency (rf) generator operated at 80 W power to produce plasma and the laser at a wavelength of 1064 nm (pulse duration:34 ns, repetition rate:7 kHz and average pulse energy of about 0.36 mJ) was employed for sample ablation. The measurements resulted in almost complete removal of nitrogen molecular bands (N(2)(+) 391.44 nm). Considerable reduction (about 75%) in the emission intensity of a carbon atomic line (C I 193.03 nm) was also observed.

  15. Spectroscopy and atomic physics of highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni for tokamak plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Feldman, U.; Doschek, G. A.; Cheng, C.-C.; Bhatia, A. K.

    1980-01-01

    The paper considers the spectroscopy and atomic physics for some highly ionized Cr, Fe, and Ni ions produced in tokamak plasmas. Forbidden and intersystem wavelengths for Cr and Ni ions are extrapolated and interpolated using the known wavelengths for Fe lines identified in solar-flare plasmas. Tables of transition probabilities for the B I, C I, N I, O I, and F I isoelectronic sequences are presented, and collision strengths and transition probabilities for Cr, Fe, and Ni ions of the Be I sequence are given. Similarities of tokamak and solar spectra are discussed, and it is shown how the atomic data presented may be used to determine ion abundances and electron densities in low-density plasmas.

  16. Helium microwave-induced plasmas for element specific detection in chromatography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Long, Gary L.; Ducatte, Gerald R.; Lancaster, Edwin D.

    1994-01-01

    This review addresses the development and use of the microwave-induced plasma (MIP) using optical emission spectrometry for the purpose of element specific detection in chromatography. The plasma source that is the focus of this article is the He-based MIP operated at atmospheric pressure. The forms of chromatography that are covered include gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, and supercritical fluid chromatography. Concepts in plasma cavity design and the chromatograph-plasma interface are discussed along with the application of these hybrid systems to analytical determinations.

  17. Assessing the role of "bottom-up" emissions and simplified chemical mechanisms in reconciling CESM2.0 with TOGA observations from the ORCAS and ATom-2 campaigns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Asher, E.; Emmons, L. K.; Kinnison, D. E.; Tilmes, S.; Hills, A. J.; Hornbrook, R. S.; Stephens, B. B.; Apel, E. C.

    2017-12-01

    Surface albedo and precipitation over the Southern Ocean are sensitive to parameterizations of aerosol formation and cloud dynamics in global climate models. Observations of precursor gases for natural aerosols can help constrain the uncertainty in these parameterizations, if used in conjunction with an appropriately simplified chemical mechanism. We implement current oceanic "bottom-up" emission climatologies of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and isoprene in CESM2.0 (Lana et al. 2016; Archer et al. 2009) and compare modeled constituents from two separate chemical mechanisms with data obtained from the Trace Organic Gas Analyzer (TOGA) on the O2/N2 Ratios and CO2 Airborne Study in the Southern Ocean (ORCAS) and the Atmospheric Tomography Mission 2 (ATom-2). We use ORCAS measurements of DMS, isoprene, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) and methacrolein (MACR) from over 10 flights in Jan. - Feb. 2016 as a training dataset to improve "bottom-up" emissions. Thereafter, we evaluate the scaled "top-down" emissions in CESM with TOGA data obtained from the Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom-2) in Feb. 2017. Recent laboratory studies at NCAR confirm that TOGA surpasses proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and commercial gas chromatography (GC) instruments with respect to accurate measurements of oxygenated VOCs in low nitrogen oxide (NO) environments, such as MVK and MACR.

  18. AC Glow Discharge Plasma in N2O

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yousif, F. B.; Martinez, H.; Robledo-Martinez, A.

    2006-12-04

    This paper considers the optical and electrical characterization of AC glow discharge plasma in the abnormal glow mode used for optical emission spectroscopy. The total discharge current and applied voltage are measured using conventional techniques. The electrical characteristics of the planer-cathode glow discharge confirmed that the plasma is operating at abnormal discharge mode characterized by the increases in the operating voltage as the current was raised under given pressure. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to determine the main emission lines of the glow discharge plasma of N2O at pressures between 0.5 and 4.0 Torr. It shows that the discharge emissionmore » range is mainly within 300-400 nm. The emission lines correspond to NO, O2, and O{sub 2}{sup +} are the dominant lines in the glow discharge plasma in the present study. Intensity of the emission lines show linear increase with the discharge current up to 0.4 A followed by saturation at higher currents. No emission lines were observed in this work corresponding to atomic oxygen or nitrogen.« less

  19. Electron ionization of metastable nitrogen and oxygen atoms in relation to the auroral emissions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pandya, Siddharth; Joshipura, K. N.

    Atomic and molecular excited metastable states (EMS) are exotic systems due to their special properties like long radiative life-time, large size (average radius) and large polarizability along with relatively smaller first ionization energy compared to their respective ground states (GS). The present work includes our theoretical calculations on electron impact ionization of metastable atomic states N( (2) P), N( (2) D) of nitrogen and O( (1) S), O( (1) D) of oxygen. The targets of our present interest, are found to be present in our Earth's ionosphere and they play an important role in auroral emissions observed in Earth’s auroral regions [1] as also in the emissions observed from cometary coma [2, 3] and airglow emissions. In particular, atomic oxygen in EMS can radiate, the visible O( (1) D -> (3) P) doublet 6300 - 6364 Å red doublet, the O( (1) S -> (1) D) 5577 Å green line, and the ultraviolet O( (1) S -> (3) P) 2972 Å line. For metastable atomic nitrogen one observes the similar emissions, in different wavelengths, from (2) D and (2) P states. At the Earth's auroral altitudes, from where these emissions take place in the ionosphere, energetic electrons are also present. In particular, if the metastable N as well as O atoms are ionized by the impact of electrons then these species are no longer available for emissions. This is a possible loss mechanism, and hence it is necessary to analyze the importance of electron ionization of the EMS of atomic O and N, by calculating the relevant cross sections. In the present paper we investigate electron ionization of the said metastable species by calculating relevant total cross sections. Our quantum mechanical calculations are based on projected approximate ionization contribution in the total inelastic cross sections [4]. Detailed results and discussion along with the significance of these calculations will be presented during the COSPAR-2014. References [1] A.Bhardwaj, and G. R. Gladstone, Rev. Geophys., 38

  20. Laser diagnostics of welding plasma by polarization spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Lucas, Owen; Alwahabi, Zeyad T; Linton, Valerie; Meeuwissen, Karel

    2007-05-01

    The application of polarization spectroscopy (PS) to detect atomic species in an atmospheric pressure welding plasma has been demonstrated. PS spectra of Na atoms, seeded in the shielding gas flow of a gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) plasma, are presented at different pump beam energies. The nature of the PS technique was found to be very efficient in suppressing the high background emission associated with the welding plasma. The PS spectral profiles appear to be Lorentzian and Lorentzian cubed for high and low pump beam energy, respectively. The effect of beam steering, due to the thermal gradient in the interaction plasma zone, was addressed. It was found that there is 2% unavoidable error in the detectable PS signal.

