A Hot Wire Loop Atomizer for Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

Samples containing Ag, Be, Bi, Cd, Cu, Ga, Hg, Mg, Pb, Tl, and Zn are vaporized from a tungsten or platinum loop into an argon stream and excited by radiation from electrodeless discharge tubes to produce atomic fluorescence. The integrated atomic fluorescence signals are independent of loop material and loop temperature, and nearly independent of anion type, sample nature, and argon flow rate. The device may have use for fundamental studies for measurement of quantum yields as well as for applied studies of measuring nanogram to picogram quantities of volatile metals in small amounts of sample (about 2 µl needed for analysis). The loop and sheathing device are described.