Advances in discharge-based microplasmas for the analysis of trace species by atomic spectrometry

Microplasmas have become an actual topic of interest for research in atomic spectrometric systems. Their excellent characteristics including low power consumption and small size and weight make the use of microplasmas a promising technique for developing portable analytical instrumentations for the real-time and on-site measurement of trace species. In this review, the current status of discharge-based microplasmas is presented and discussed from the viewpoint of four typical applications in the field of atomic spectrometry, i.e., excitation source, atomizer, ionization source, and induced vapor generation. Microplasma excitation sources are not only highlighted for the direct detection of trace species by optical emission spectrometry (OES), but also focused on for a series of coupling techniques with gas chromatograph (GC), microelectrodialysis (μED), capillary electrophoresis (CE), chemical vapor generation (CVG), and electrothermal vaporization (ETV). Besides the atomization function, microplasma atomizers could serve as a preconcentration device to achieve the trapping and release of analytes in atomizers. Microplasma ionization sources are used to ablate compounds from sample surfaces for analyte detection and profile analysis. Microplasma-induced vapor generation provides a novel sample introduction approach with the feature of being a green analytical method. The future prospects of microplasma application in the field of atomic spectrometry are also described.

[1]  Mingli Chen,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal micro-plasma for the excitation and emission spectrometric detection of ammonia. , 2011, The Analyst.

[2]  J. Kratzer,et al.  Atomization of Bismuthane in a Dielectric Barrier Discharge: A Mechanistic Study. , 2016, Analytical chemistry.

[3]  C. Zheng,et al.  Electrothermal vaporization for universal liquid sample introduction to dielectric barrier discharge microplasma for portable atomic emission spectrometry. , 2014, Analytical chemistry.

[4]  Ting Yang,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge micro-plasma emission spectrometry for the detection of acetone in exhaled breath. , 2016, Talanta.

[5]  Zhi Xing,et al.  Low temperature hydrogen plasma assisted chemical vapor generation for Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry. , 2014, Talanta.

[6]  Y. Duan,et al.  Matrix-Assisted Plasma Atomization Emission Spectrometry for Surface Sampling Elemental Analysis , 2016, Scientific Reports.

[7]  Yixiao Li,et al.  Significant signal enhancement of dielectric barrier discharge plasma induced vapor generation by using non-ionic surfactants for determination of mercury and cadmium by atomic fluorescence spectrometry , 2016 .

[8]  Zhifu Liu,et al.  Generation of Volatile Cadmium and Zinc Species Based on Solution Anode Glow Discharge Induced Plasma Electrochemical Processes. , 2017, Analytical chemistry.

[9]  P. Pohl,et al.  Sensitive Determination of Cd in Small-Volume Samples by Miniaturized Liquid Drop Anode Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry. , 2017, Analytical Chemistry.

[10]  Y. Duan,et al.  Nitrogen microplasma generated in chip-based ingroove glow discharge device for detection of organic fragments by optical emission spectrometry. , 2015, Analytical chemistry.

[11]  W. Hang,et al.  Depth profiling of nanometer thin layers by pulsed micro-discharge with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , 2015 .

[12]  P. Pohl,et al.  Reduction of spectral interferences in atmospheric pressure glow discharge optical emission spectrometry , 2017 .

[13]  C. Zheng,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge molecular emission spectrometer as multichannel GC detector for halohydrocarbons. , 2011, Analytical chemistry.

[14]  G. Hieftje,et al.  Use of a solution cathode glow discharge for cold vapor generation of mercury with determination by ICP-atomic emission spectrometry. , 2008, Analytical chemistry.

[15]  R. K. Marcus,et al.  Conceptual Demonstration of Ambient Desorption-Optical Emission Spectroscopy Using a Liquid Sampling-Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge Microplasma Source. , 2016, Analytical chemistry.

[16]  Jie Jiang,et al.  Cold excitation and determination of hydrogen sulfide by dielectric barrier discharge molecular emission spectrometry. , 2015, Talanta.

[17]  Mingli Chen,et al.  A miniature lab-on-valve atomic fluorescence spectrometer integrating a dielectric barrier discharge atomizer demonstrated for arsenic analysis , 2008 .

[18]  Guojun Wen,et al.  Battery-Operated Atomic Emission Analyzer for Waterborne Arsenic Based on Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge Excitation Source. , 2017, Analytical chemistry.

[19]  Zhifu Liu,et al.  Plasma jet desorption atomization-atomic fluorescence spectrometry and its application to mercury speciation by coupling with thin layer chromatography. , 2012, Analytical chemistry.

[20]  J. Franzke,et al.  Development of a novel dielectric barrier microhollow cathode discharge for gaseous atomic emission spectroscopy , 2012 .

[21]  Y. Duan,et al.  Microplasma-Based Detectors for Gas Chromatography: Current Status and Future Trends , 2014 .

[22]  Zhou Long,et al.  Atomic spectrometric detectors for gas chromatography , 2016 .