  1. IAEA activities on atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction data for fusion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Braams, Bastiaan J.; Chung, Hyun-Kyung

    2013-09-01

    The IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit (http://www-amdis.iaea.org/) aims to provide internationally evaluated and recommended data for atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction (A+M+PMI) processes in fusion research. The Unit organizes technical meetings and coordinates an A+M Data Centre Network (DCN) and a Code Centre Network (CCN). In addition the Unit organizes Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs), for which the objectives are mixed between development of new data and evaluation and recommendation of existing data. In the area of A+M data we are placing new emphasis in our meeting schedule on data evaluation and especially on uncertainties in calculated cross section data and the propagation of uncertainties through structure data and fundamental cross sections to effective rate coefficients. Following a recent meeting of the CCN it is intended to use electron scattering on Be, Ne and N2 as exemplars for study of uncertainties and uncertainty propagation in calculated data; this will be discussed further at the presentation. Please see http://www-amdis.iaea.org/CRP/ for more on our active and planned CRPs, which are concerned with atomic processes in core and edge plasma and with plasma interaction with beryllium-based surfaces and with irradiated tungsten.

  2. Determination of arsenic and selenium by hydride generation and headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with optical emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tyburska, Anna; Jankowski, Krzysztof; Rodzik, Agnieszka

    2011-07-01

    A hydride generation headspace solid phase microextraction technique has been developed in combination with optical emission spectrometry for determination of total arsenic and selenium. Hydrides were generated in a 10 mL volume septum-sealed vial and subsequently collected onto a polydimethylsiloxane/Carboxen solid phase microextraction fiber from the headspace of sample solution. After completion of the sorption, the fiber was transferred into a thermal desorption unit and the analytes were vaporized and directly introduced into argon inductively coupled plasma or helium microwave induced plasma radiation source. Experimental conditions of hydride formation reaction as well as sorption and desorption of analytes have been optimized showing the significant effect of the type of the solid phase microextraction fiber coating, the sorption time and hydrochloric acid concentration of the sample solution on analytical characteristics of the method developed. The limits of detection of arsenic and selenium were 0.1 and 0.8 ng mL - 1 , respectively. The limit of detection of selenium could be improved further using biosorption with baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae for analyte preconcentration. The technique was applied for the determination of total As and Se in real samples.

  3. Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as an Adsorbent for Preconcentration and Determination of Trace Amount of Nickel in Environmental Samples by Atom Trap Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirkhanloo, H.; Falahnejad, M.; Zavvar Mousavi, H.

    2016-01-01

    A rapid enrichment method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) has been established for preconcentration and separation of trace Ni(II) ions in water samples prior to their determination by atom trap flame atomic absorption spectrometry. A column filled with bulky NH2-UVM7 was used as the novel adsorbent. Under optimal conditions, the linear range, limit of detection (LOD), and preconcentration factor (PF) were 3-92 μg/L, 0.8 μg/L, and 100, respectively. The validity of the method was checked by the standard reference material.

  4. Stream-sediment samples reanalyzed for major, rare earth, and trace elements from seven 1:250,000-scale quadrangles, south-central Alaska, 2007-09

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gamble, Bruce M.; Bailey, Elizabeth A.; Shew, Nora B.; Labay, Keith A.; Schmidt, Jeanine M.; O'Leary, Richard M.; Detra, David E.

    2010-01-01

    During the 1960s through the 1980s, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted reconnaissance geochemical surveys of drainage basins throughout most of the Iliamna, Lake Clark, Lime Hills, and Talkeetna 1:250,000-scale quadrangles and parts of the McGrath, Seldovia, and Tyonek 1:250,000-scale quadrangles in Alaska. These geochemical surveys provide data necessary to assess the potential for undiscovered mineral resources and provide data that may be used to determine regional-scale element baselines. This report provides new data for 1,075 of the previously collected stream-sediment samples. The new analyses include a broader spectrum of elements and provide data that are more precise than the original analyses. All samples were analyzed for arsenic by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry, for gold, palladium, and platinum by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after lead button fire assay separation, and for a suite of 55 major, rare earth, and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after sodium peroxide sinter at 450 degrees Celsius.

  5. Atomic kinetics of a neon photoionized plasma experiment at Z

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayes, D. C.; Mancini, R. C.; Schoenfeld, R. P.; Bailey, J. E.; Loisel, G. P.; Rochau, G. A.; ZAPP Collaboration

    2017-10-01

    We discuss an experimental effort to study the atomic kinetics in neon photoionized plasmas via K-shell line absorption spectroscopy. The experiment employs the intense x-ray flux emitted at the collapse of a Z-pinch to heat and backlight a photoionized plasma contained within a cm-scale gas cell placed at various distances from the Z-pinch and filled with neon gas pressures in the range from 3.5 to 120 Torr. The experimental platform affords an order of magnitude range in the ionization parameter characterizing the photoionized plasma from about 5 to 80 erg*cm/s. Thus, the experiment allows for the study of trends in ionization distribution as a function of the ionization parameter. An x-ray crystal spectrometer capable of collecting both time-integrated and time-gated data is used to collect absorption spectra. The spectra show line absorption by several ionization stages of neon, including Be-, Li-, He-, and H-like ions. Analysis of these spectra yields ion areal-densities and charge state distributions, which can be compared with results from atomic kinetics codes. In addition, the electron temperature is extracted from level population ratios of nearby energy levels in Li- and Be-like ions, which can be used to test heating models of photoionized plasmas. This work was sponsored in part by DOE Office of Science Grant DE-SC0014451, and the Z Facility Fundamental Science Program of SNL.

  6. Atomic Force Microscope Investigations of Bacterial Biofilms Treated with Gas Discharge Plasmas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vandervoort, Kurt; Zelaya, Anna; Brelles-Marino, Graciela

    2012-02-01

    We present investigations of bacterial biofilms before and after treatment with gas discharge plasmas. Gas discharge plasmas represent a way to inactivate bacteria under conditions where conventional disinfection methods are often ineffective. These conditions involve biofilm communities, where bacteria grow embedded in an exopolysaccharide matrix, and cooperative interactions between cells make organisms less susceptible to standard inactivation methods. In this study, biofilms formed by the opportunistic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa were imaged before and after plasma treatment using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Through AFM images and micromechanical measurements we observed bacterial morphological damage and reduced AFM tip-sample surface adhesion following plasma treatment.

