A PROPRIETARY inductive coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) sample preparation protocol allowing regular, reproducible detection of sulphur at trace levels of only tens of parts-per-million (ppm) has been developed by Warwick Analytical Service.
The company says the new protocol provides an affordable alternative to ICP-MS for determining low ppm levels of sulphur in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, natural products, fuels, geological and nanoparticulate materials.
After trialling various sample weights – WAS scientists were able to determine a suitable measure to give the most accurate results.
The ICP conditions used for low level sulphur determinations typically requires a high purge for over an hour with the nebuliser and coil power set to axial view. In trials, WAS found that an optimum sample size was larger than that previously used, but not so large that microwave digestion was incomplete.
Copies of the application report describing the new sulphur protocol are available from Warwick Analytical, part of the Exeter Analytical group.