ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

A practical approach to non-spectral interferences elimination in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

Anna Krejčová, Tomáš Černohorský, and Lenka Bendakovská

^aDepartment of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic

E-mail: anna.krejcova@upce.cz

Abstract: Matrix effects and practical possibilities of reducing accompanying non-spectral interferences in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) were studied for microconcentric Micromist, concentric and V-groove nebulizers (VGN) coupled with two cyclonic spray chambers of different sizes. The effect of a wide scale of interferents and mixtures thereof in the concentration range of up to 2 mass % (Na, Ca, Ba, La, urea) or up to 20 vol. % (nitric acid) on the analysis of Cd, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Pb and Zn was investigated in terms of their analytical recovery and Mg(II) 280.27 nm/Mg(I) 285.29 nm line intensity ratio. Recoveries of ionic lines were lower than those of atomic lines (37–102 %) depending on the matrix concentration. The Mg(II)/Mg(I) ratios were found to be 12–15 and they slightly decreased as the matrix load increased. Exceptional behavior of pure La matrix, steeply lowering the recoveries and Mg(II)/Mg(I) ratios was observed. A Micromist nebulizer coupled with a small inner volume spray chamber provided the highest recoveries (94–102 %), lowest matrix effects across the matrix loads and, compared to others, the least significant dependence without worsening of the analytical characteristics (recoveries, signal background ratios and the Mg(II)/Mg(I) ratios) across the studied matrices.

Keywords: ICP-OES – matrix effect – microconcentric Micromist nebulizer – spray chamber

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1515/chempap-2016-0004

Chemical Papers 70 (6) 669–684 (2016)