  7. Quality-assurance results for routine water analyses in U.S. Geological Survey laboratories, water year 1998

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ludtke, Amy S.; Woodworth, Mark T.; Marsh, Philip S.

    2000-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey operates a quality-assurance program based on the analyses of reference samples for two laboratories: the National Water Quality Laboratory and the Quality of Water Service Unit. Reference samples that contain selected inorganic, nutrient, and low-level constituents are prepared and submitted to the laboratory as disguised routine samples. The program goal is to estimate precision and bias for as many analytical methods offered by the participating laboratories as possible. Blind reference samples typically are submitted at a rate of 2 to 5 percent of the annual environmental-sample load for each constituent. The samples are distributed to the laboratories throughout the year. The reference samples are subject to the identical laboratory handling, processing, and analytical procedures as those applied to environmental samples and, therefore, have been used as an independent source to verify bias and precision of laboratory analytical methods and ambient water-quality measurements. The results are stored permanently in the National Water Information System and the Blind Sample Project's data base. During water year 1998, 95 analytical procedures were evaluated at the National Water Quality Laboratory and 63 analytical procedures were evaluated at the Quality of Water Service Unit. An overall evaluation of the inorganic and low-level constituent data for water year 1998 indicated 77 of 78 analytical procedures at the National Water Quality Laboratory met the criteria for precision. Silver (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry) was determined to be imprecise. Five of 78 analytical procedures showed bias throughout the range of reference samples: chromium (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry), dissolved solids (dissolved, gravimetric), lithium (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry), silver (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry), and zinc

  8. Motion of W and He atoms during formation of W fuzz

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doerner, R. P.; Nishijima, D.; Krasheninnikov, S. I.; Schwarz-Selinger, T.; Zach, M.

    2018-06-01

    Measurements are conducted to identify the motion of tungsten and helium atoms during the formation of tungsten fuzz. In a first series of experiments the mobility of helium within the growing fuzz was measured by adding 3He to the different stages of plasma exposure under conditions that promoted tungsten fuzz growth. Ion beam analysis was used to quantify the amount of 3He remaining in the samples following the plasma exposure. The results indicate that the retention of helium in bubbles within tungsten is a dynamic process with direct implantation rather than diffusion into the bubbles, best describing the motion of the helium atoms. In the second experiment, an isotopically enriched layer of tungsten (~92.99% 182W) is deposited on the surface of a bulk tungsten sample with the natural abundance of the isotopes. This sample is then exposed to helium plasma at the conditions necessary to support the formation of tungsten ‘fuzz’. Depth profiles of the concentration of each of the tungsten isotopes are obtained using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) before and after the plasma exposure. The depth profiles clearly show mixing of tungsten atoms from the bulk sample toward the surface of the fuzz. This supports a physical picture of the dynamic behavior of helium bubbles which, also, causes an enhanced mixing of tungsten atoms.

  9. Motion of W and He atoms during formation of W fuzz

    DOE PAGES

    Doerner, R. P.; Nishijima, D.; Krasheninnikov, S. I.; ...

    2018-04-11

    Measurements are conducted to identify the motion of tungsten and helium atoms during the formation of tungsten fuzz. In a first series of experiments the mobility of helium within the growing fuzz was measured by adding 3He to the different stages of plasma exposure under conditions that promoted tungsten fuzz growth. Ion beam analysis was used to quantify the amount of 3He remaining in the samples following the plasma exposure. The results indicate that the retention of helium in bubbles within tungsten is a dynamic process with direct implantation rather than diffusion into the bubbles, best describing the motion ofmore » the helium atoms. In the second experiment, an isotopically enriched layer of tungsten (~92.99% 182W) is deposited on the surface of a bulk tungsten sample with the natural abundance of the isotopes. This sample is then exposed to helium plasma at the conditions necessary to support the formation of tungsten 'fuzz'. Depth profiles of the concentration of each of the tungsten isotopes are obtained using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) before and after the plasma exposure. The depth profiles clearly show mixing of tungsten atoms from the bulk sample toward the surface of the fuzz. Lastly, this supports a physical picture of the dynamic behavior of helium bubbles which, also, causes an enhanced mixing of tungsten atoms.« less

  10. Cometary particulate analyzer. [mass spectrometry of laser plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Friichtenicht, J. F.; Miller, D. J.; Utterback, N. G.

    1979-01-01

    A concept for determining the relative abundance of elements contained in cometary particulates was evaluated. The technique utilizes a short, high intensity burst of laser radiation to vaporize and ionize collected particulate material. Ions extracted from this laser produced plasma are analyzed in a time of flight mass spectrometer to yield an atomic mass spectrum representative of the relative abundance of elements in the particulates. Critical aspects of the development of this system are determining the ionization efficiencies for various atomic species and achieving adequate mass resolution. A technique called energy-time focus, which utilizes static electric fields to alter the length of the ion flight path in proportion to the ion initial energy, was used which results in a corresponding compression to the range of ion flight times which effectively improves the inherent resolution. Sufficient data were acquired to develop preliminary specifications for a flight experiment.

  11. Fast quantification of endogenous carbohydrates in plasma using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Bangjie; Liu, Feng; Li, Xituo; Wang, Yan; Gu, Xue; Dai, Jieyu; Wang, Guiming; Cheng, Yu; Yan, Chao

    2015-01-01

    Endogenous carbohydrates in biosamples are frequently highlighted as the most differential metabolites in many metabolomics studies. A simple, fast, simultaneous quantitative method for 16 endogenous carbohydrates in plasma has been developed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. In order to quantify 16 endogenous carbohydrates in plasma, various conditions, including columns, chromatographic conditions, mass spectrometry conditions, and plasma preparation methods, were investigated. Different conditions in this quantified analysis were performed and optimized. The reproducibility, precision, recovery, matrix effect, and stability of the method were verified. The results indicated that a methanol/acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) mixture could effectively and reproducibly precipitate rat plasma proteins. Cold organic solvents coupled with vortex for 1 min and incubated at -20°C for 20 min were the most optimal conditions for protein precipitation and extraction. The results, according to the linearity, recovery, precision, matrix effect, and stability, showed that the method was satisfactory in the quantification of endogenous carbohydrates in rat plasma. The quantified analysis of endogenous carbohydrates in rat plasma performed excellently in terms of sensitivity, high throughput, and simple sample preparation, which met the requirement of quantification in specific expanded metabolomic studies after the global metabolic profiling research. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Surface Functionalization of Polyethylene Granules by Treatment with Low-Pressure Air Plasma.

