1、Designation: E1832 08 (Reapproved 2017)Standard Practice forDescribing and Specifying a Direct Current Plasma AtomicEmission Spectrometer1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1832; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or, in the case
2、 of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. Asuperscript epsilon () indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1. Scope1.1 This practice describes the components of a directcurrent plasma (DCP) atomic emission spect
3、rometer. Thispractice does not attempt to specify component tolerances orperformance criteria. This practice does, however, attempt toidentify critical factors affecting bias, precision, and sensitivity.Before placing an order a prospective user should consult withthe manufacturer to design a testin
4、g protocol for demonstratingthat the instrument meets all anticipated needs.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determi
5、ne the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazardsstatements are give in Section 9.1.3 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of I
6、nternational Standards, Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.2. Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E135 Terminology Relating to Analytical Chemistry forMetals, Ores, and Related MaterialsE158 Practice for Fundamental Calcu
7、lations to ConvertIntensities into Concentrations in Optical Emission Spec-trochemical Analysis (Withdrawn 2004)3E172 Practice for Describing and Specifying the ExcitationSource in Emission SpectrochemicalAnalysis (Withdrawn2001)3E406 Practice for Using Controlled Atmospheres in Spec-trochemical Ana
8、lysisE416 Practice for Planning and Safe Operation of a Spec-trochemical Laboratory (Withdrawn 2005)3E520 Practice for Describing Photomultiplier Detectors inEmission and Absorption SpectrometryE528 Practice for Grounding Basic Optical Emission Spec-trochemical Equipment (Withdrawn 1998)3E1097 Guide
9、 for Determination of Various Elements byDirect Current Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry3. Terminology3.1 For terminology relating to emission spectrometry, referto Terminology E135.4. Significance and Use4.1 This practice describes the essential components of theDCP spectrometer. This descriptio
10、n allows the user or potentialuser to gain a basic understanding of this system. It alsoprovides a means of comparing and evaluating this system withsimilar systems, as well as understanding the capabilities andlimitations of each instrument.5. Overview5.1 A DCP spectrometer is an instrument for det
11、erminingconcentration of elements in solution. It typically is comprisedof several assemblies including a direct current (dc) electricalsource, a sample introduction system, components to form andcontain the plasma, an entrance slit, elements to disperseradiation emitted from the plasma, one or more
12、 exit slits, oneor more photomultipliers for converting the emitted radiationinto electrical current, one or more electrical capacitors forstoring this current as electrical charge, electrical circuitry formeasuring the voltage on each storage device, and a dedicatedcomputer with printer. The liquid
13、 sample is introduced into aspray chamber at a right angle to a stream of argon gas. Thesample is broken up into a fine aerosol by this argon stream andcarried into the plasma produced by a dc-arc discharge betweena tungsten electrode and two or more graphite electrodes.When the sample passes throug
14、h the plasma, it is vaporized1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E01 on AnalyticalChemistry for Metals, Ores, and Related Materials and is the direct responsibility ofSubcommittee E01.20 on Fundamental Practices.Current edition approved May 1, 2017. Published June 2017. Origin
15、allyapproved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2012 as E1832 08(2012).DOI: 10.1520/E1832-08R17.2For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org. For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information, refer to the standard
16、s Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with
17、 internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.1and atomized, and many elements are ionize
18、d. Free atoms andions are excited from their ground states. When electrons ofexcited atoms and ions fall to a lower-energy state, photons ofspecific wavelengths unique to each emitting species areemitted. This radiation, focussed by a lens onto the entrance slitof the spectrometer and directed to an
19、 echelle grating andquartz prism, is dispersed into higher orders of diffraction.Control on the diffraction order is accomplished by thelow-dispersion echelle grating. Radiation of specific wave-length or wavelengths passes through exit slits and impinges ona photomultiplier or photomultipliers. The
