Inductively Coupled Plasma
Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP)

Elemental concentrations can be measured to ppb (parts per billion) levels using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP). The ICP spectrophotometer utilizes plasma to excite elemental electrons which produce photons unique to each element. An example of this procedure is one used for a whole rock analysis. In this procedure a lithium meta-borate flux is generally used to digest the specimen. Once digested, the solution is introduced to the plasma allowing elemental concentration comparisons to known concentration curves. Using stoichiometric techniques elemental concentrations can be converted into molecular weight percentages.

An inductively coupled plasma source atomizes and excites even the most refractory elements with high efficiency. With this ICP, several elements can be determiend simultaneously without the need for repeated aspirations, adjustment of instrument parameters and tracking of the samples.