    PubMed

    Šourková, Hana; Primc, Gregor; Špatenka, Petr

    2018-05-25

    Polyethylene granules of diameter 2 mm were treated with a low-pressure weakly ionized air plasma created in a metallic chamber by a pulsed microwave discharge of pulse duration 180 μs and duty cycle 70%. Optical emission spectroscopy showed rich bands of neutral nitrogen molecules and weak O-atom transitions, but the emission from N atoms was below the detection limit. The density of O atoms in the plasma above the samples was measured with a cobalt catalytic probe and exhibited a broad peak at the pressure of 80 Pa, where it was about 2.3 × 10 21 m -3 . The samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Survey spectra showed oxygen on the surface, while the nitrogen concentration remained below the detection limit for all conditions. The high-resolution C1s peaks revealed formation of various functional groups rather independently from treatment parameters. The results were explained by extensive dissociation of oxygen molecules in the gaseous plasma and negligible flux of N atoms on the polymer surface.

  13. Potential of an emissive cylindrical probe in plasma.

    PubMed

    Fruchtman, A; Zoler, D; Makrinich, G

    2011-08-01

    The floating potential of an emissive cylindrical probe in a plasma is calculated for an arbitrary ratio of Debye length to probe radius and for an arbitrary ion composition. In their motion to the probe the ions are assumed to be collisionless. For a small Debye length, a two-scale analysis for the quasineutral plasma and for the sheath provides analytical expressions for the emitted and collected currents and for the potential as functions of a generalized mass ratio. For a Debye length that is not small, it is demonstrated that, as the Debye length becomes larger, the probe potential approaches the plasma potential and that the ion density near the probe is not smaller but rather is larger than it is in the plasma bulk.

  14. Quantification of plasma myo-inositol using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Guo, Jin; Shi, Yingfei; Xu, Chengbao; Zhong, Rugang; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Ting; Niu, Bo; Wang, Jianhua

    2016-09-01

    Myo-inositol (MI) deficiency is associated with an increased risk for neural tube defects (NTDs), mental disorders and metabolic diseases. We developed a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method to detect MI in human plasma, which was accurate, relatively efficient and convenient for clinical application. An external standard method was used for determination of plasma MI. Samples were analyzed by GC-MS after derivatization. The stable-isotope labeled internal standard approach was used to validate the method's accuracy. Alpha fetal protein (AFP) was detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay. The method was validated by determining the linearity, sensitivity and recovery rate. There was a good agreement between the internal standard approach and the present method. The NTD-affected pregnancies showed lower plasma MI (P=0.024) and higher AFP levels (P=0.001) than control. Maternal MI level showed a better discrimination in spina bifida subgroup, while AFP level showed a better discrimination in anencephaly subgroup after stratification analysis. We developed a sensitive and reliable method for the detection of clinical plasma MI, which might be a marker for NTDs screening, and established fundamental knowledge for clinical diagnosis and prevention for the diseases related to disturbed MI metabolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. High latitude electromagnetic plasma wave emissions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gurnett, D. A.

    1983-01-01

    The principal types of electromagnetic plasma wave emission produced in the high latitude auroral regions are reviewed. Three types of radiation are described: auroral kilometric radiation, auroral hiss, and Z mode radiation. Auroral kilometric radiation is a very intense radio emission generated in the free space R-X mode by electrons associated with the formation of discrete auroral arcs in the local evening. Theories suggest that this radiation is an electron cyclotron resonance instability driven by an enhanced loss cone in the auroral acceleration region at altitudes of about 1 to 2 R sub E. Auroral hiss is a somewhat weaker whistler mode emission generated by low energy (100 eV to 10 keV) auroral electrons. The auroral hiss usually has a V shaped frequency time spectrum caused by a freqency dependent beaming of the whistler mode into a conical beam directed upward or downward along the magnetic field.

  16. Determination of Phosphorus and Potassium in Commercial Inorganic Fertilizers by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry: Single-Laboratory Validation, First Action 2015.18.

    PubMed

    Thiex, Nancy J

    2016-07-01

    A previously validated method for the determination of both citrate-EDTA-soluble P and K and acid-soluble P and K in commercial inorganic fertilizers by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry was submitted to the expert review panel (ERP) for fertilizers for consideration of First Action Official Method(SM) status. The ERP evaluated the single-laboratory validation results and recommended the method for First Action Official Method status and provided recommendations for achieving Final Action. Validation materials ranging from 4.4 to 52.4% P2O5 (1.7-22.7% P) and 3-62% K2O (2.5-51.1% K) were used for the validation. Recoveries from validation materials for citrate-soluble P and K ranged from 99.3 to 124.9% P and from 98.4 to 100.7% K. Recoveries from validation materials for acid-soluble "total" P and K ranged from 95.53 to 99.40% P and from 98.36 to 107.28% K. Values of r for citrate-soluble P and K, expressed as RSD, ranged from 0.28 to 1.30% for P and from 0.41 to 1.52% for K. Values of r for total P and K, expressed as RSD, ranged from 0.71 to 1.13% for P and from 0.39 to 1.18% for K. Based on the validation data, the ERP recommended the method (with alternatives for the citrate-soluble and the acid-soluble extractions) for First Action Official Method status and provided recommendations for achieving Final Action status.

  17. Paleodiet characterisation of an Etrurian population of Pontecagnano (Italy) by Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS)(#).

    PubMed

    Scarabino, Carla; Lubritto, Carmine; Proto, Antonio; Rubino, Mauro; Fiengo, Gilda; Marzaioli, Fabio; Passariello, Isabella; Busiello, Gaetano; Fortunato, Antonietta; Alfano, Davide; Sabbarese, Carlo; Rogalla, Detlef; De Cesare, Nicola; d'Onofrio, Antonio; Terrasi, Filippo

    2006-06-01

    Human bones recovered from the archaeological site of Pontecagnano (Salerno, Italy) have been studied to reconstruct the diet of an Etrurian population. Two different areas were investigated, named Library and Sant' Antonio, with a total of 44 tombs containing human skeletal remains, ranging in age from the 8th to the 3rd century B.C. This time span was confirmed by 14C dating obtained using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) on one bone sample from each site. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) was used to extract information about the concentration of Sr, Zn, Ca elements in the bone inorganic fraction, whilst stable isotope ratio measurements (IRMS) were carried out on bone collagen to obtain the delta13C and delta15N. A reliable technique has been used to extract and separate the inorganic and organic fractions of the bone remains. Both IRMS and AAS results suggest a mixed diet including C3 plant food and herbivore animals, consistent with archaeological indications.