20、 current outputscharge high-quality capacitors, and the voltages thus generatedare measured and directed to the computer. Using calibrationsolutions, a calibration curve is generated for each element ofinterest. The computer compares the signals arising from themany elements in the sample to the app
21、ropriate calibrationcurve and then calculates the concentration of each element.Over seventy elements may be determined. Detection limits ina simple aqueous solution are less than 1 mg/L for most ofthese elements. Mineral acids or organic liquids also may beused as solvents, and detection limits are
22、 usually within anorder of magnitude of those obtained with water. Detectionlimits may be improved by using preconcentration procedures.Solid samples are dissolved before analysis.6. Description of Equipment6.1 Echelle SpectrometerComponents of the equipmentshown in Fig. 1 and described in this sect
23、ion are typical of acommercially available spectrometer.Although a specific spec-trometer is described herein, other spectrometers having equalor better performance may be satisfactory. The spectrometer isa Czerny-Turner mount and consists of a condensing lens infront of an entrance slit, a collimat
24、ing mirror, combineddispersing elements (grating and prism), focus mirror, exit slits,photomultipliers, control panel, and wavelength selectormechanism.6.1.1 Condensing Lens, placed between the DCP plasmaand the entrance slit. It should have a focal length capable offocusing an image of the source o
25、n the entrance slit and withsufficient diameter to fill this slit with radiant energy.6.1.2 Entrance Slit, although available with fixed width andheight, a slit variable in both width and height provides greaterflexibility. Typical values are 0.025 mm to 0.500 mm in widthand 0.100 mm to 0.500 mm in
26、height. Adjustable slit widthsand heights are useful in obtaining optimal spectral band widthand radiant energy entering the spectrometer for the require-ments of the analytical method.6.1.3 Collimating Mirror, renders all rays parallel afterentering the spectrometer. These parallel rays illuminate
27、thecombined dispersing elements. The focal length and f numbershould be specified. Typical focal length and f number are 750mm and f/13.6.1.4 Combined Dispersing Components, positioned so thatthe radiant energy from the collimating mirror passes throughthe prism, is refracted and reflected by a plan
28、e grating and backthrough the prism. Specify the ruling on the grating (forexample, 79 grooves/mm).6.1.5 Focus Mirror, placed to focus the radiant energy fromthe combined dispersing elements on a flat two-dimensionalfocal plane where the exit slits are located.6.1.6 Fixed Exit Slits, mounted in a re
29、movable fixture calledan optical cassette for multielement capability. A two-mirrorperiscope behind each exit slit directs the radiant energy to acorresponding photomultiplier. For single element capability,energy for one wavelength usually passes through its exit slitdirectly to the photomultiplier
30、 without the need for a periscope.Select the specific exit slit width before installation. Provide asingle channel cassette with one exit slit variable from 0.025mm to 0.200 mm in width and from 0.100 mm to 0.500 mm inheight.6.1.7 Photomultipliers, up to twenty end-on tubes, aremounted behind the fo
31、cal plane in a fixed pattern. Considersensitivity at specific wavelength and dark current in theselection of appropriate photomultipliers. Provide variablevoltage to each photomultiplier to change its response asrequired by the specific application. A typical range is from550 V to 1000 V in 50-V ste
32、ps. A survey of the properties ofphotomultipliers is given in Practice E520.6.1.8 Control Panels, are provided to perform several func-tions and serve as input to microprocessors to control theoperation of the spectrometer. Provide a numeric keyboard toenter high and low concentrations of reference
33、materials forcalibration and standardization of each channel and to displayentered values for verification. Provide a switch on this panelto set the mode either to integrate during analysis or to measureinstantaneous intensity. The latter mode is required to obtainthe peak position for a specific ch
34、annel by seeking maximumFIG. 1 Echelle Grating SpectrometerE1832 08 (2017)2intensity by wavelength adjustment and verifying by wave-length scanning. Conduct interference and background inves-tigations with this mode. Scanning is required if automaticbackground correction is to be performed. Provide