[23]  Jie Yu,et al.  Simultaneously determination of multi metal elements in water samples by liquid cathode glow discharge-atomic emission spectrometry , 2016 .

[24]  J. Franzke,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharges applied for soft ionization and their mechanism. , 2017, Analytica chimica acta.

[25]  C. Zheng,et al.  Determination of Hg, Fe, Ni, and Co by Miniaturized Optical Emission Spectrometry Integrated with Flow Injection Photochemical Vapor Generation and Point Discharge. , 2015, Analytical chemistry.

[26]  C. Zheng,et al.  Determination of ultratrace nitrogen in pure argon gas by dielectric barrier discharge-molecular emission spectrometry , 2011 .

[27]  Z. Wang,et al.  Ultratrace Determination of Tin, Germanium, and Selenium by Hydride Generation Coupled with a Novel Solution-Cathode Glow Discharge-Atomic Emission Spectrometry Method. , 2016, Analytical chemistry.

[28]  Zhifu Liu,et al.  On line vapor generation of osmium based on solution cathode glow discharge for the determination by ICP-OES. , 2013, Talanta.

[29]  Jian-Hua Wang,et al.  Advances in dielectric barrier discharge-optical emission spectrometry for the analysis of trace species , 2015 .

[30]  W. Hang,et al.  Atomic spectrometry in China: past and present , 2015 .

[31]  Mingli Chen,et al.  Iodine excitation in a dielectric barrier discharge micro-plasma and its determination by optical emission spectrometry. , 2013, The Analyst.

[32]  Zhenli Zhu,et al.  Evaluation of a new dielectric barrier discharge excitation source for the determination of arsenic with atomic emission spectrometry. , 2014, Talanta.

[33]  Jian-Hua Wang,et al.  A miniature liquid electrode discharge-optical emission spectrometric system integrating microelectrodialysis for potassium screening in serum , 2017 .

[34]  Michael R. Webb,et al.  Measurement of sample and plasma properties in solution-cathode glow discharge and effects of organic additives on these properties , 2016 .

[35]  R. K. Marcus,et al.  Liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge excitation of atomic and ionic species , 2015 .

[36]  J. Broekaert,et al.  Study of a direct current atmospheric pressure glow discharge in helium with wet aerosol sample introduction systems , 2014 .

[37]  Zhenli Zhu,et al.  Evaluation of flow injection-solution cathode glow discharge-atomic emission spectrometry for the determination of major elements in brines. , 2016, Talanta.

[38]  Yongliang Yu,et al.  Nonthermal Optical Emission Spectrometry: Direct Atomization and Excitation of Cadmium for Highly Sensitive Determination. , 2016, Analytical chemistry.

[39]  C. Zheng,et al.  Hydride generation-point discharge microplasma-optical emission spectrometry for the determination of trace As, Bi, Sb and Sn , 2016 .

[40]  J. Kratzer,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge plasma atomizer for hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry—Performance evaluation for selenium , 2015 .

[41]  Zhi Xing,et al.  Simultaneous determination of arsenic and antimony by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry with dielectric barrier discharge atomizer , 2010 .

[42]  J. Goldberg,et al.  Design and Characterization of a Theta-Pinch Imploding Thin Film Plasma Source for Atomic Emission Spectrochemical Analysis , 2011, Applied spectroscopy.

[43]  Xiaoming Jiang,et al.  Pump- and Valve-Free Flow Injection Capillary Liquid Electrode Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry Coupled to a Droplet Array Platform. , 2017, Analytical chemistry.

[44]  Mingli Chen,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge-optical emission spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of halogens , 2016 .

[45]  P. Mezei,et al.  Direct solution analysis by glow discharge: electrolyte-cathode discharge spectrometry , 1994 .

[46]  Z. Ouyang,et al.  Ambient ionization and miniature mass spectrometry system for chemical and biological analysis. , 2016, Trends in analytical chemistry : TRAC.

[47]  C. Zheng,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge carbon atomic emission spectrometer: universal GC detector for volatile carbon-containing compounds. , 2014, Analytical chemistry.

[48]  G. Hieftje,et al.  Visual observations of an atmospheric-pressure solution-cathode glow discharge. , 2012, Talanta.

[49]  Hongtao Zheng,et al.  Elemental determination of microsamples by liquid film dielectric barrier discharge atomic emission spectrometry. , 2012, Analytical chemistry.

[50]  W. Hang,et al.  Pulsed microdischarge with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for elemental analysis on solid metal samples. , 2015, Analytical chemistry.

[51]  P. Pohl,et al.  Flowing Liquid Anode Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge as an Excitation Source for Optical Emission Spectrometry with the Improved Detectability of Ag, Cd, Hg, Pb, Tl, and Zn. , 2016, Analytical chemistry.

[52]  C. Zheng,et al.  A novel capillary microplasma analytical system: interface-free coupling of glow discharge optical emission spectrometry to capillary electrophoresis , 2016 .