  18. Near-infrared spectroscopy for burning plasma diagnostic applications.

    PubMed

    Soukhanovskii, V A

    2008-10-01

    Ultraviolet and visible (UV-VIS, 200-750 nm) atomic spectroscopy of neutral and ionized fuel species (H, D, T, and Li) and impurities (e.g., He, Be, C, and W) is a key element of plasma control and diagnosis on International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and future magnetically confined burning plasma experiments (BPXs). Spectroscopic diagnostic implementation and performance issues that arise in the BPX harsh nuclear environment in the UV-VIS range, e.g., degradation of first mirror reflectivity under charge-exchange atom bombardment (erosion) and impurity deposition, permanent and dynamic loss of window, and optical fiber transmission under intense neutron and gamma-ray fluxes, are either absent or not as severe in the near-infrared (NIR, 750-2000 nm) range. An initial survey of NIR diagnostic applications has been undertaken on the National Spherical Torus Experiment. It is demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy can be used for machine protection and plasma control applications, as well as contribute to plasma performance evaluation and physics studies. Emission intensity estimates demonstrate that NIR measurements are possible in the BPX plasma operating parameter range. Complications in the NIR range due to the parasitic background emissions are expected to occur at very high plasma densities, low impurity densities, and at high plasma-facing component temperatures.

  19. Analysis on laser plasma emission for characterization of colloids by video-based computer program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Putri, Kirana Yuniati; Lumbantoruan, Hendra Damos; Isnaeni

    2016-02-01

    Laser-induced breakdown detection (LIBD) is a sensitive technique for characterization of colloids with small size and low concentration. There are two types of detection, optical and acoustic. Optical LIBD employs CCD camera to capture the plasma emission and uses the information to quantify the colloids. This technique requires sophisticated technology which is often pricey. In order to build a simple, home-made LIBD system, a dedicated computer program based on MATLAB™ for analyzing laser plasma emission was developed. The analysis was conducted by counting the number of plasma emissions (breakdowns) during a certain period of time. Breakdown probability provided information on colloid size and concentration. Validation experiment showed that the computer program performed well on analyzing the plasma emissions. Optical LIBD has A graphical user interface (GUI) was also developed to make the program more user-friendly.

  20. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for stable isotope metabolic tracer studies of living systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Luong, Elise

    1999-05-10

    This dissertation focuses on the development of methods for stable isotope metabolic tracer studies in living systems using inductively coupled plasma single and dual quadrupole mass spectrometers. Sub-nanogram per gram levels of molybdenum (Mo) from human blood plasma are isolated by the use of anion exchange alumina microcolumns. Million-fold more concentrated spectral and matrix interferences such as sodium, chloride, sulfate, phosphate, etc. in the blood constituents are removed from the analyte. The recovery of Mo from the alumina column is 82 ± 5% (n = 5). Isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) is utilized for the quantitative ultra-tracemore » concentration determination of Mo in bovine and human blood samples. The average Mo concentration in reference bovine serum determined by this method is 10.2 ± 0.4 ng/g, while the certified value is 11.5 ± 1.1 ng/g (95% confidence interval). The Mo concentration of one pool of human blood plasma from two healthy male donors is 0.5 ± 0.1 ng/g. The inductively coupled plasma twin quadrupole mass spectrometer (ICP-TQMS) is used to measure the carbon isotope ratio from non-volatile organic compounds and bio-organic molecules to assess the ability as an alternative analytical method to gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-combustion-IRMS). Trytophan, myoglobin, and β-cyclodextrin are chosen for the study, initial observation of spectral interference of 13C + with 12C 1H + comes from the incomplete dissociation of myoglobin and/or β-cyclodextrin.« less

  1. Plasma emission spectroscopy method of tumor therapy

    DOEpatents

    Fleming, Kevin J.

    1997-01-01

    Disclosed are a method and apparatus for performing photon diagnostics using a portable and durable apparatus which incorporates the use of a remote sensing probe in fiberoptic communication with an interferometer or spectrometer. Also disclosed are applications for the apparatus including optically measuring high velocities and analyzing plasma/emission spectral characteristics.

  2. Superradiators created atom by atom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meschede, Dieter

    2018-02-01

    High radiation rates are usually associated with macroscopic lasers. Laser radiation is “coherent”—its amplitude and phase are well-defined—but its generation requires energy inputs to overcome loss. Excited atoms spontaneously emit in a random and incoherent fashion, and for N such atoms, the emission rate simply increases as N. However, if these atoms are in close proximity and coherently coupled by a radiation field, this microscopic ensemble acts as a single emitter whose emission rate increases as N2 and becomes “superradiant,” to use Dicke's terminology (1). On page 662 of this issue, Kim et al. (2) show the buildup of coherent light fields through collective emission from atomic radiators injected one by one into a resonator field. There is only one atom ever in the cavity, but the emission is still collective and superradiant. These results suggest another route toward thresholdless lasing.

  3. Revisiting the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of magnesium with online inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Shkirskiy, Viacheslav; King, Andrew D; Gharbi, Oumaïma; Volovitch, Polina; Scully, John R; Ogle, Kevin; Birbilis, Nick

    2015-02-23

    The electrochemical impedance of reactive metals such as magnesium is often complicated by an obvious inductive loop with decreasing frequency of the AC polarising signal. The characterisation and ensuing explanation of this phenomenon has been lacking in the literature to date, being either ignored or speculated. Herein, we couple electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with online atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry (AESEC) to simultaneously measure Mg-ion concentration and electrochemical impedance spectra during Mg corrosion, in real time. It is revealed that Mg dissolution occurs via Mg(2+) , and that corrosion is activated, as measured by AC frequencies less than approximately 1 Hz approaching DC conditions. The result of this is a higher rate of Mg(2+) dissolution, as the voltage excitation becomes slow enough to enable all Mg(2+) -enabling processes to adjust in real time. The manifestation of this in EIS data is an inductive loop. The rationalisation of such EIS behaviour, as it relates to Mg, is revealed for the first time by using concurrent AESEC. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. A comparison of geochemical exploration techniques and sample media within accretionary continental margins: an example from the Pacific Border Ranges, Southern Alaska, U.S.A.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sutley, S.J.; Goldfarb, R.J.; O'Leary, R. M.; Tripp, R.B.