35、othernecessary switches for the following purposes: to calibrate orstandardize the spectrometer, start analysis, interrupt the func-tion being performed, set integration time and the number ofreplicate analyses, and direct the output to a printer, display, orstorage medium. Impose a fixed time delay
36、 of 10 s beforeintegration can begin to ensure that the solution being analyzedis aspirated into the DCP discharge. Provide digital and analogvoltmeters for displaying the instantaneous or integrated inten-sities during peaking, scanning, or analysis. If a computer is anintegral part of the spectrom
37、eter, most of the control functionsare accomplished with software.6.1.9 Wavelength Adjustment, provided to adjust the wave-length range and diffraction order for peaking the spectrometerbecause a two-dimensional spectrum is produced. Both coarseand fine control of these adjustments are required. To
38、maintainoptical alignment, the spectrometer should be thermally iso-lated from the DCP source or heated. A heated base on whichthe spectrometer rests has been satisfactory for this purpose.6.1.10 Dispersion and Spectral Band PassTypical disper-sion and spectral band pass with a 0.025-mm slit width v
39、aryfrom 0.061 nm/mm and 0.0015 nm at 200 nm to 0.244 nm/mmand 0.0060 nm at 800 nm, respectively.6.2 DCP Source, composed of several distinct parts, namelythe electrode, direct current power supply, gas flow, sampleintroduction, exhaust, water cooling, and safety systems. Referto Practice E172 for a
40、list of the electrical source parametersthat should be specified in a DCP method.6.2.1 Electrode System, Fig. 2, consists of two graphiteanodes fixed in a vertical plane and at a typical angle of 60 toone another, and a tungsten cathode fixed in a horizontal planeat an angle of 45 to the optic axis.
41、 In their operating position,the tips of the two anodes are separated by a distance of 1316in., (3.0 cm), and the tungsten cathode is 158 in., (4.1 cm),above the anode tips. Each electrode is recessed in a ceramicsleeve fitted into water-cooled anode and cathode blocks.Because the electrodes are of
42、special design to fit into and beheld by these blocks, the user must follow the manufacturersrecommendations for these electrodes. The electrode systemshall provide a mechanism to adjust the electrodes verticallyand horizontally across the optic axis to properly project theimage of the excitation re
43、gion onto the entrance slit and obtaina maximum signal-to-noise ratio. Sometimes a visible excita-tion region is not produced when some specimens are aspiratedinto this plasma. Iron solutions, as well as solutions of severalother elements, however, are satisfactory for this purpose.6.2.2 Direct Curr
44、ent Power Supply, capable of maintaininga constant current of 7 A dc in the discharge with a voltage of40 V to 50 V dc between the anodes and cathodes. Theresulting discharge has the shape of an inverted letter Y with aluminous zone in the crotch of the Y.6.2.3 Gas Flow System, (Refer to Practice E4
45、06) shall becapable of the following:6.2.3.1 Providing argon gas delivered at a pressure of 80 psi(5.62 kg/cm2) to the discharge sustaining gas and samplenebulization.6.2.3.2 Providing a pneumatic system to extend the anodeand cathode out of their sleeves and move the cathode blockdownwards so that
46、the cathode electrode makes contact withone of the anodes and initiates the plasma.6.2.3.3 Providing gas pressures of 15 psi to 30 psi (1.05kg/cm2to 2.01 kg/cm2) for nebulization and 50 psi (3.52kg/cm2) for other functions. Needle valves are used to adjustthese pressures, as well as provide for divi
47、sion of gas flowsamong three electrode blocks. A balance among the gas flowsthrough these blocks and past the electrodes is necessary toproduce and maintain a symmetrical discharge and atriangular- or arrowhead-shaped excitation region where thespecimens spectrum is generated.6.2.3.4 Providing isola
48、tion of the gas flow system from theambient atmosphere. For good analytical performance, ensurethat all tubing connections are tight and O-rings are in goodcondition.6.2.4 Sample Introduction System is required to control theflow of sample solution. This typically involves placing aflexible tube in
49、the sample container, which aspirates thesample solution into a nebulizer, usually a cross-flow design. Aperistaltic pump is used to pump the sample solution to thenebulizer.As a specimen drop is formed at the nebulizer orifice(0.02 in. or 0.05 cm), it is removed by the argon stream andbroken into several smaller drops. Most of these impinge onthe walls of the spray chamber running down to collect in awaste reservoir. Typically, about 20 % of the nebulized speci-men is carried by the argon stream as an aerosol into theplasma. The liquid in the waste reservoir is re
