Electrode-assisted microwave-induced plasma spectroscopy

摘要

Particles of a flow of aerosol are collected and analyzed by passing them through a housing having an inlet area, an outlet area, and a collection and analysis area. A collection electrode has a tip disposed in the flow path in the collection and analysis area. Particles are collected on the tip of the collection electrode. A microwave pulse is applied to the collection and analysis area such that a plasma is created. Atomic emissions produced during at least part of the microwave step are collected for analysis of the ablated particles.

主权项

1. A method for collecting and analyzing particles of a flow of aerosol, the method comprising:
providing a housing having an inlet area and an outlet area, the housing further having a collection and analysis area interconnecting the inlet area with the outlet area, a flow path for an aerosol being defined from the inlet area, through the collection and analysis area, and out the outlet area; providing a collection electrode having a tip disposed in the flow path in the collection and analysis area; providing a second electrode spaced from the collection electrode tip in the collection and analysis area; introducing a flow of aerosol along the flow path, wherein the particles of the aerosol passing along the flow path are charged; collecting particles of the aerosol on the tip of the collection electrode, the collecting particles step comprising holding the collection electrode at a bias voltage relative to the charged particles such that charged particles collect on the tip of the collection electrode; during the collecting particles step, applying a corona current on the tip of the second electrode such that the second electrode creates a high concentration of ions around its tip such that the aerosol particles are charged by the ions for facilitating the collection of the particles on the collection electrode; applying a microwave pulse to the collection and analysis area such that a plasma is created on the tip of the collection electrode, thereby ablating and atomizing the collected particles; and measuring atomic emissions produced during at least part of the microwave applying step for analysis of the ablated particles.