    1990-01-01

    The Pacific Border Ranges of the southern Alaskan Cordillera are composed of a number of allochthonous tectonostratigraphic terranes. Within these terranes are widespread volcanogenic, massive sulfide deposits in and adjacent to portions of accreted ophiolite complexes, bands and disseminations of chromite in accreted island-arc ultramafic rocks, and epigenetic, gold-bearing quartz veins in metamorphosed turbidite sequences. A geochemical pilot study was undertaken to determine the most efficient exploration strategy for locating these types of mineral deposits within the Pacific Border Ranges and other typical convergent continental margin environments. High-density sediment sampling was carried out in first- and second-order stream channels surrounding typical gold, chromite and massive sulfide occurrences. At each site, a stream-sediment and a panned-concentrate sample were collected. In the laboratory, the stream sediments were sieved into coarse-sand, fine- to medium-sand, and silt- to clay-size fractions prior to analysis. One split of the panned concentrates was retained for analysis; a second split was further concentrated by gravity separation in heavy liquids and then divided into magnetic, weakly magnetic and nonmagnetic fractions for analysis. A number of different techniques including atomic absorption spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and semi-quantitative emission spectrography were used to analyze the various sample media. Comparison of the various types of sample media shows that in this tectonic environment it is most efficient to include a silt- to clay-size sediment fraction and a panned-concentrate sample. Even with the relatively low detection limits for many elements by plasma spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry, anomalies reflecting the presence of gold veins could not be identified in any of the stream-sediment fractions. Unseparated panned-concentrate samples should be analyzed by emission

  5. [Determination of trace gallium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry in urine].

    PubMed

    Zhou, L Z; Fu, S; Gao, S Q; He, G W

    2016-06-20

    To establish a method for determination trace gallium in urine by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The ammonium dihydrogen phosphate was matrix modifier. The temperature effect about pyrolysis (Tpyr) and atomization temperature were optimized for determination of trace gallium. The method of technical standard about within-run, between-run and recoveries of standard were optimized. The method showed a linear relationship within the range of 0.20~80.00 μg/L (r=0.998). The within-run and between-run relative standard deviations (RSD) of repetitive measurement at 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 μg/L concentration levels were 2.1%~5.5% and 2.3%~3.0%. The detection limit was 0.06 μg/L. The recoveries of gallium were 98.2%~101.1%. This method is simple, low detection limit, accurate, reliable and reproducible. It has been applied for determination of trace gallium in urine samples those who need occupation health examination or poisoning diagnosis.

  6. On the difference between breakdown and quench voltages of argon plasma and its relation to 4p–4s atomic state transitions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Forati, Ebrahim, E-mail: forati@ieee.org; Piltan, Shiva; Sievenpiper, Dan, E-mail: dsievenpiper@ucsd.edu

    Using a relaxation oscillator circuit, breakdown (V{sub BD}) and quench (V{sub Q}) voltages of a DC discharge microplasma between two needle probes are measured. High resolution modified Paschen curves are obtained for argon microplasmas including a quench voltage curve representing the voltage at which the plasma turns off. It is shown that for a point to point microgap (e.g., the microgap between two needle probes) which describes many realistic microdevices, neither Paschen's law applies nor field emission is noticeable. Although normally V{sub BD} > V{sub Q,} it is observed that depending on environmental parameters of argon, such as pressure and the drivingmore » circuitry, plasma can exist in a different state with equal V{sub BD} and V{sub Q.} Using emission line spectroscopy, it is shown that V{sub BD} and V{sub Q} are equal if the atomic excitation by the electric field dipole moment dominantly leads to one of the argon's metastable states (4P{sub 5} in our study)« less

  7. Atomic-layer soft plasma etching of MoS2

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Shaoqing; Xiao, Peng; Zhang, Xuecheng; Yan, Dawei; Gu, Xiaofeng; Qin, Fang; Ni, Zhenhua; Han, Zhao Jun; Ostrikov, Kostya (Ken)

    2016-01-01

    Transition from multi-layer to monolayer and sub-monolayer thickness leads to the many exotic properties and distinctive applications of two-dimensional (2D) MoS2. This transition requires atomic-layer-precision thinning of bulk MoS2 without damaging the remaining layers, which presently remains elusive. Here we report a soft, selective and high-throughput atomic-layer-precision etching of MoS2 in SF6 + N2 plasmas with low-energy (<0.4 eV) electrons and minimized ion-bombardment-related damage. Equal numbers of MoS2 layers are removed uniformly across domains with vastly different initial thickness, without affecting the underlying SiO2 substrate and the remaining MoS2 layers. The etching rates can be tuned to achieve complete MoS2 removal and any desired number of MoS2 layers including monolayer. Layer-dependent vibrational and photoluminescence spectra of the etched MoS2 are also demonstrated. This soft plasma etching technique is versatile, scalable, compatible with the semiconductor manufacturing processes, and may be applicable for a broader range of 2D materials and intended device applications. PMID:26813335

  8. Detection of anisotropy in the electron velocity distribution produced by electron cyclotron resonance heating using the polarization of helium atom emission lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Teramoto, Tatsuya; Shikama, Taiichi; Ueda, Akira; Hasuo, Masahiro

    2018-05-01

    The anisotropy in the electron velocity distribution (EVD) was measured using the polarization of two helium atom emission lines, 21P-31D (668 nm) and 23P-33D (588 nm), in a helium electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge plasma. A small polarization degree of less than 4% was measured by adopting a temporal modulation technique. It was found that the polarization originated locally from around the ECR layer and that the anisotropic component of the EVD produced by ECR heating had an average kinetic energy of approximately 40 eV.

