Use of Electrolyte Jet Cathode Glow Discharges as Sources of Emission Spectra for Atomic Emission Detectors in Flow-Injection Analysis

Atmospheric glow discharges with electrolyte jet cathodes are proposed as atomization and excitation sources for atomic emission detectors for easily atomized metals in flow-injection analysis. The applicability of these sources to determining potassium, calcium, and sodium in concentration ranges of 0.01–10 mM using a semiconductor photodetector was demonstrated. It was found that the analytical signal enhanced with an increase in the temperature of the solution and a decrease in its flow rate, which was explained by the enhancement of the thermal sputtering of the electrolyte cathode.