The conespray nebulizer for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A version of the conespray nebulizer proposed by Sharp has been designed and evaluated for routine liquid sample introduction for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The short-term analytical precision was better than 1% RSD with the conespray nebulizer using both simple aqueous solutions and solutions containing a matrix of 10% NaCl. The long-term %RSD (about 8 hr) was typically about 1% with simple (low matrix) solutions. The precision and stability of the analytical signal while nebulizing solutions with a 10% NaCl matrix during continuous runs were not distinguishable from the case when simple solutions were used. Sensitivity and detection limit data collected for the conespray nebulizer at a solution flow rate of 2 ml min and the cross-flow nebulizer at 1 ml min showed similar performance for these figures of merit. Wash-in and wash-out times for the conespray nebulizer were 9 and 40 s, respectively. Generally, this version of the conespray nebulizer provided similar overall performance to the best of the currently available Babington style nebulizers such as the V-groove nebulizer.