  9. Identification of phosphorylated butyrylcholinesterase in human plasma using immunoaffinity purification and mass spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Aryal, Uma K.; Lin, Chiann Tso; Kim, Jong Seo

    2012-04-20

    Paraoxon (diethyl 4-nitrophenyl phosphate) is an active metabolite of the common insecticide parathion and is acutely toxic due to the inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE) activity in the nervous systems. The Inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity by paraoxon is due to the formation of phosphorylated BChE adduct, and the detection of the phosphorylated BChE adduct in human plasma can serve as an exposure biomarker of organophosphate pesticides and nerve agents. In this study, we performed immunoaffinity purification and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis for identifying phosphorylated BChE in human plasma treated by paraoxon. BChE was captured by biotinylated anti-BChEmore » polyclonal antibodies conjugated to streptavidin magnetic beads. Western blot analysis showed that the antibody was effective to recognize both native and modified BChE with high specificity. The exact phosphorylation site of BChE was confirmed on Serine 198 by MS/MS with a 108 Da modification mass and accurately measured parent ion masses. The phosphorylated BChE peptide was also successfully detected in the immunoaffinity purified sample from paraoxon treated human plasma. Thus, immunoaffinity purification combined with mass spectrometry represents a viable approach for the detection of paraoxon-modified BChE and other forms of modified BChE as exposure biomarkers of organophosphates and nerve agents.« less

  10. Quantitative aspects of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Wagner, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    Accurate determination of elements in various kinds of samples is essential for many areas, including environmental science, medicine, as well as industry. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a powerful tool enabling multi-elemental analysis of numerous matrices with high sensitivity and good precision. Various calibration approaches can be used to perform accurate quantitative measurements by ICP-MS. They include the use of pure standards, matrix-matched standards, or relevant certified reference materials, assuring traceability of the reported results. This review critically evaluates the advantages and limitations of different calibration approaches, which are used in quantitative analyses by ICP-MS. Examples of such analyses are provided. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Quantitative mass spectrometry’. PMID:27644971

  11. Water analysis via portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pearson, Delaina; Chakraborty, Somsubhra; Duda, Bogdan; Li, Bin; Weindorf, David C.; Deb, Shovik; Brevik, Eric; Ray, D. P.

    2017-01-01

    Rapid, in-situ elemental water analysis would be an invaluable tool in studying polluted and/or salt-impacted waters. Analysis of water salinity has commonly used electrical conductance (EC); however, the identity of the elements responsible for the salinity are not revealed using EC. Several studies have established the viability of using portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometry for elemental data analysis of soil, sediment, and other matrices. However, the accuracy of PXRF is known to be affected while scanning moisture-laden soil samples. This study used PXRF elemental data in water samples to predict water EC. A total of 256 water samples, from 10 different countries were collected and analyzed via PXRF, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and a digital salinity bridge. The PXRF detected some elements more effectively than others, but overall results indicated that PXRF can successfully predict water EC via quantifying Cl in water samples (validation R2 and RMSE of 0.77 and 0.95 log μS cm-1, respectively). The findings of this study elucidated the potential of PXRF for future analysis of pollutant and/or metal contaminated waters.

  12. Plasma emission spectroscopy method of tumor therapy

    DOEpatents

    Fleming, K.J.

    1997-03-11

    Disclosed are a method and apparatus for performing photon diagnostics using a portable and durable apparatus which incorporates the use of a remote sensing probe in fiberoptic communication with an interferometer or spectrometer. Also disclosed are applications for the apparatus including optically measuring high velocities and analyzing plasma/emission spectral characteristics. 6 figs.

  13. Determination of tellurium by hydride generation with in situ trapping flame atomic absorption spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matusiewicz, Henryk; Krawczyk, Magdalena

    2007-03-01

    The analytical performance of coupled hydride generation — integrated atom trap (HG-IAT) atomizer flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) system was evaluated for determination of Te in reference material (GBW 07302 Stream Sediment), coal fly ash and garlic. Tellurium, using formation of H 2Te vapors, is atomized in air-acetylene flame-heated IAT. A new design HG-IAT-FAAS hyphenated technique that would exceed the operational capabilities of existing arrangements (a water-cooled single silica tube, double-slotted quartz tube or an "integrated trap") was investigated. An improvement in detection limit was achieved compared with using either of the above atom trapping techniques separately. The concentration detection limit, defined as 3 times the blank standard deviation (3 σ), was 0.9 ng mL - 1 for Te. For a 2 min in situ pre-concentration time (sample volume of 2 mL), sensitivity enhancement compared to flame AAS, was 222 fold, using the hydride generation — atom trapping technique. The sensitivity can be further improved by increasing the collection time. The precision, expressed as RSD, was 7.0% ( n = 6) for Te. The designs studied include slotted tube, single silica tube and integrated atom trap-cooled atom traps. The accuracy of the method was verified using a certified reference material (GBW 07302 Stream Sediment) by aqueous standard calibration curves. The measured Te contents of the reference material was in agreement with the information value. The method was successfully applied to the determination of tellurium in coal fly ash and garlic.

  14. Sample preparation for arsenic speciation analysis in baby food by generation of substituted arsines with atomic absorption spectrometry detection.

    PubMed

    Huber, Charles S; Vale, Maria Goreti R; Dessuy, Morgana B; Svoboda, Milan; Musil, Stanislav; Dědina, Jiři

    2017-12-01

    A slurry sampling procedure for arsenic speciation analysis in baby food by arsane generation, cryogenic trapping and detection with atomic absorption spectrometry is presented. Several procedures were tested for slurry preparation, including different reagents (HNO 3 , HCl and tetramethylammonium hydroxide - TMAH) and their concentrations, water bath heating and ultrasound-assisted agitation. The best results for inorganic arsenic (iAs) and dimethylarsinate (DMA) were reached when using 3molL -1 HCl under heating and ultrasound-assisted agitation. The developed method was applied for the analysis of five porridge powder and six baby meal samples. The trueness of the method was checked with a certified reference material (CRM) of total arsenic (tAs), iAs and DMA in rice (ERM-BC211). Arsenic recoveries (mass balance) for all samples and CRM were performed by the determination of the tAs by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after microwave-assisted digestion and its comparison against the sum of the results from the speciation analysis. The relative limits of detection were 0.44, 0.24 and 0.16µgkg -1 for iAs, methylarsonate and DMA, respectively. The concentrations of the most toxic arsenic species (iAs) in the analyzed baby food samples ranged between 4.2 and 99µgkg -1 which were below the limits of 300, 200 and 100µgkg -1 set by the Brazilian, Chinese and European legislation, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Determination of Se in biological samples by axial view inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after digestion with aqua regia and on-line chemical vapor generation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    dos Santos, Éder José; Herrmann, Amanda Beatriz; de Caires, Suzete Kulik; Frescura, Vera Lúcia Azzolin; Curtius, Adilson José

    2009-06-01

    A simple and fast method for the determination of Se in biological samples, including food, by axial view inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry using on-line chemical vapor generation (CVG-ICP OES) is proposed. The concentrations of HCl and NaBH 4, used in the chemical vapor generation were optimized by factorial analysis. Six certified materials (non-fat milk powder, lobster hepatopancreas, human hair, whole egg powder, oyster tissue, and lyophilised pig kidney) were treated with 10 mL of aqua regia in a microwave system under reflux for 15 min followed by additional 15 min in an ultrasonic bath. The solutions were transferred to a 100 mL volumetric flask and the final volume was made up with water. The Se was determined directly in these solutions by CVG-ICP OES, using the analytical line at 196.026 nm. Calibration against aqueous standards in 10% v/v aqua regia in the concentration range of 0.5-10.0 µg L - 1 Se(IV) was used for the analysis. The quantification limit, considering a 0.5 g sample weight in a final volume of 100 mL - 1 was 0.10 µg g - 1. The obtained concentration values were in agreement with the total certified concentrations, according to the t-test for a 95% confidence level.

