Recycling/one-way dual-mode nebulization system for inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

The dual-mode nebulization system in inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry was newly designed for practical use, using a small spray chamber and a concentric nebulizer. The drain in the one-way mode was simply switched to the nebulizer with a rotary valve for the recycling mode. The present system allowed nebulization to maintain for 20min with a 2ml sample, a rapid sample exchange within 10 min, and a low memory of 0.01%. A problem due to the gradual enrichment of determinants was easily overcome with an internal standard method. The sensitivity and reproducibility in both modes were comparable to those of a conventional one-way system. The present system was successfully applied to the analysis of some reference materials. A decomposed sample was measured in the recycling mode, while standards for calibration were measured in the one-way mode in order to save time and procedure.