Study of the matrix effect of easily and non-easily ionizable elements in an inductively coupled argon plasma. Part 1. Spectroscopic diagnostics

Abstract

The influence of easily and non-easily ionizable concomitants on the spectral line profiles of the atomic and ionic components of analytes with different physical properties was investigated depending on the concentration of the concomitant and observation height above the load coil. The results obtained were considered from the point of view of nebulization and plasma discharge processes. For analytical reasons, all the investigations were performed in the normal analytical zone. The apparent temperatures of excitation, ionization and local thermal equilibrium and electron number density were measured, calculated and compared under plasma conditions with and without the presence of 20 mg ml^-1 of Li and 50 mg ml^-1 of Zn. It was found that the presence of Li changed the ionization temperature and non-equilibrium parameter (b<inf>r</inf>) particularly in zones higher up in the plasma. © The Royal Society of Chemistry, 1993. All rights reserved.