  16. Model polymer etching and surface modification by a time modulated RF plasma jet: role of atomic oxygen and water vapor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luan, P.; Knoll, A. J.; Wang, H.; Kondeti, V. S. S. K.; Bruggeman, P. J.; Oehrlein, G. S.

    2017-01-01

    The surface interaction of a well-characterized time modulated radio frequency (RF) plasma jet with polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(vinyl alcohol) as model polymers is investigated. The RF plasma jet shows fast polymer etching but mild chemical modification with a characteristic carbonate ester and NO formation on the etched surface. By varying the plasma treatment conditions including feed gas composition, environment gaseous composition, and treatment distance, we find that short lived species, especially atomic O for Ar/1% O2 and 1% air plasma and OH for Ar/1% H2O plasma, play an essential role for polymer etching. For O2 containing plasma, we find that atomic O initiates polymer etching and the etching depth mirrors the measured decay of O atoms in the gas phase as the nozzle-surface distance increases. The etching reaction probability of an O atom ranging from 10-4 to 10-3 is consistent with low pressure plasma research. We also find that adding O2 and H2O simultaneously into Ar feed gas quenches polymer etching compared to adding them separately which suggests the reduction of O and OH density in Ar/O2/H2O plasma.

  17. Determination of Zn-citrate in human milk by CIM monolithic chromatography with atomic and mass spectrometry detection.

    PubMed

    Milačič, Radmila; Ajlec, Dejan; Zuliani, Tea; Žigon, Dušan; Ščančar, Janez

    2012-11-15

    In human milk zinc (Zn) is bound to proteins and low molecular mass (LMM) ligands. Numerous investigations demonstrated that Zn bioavailability in human milk is for infant much higher than in cow's milk. It was presumed that in the LMM human milk fraction highly bioavailable Zn-citrate prevails. However, literature data are controversial regarding the amount of Zn-citrate in human milk since analytical procedures reported were not quantitative. So, complex investigation was carried out to develop analytical method for quantitative determination of this biologically important molecule. Studies were performed within the pH range 5-7 by the use of synthetic solutions of Zn-citrate prepared in HEPES, MOPS and MES buffers. Zn-citrate was separated on weak anion-exchange convective interaction media (CIM) diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) monolithic chromatographic column using NH(4)NO(3) as an eluent. Separated Zn species were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Quantitative separation of Zn-citrate complexes ([Zn(Cit)](-) and [Zn(Cit)(2)](4-); column recoveries 94-102%) and good repeatability and reproducibility of results with relative standard deviation (RSD±3.0%) were obtained. In fractions under the chromatographic peaks Zn-binding ligand was identified by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS-MS). Limits of detection (LOD) for determination of Zn-citrate species by CIM DEAE-FAAS and CIM DEAE-ICP-MS were 0.01 μg Zn mL(-1) and 0.0005 μg Zn mL(-1), respectively. Both techniques were sensitive enough for quantification of Zn-citrate in human milk. Results demonstrated that about 23% of total Zn was present in the LMM milk fraction and that LMM-Zn corresponded to Zn-citrate. The developed speciation method represents a reliable analytical tool for investigation of the percentage and the amount of Zn-citrate in human milk. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Control of spontaneous emission from a microwave-field-driven four-level atom in an anisotropic photonic crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Duo; Li, Jiahua; Ding, Chunling; Yang, Xiaoxue

    2012-05-01

    The spontaneous emission properties of a microwave-field-driven four-level atom embedded in anisotropic double-band photonic crystals (PCs) are investigated. We discuss the influences of the band-edge positions, Rabi frequency and detuning of the microwave field on the emission spectrum. It is found that several interesting features such as spectral-line enhancement, spectral-line suppression, spectral-line overlap, and multi-peak structures can be observed in the spectra. The proposed scheme can be achieved by use of a microwave-coupled field into hyperfine levels in rubidium atom confined in a photonic crystal. These theoretical investigations may provide more degrees of freedom to manipulate the atomic spontaneous emission.

  19. Ultraviolet electroluminescence from nitrogen-doped ZnO-based heterojuntion light-emitting diodes prepared by remote plasma in situ atomic layer-doping technique.

    PubMed

    Chien, Jui-Fen; Liao, Hua-Yang; Yu, Sheng-Fu; Lin, Ray-Ming; Shiojiri, Makoto; Shyue, Jing-Jong; Chen, Miin-Jang

    2013-01-23

    Remote plasma in situ atomic layer doping technique was applied to prepare an n-type nitrogen-doped ZnO (n-ZnO:N) layer upon p-type magnesium-doped GaN (p-GaN:Mg) to fabricate the n-ZnO:N/p-GaN:Mg heterojuntion light-emitting diodes. The room-temperature electroluminescence exhibits a dominant ultraviolet peak at λ ≈ 370 nm from ZnO band-edge emission and suppressed luminescence from GaN, as a result of the decrease in electron concentration in ZnO and reduced electron injection from n-ZnO:N to p-GaN:Mg because of the nitrogen incorporation. The result indicates that the in situ atomic layer doping technique is an effective approach to tailoring the electrical properties of materials in device applications.

  20. Temporally resolved diagnosis of an atmospheric-pressure pulse-modulated argon surface wave plasma by optical emission spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Chuan-Jie; Li, Shou-Zhe; Zhang, Jialiang; Liu, Dongping

    2018-01-01

    A pulse-modulated argon surface wave plasma generated at atmospheric pressure is characterized by means of temporally resolved optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The temporal evolution of the gas temperature, the electron temperature and density, the radiative species of atomic Ar, and the molecular band of OH(A) and N2(C) are investigated experimentally by altering the instantaneous power, pulse repetitive frequency, and duty ratio. We focused on the physical phenomena occurring at the onset of the time-on period and after the power interruption at the start of the time-off period. Meanwhile, the results are discussed qualitatively for an in-depth insight of its dynamic evolution.