Current and Potential Applications of Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (AES) in the Exploration, Mining, and Processing of Materials

Abstract

The first papers describing the potential advantages of using inductively coupled plasmas as vaporization-atomization-excitation sources for the atomic emission determination of the elements appeared in the literature approximately ten years ago. During the elapsed decade, continuing studies in a relatively small number of laboratories have led to striking advances in the scope of application of this analytical concept. With state of the art systems, it is now possible to determine all of the metals, metalloids, noble gases, and hydrogen at the major, minor, trace, and ultratrace level in a viable practical manner. In principle, all of these elements can be detected and determined simultaneously or sequentially under a single set of operating conditions. In this review the formation and the properties of these plasmas will be summarized and the present capabilities of ICP-AES with reference to such figures of merit as powers of detection, simultaneous multielement capability, applicability to the analysis of microliter or microgram samples, interelement effects, applicability to the direct excitation of liquids, solids, and gases, cost, accuracy, precision and dynamic range will be reviewed. © 1977, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.