[53]  C. Zheng,et al.  Single drop solution electrode glow discharge for plasma assisted-chemical vapor generation: sensitive detection of zinc and cadmium in limited amounts of samples. , 2014, Analytical chemistry.

[54]  Hongtao Zheng,et al.  Liquid Spray Dielectric Barrier Discharge Induced Plasma-Chemical Vapor Generation for the Determination of Lead by ICPMS. , 2017, Analytical chemistry.

[55]  J. Kratzer,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharges applied for optical spectrometry , 2016 .

[56]  Zhifu Liu,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge for high efficiency plasma-chemical vapor generation of cadmium. , 2013, Analytical chemistry.

[57]  Yingying Wang,et al.  Portable Dielectric Barrier Discharge-Atomic Emission Spectrometer. , 2017, Analytical chemistry.

[58]  C. Zheng,et al.  Ultrasensitive Speciation Analysis of Mercury in Rice by Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction Using Porous Carbons and Gas Chromatography-Dielectric Barrier Discharge Optical Emission Spectrometry. , 2016, Environmental science & technology.

[59]  Zhenli Zhu,et al.  Solution cathode glow discharge induced vapor generation of mercury and its application to mercury speciation by high performance liquid chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. , 2011, Journal of chromatography. A.

[60]  C. Zheng,et al.  Single-Drop Solution Electrode Discharge-Induced Cold Vapor Generation Coupling to Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion: A Robust Approach for Sensitive Quantification of Total Mercury Distribution in Fish. , 2017, Analytical chemistry.

[61]  C. Zheng,et al.  Vapor generation in dielectric barrier discharge for sensitive detection of mercury by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry , 2011 .

[62]  G. Hieftje,et al.  Microplasma-based flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA) source for ambient desorption-ionization mass spectrometry. , 2017, Analytica chimica acta.

[63]  Zhenli Zhu,et al.  Solution cathode glow discharge induced vapor generation of iodine for determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry , 2010 .

[64]  Z. Mester,et al.  Vapor generation by UV irradiation for sample introduction with atomic spectrometry. , 2004, Analytical chemistry.

[65]  Zhi Xing,et al.  Depth profiling of nanometer coatings by low temperature plasma probe combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. , 2010, Analytical chemistry.

[66]  R. K. Marcus,et al.  Liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge (LS-APGD) microplasmas for diverse spectrochemical analysis applications , 2017 .

[67]  Guoying Chen,et al.  Ambient-Temperature Trap/Release of Arsenic by Dielectric Barrier Discharge and Its Application to Ultratrace Arsenic Determination in Surface Water Followed by Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry. , 2016, Analytical chemistry.

[68]  Sichun Zhang,et al.  Atomization of hydride with a low-temperature, atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge and its application to arsenic speciation with atomic absorption spectrometry. , 2006, Analytical chemistry.

[69]  G. Gamez,et al.  Glow discharge optical emission spectrometry elemental mapping with restrictive anode array masks , 2016 .

[70]  P. Novák,et al.  Preconcentration and Atomization of Arsane in a Dielectric Barrier Discharge with Detection by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. , 2016, Analytical chemistry.

[71]  P. Pohl,et al.  Critical evaluation of recent achievements in low power glow discharge generated at atmospheric pressure between a flowing liquid cathode and a metallic anode for element analysis by optical emission spectrometry , 2017 .

[72]  J. Franzke,et al.  Investigations into modeling and further estimation of detection limits of the liquid electrode dielectric barrier discharge. , 2014, Analytical chemistry.

[73]  Zhifu Liu,et al.  Dielectric barrier discharge-plasma induced vaporization for the determination of thiomersal in vaccines by atomic fluorescence spectrometry , 2012 .

[74]  G. Hieftje,et al.  Atmospheric-pressure solution-cathode glow discharge: A versatile ion source for atomic and molecular mass spectrometry. , 2017, Analytica chimica acta.

[75]  Mingli Chen,et al.  Development of a miniature dielectric barrier discharge-optical emission spectrometric system for bromide and bromate screening in environmental water samples. , 2014, Analytica chimica acta.

[76]  V. Titov,et al.  Electrolyte-as-Cathode Glow Discharge Emission and the Processes of Solution-to-Plasma Transport of Neutral and Charged Species , 2004 .

[77]  Yongliang Yu,et al.  Metal carbonyl vapor generation coupled with dielectric barrier discharge to avoid plasma quench for optical emission spectrometry. , 2015, Analytical chemistry.

[78]  J. Kratzer,et al.  Determination of bismuth by dielectric barrier discharge atomic absorption spectrometry coupled with hydride generation: method optimization and evaluation of analytical performance. , 2014, Analytical chemistry.

[79]  R. Winkler,et al.  Low-temperature plasma (LTP) jets for mass spectrometry (MS): Ion processes, instrumental set-ups, and application examples , 2017 .

[80]  G. Mohanty,et al.  Use of radiofrequency power to enable glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy ultrafast elemental mapping of combinatorial libraries with nonconductive components: nitrogen-based materials , 2014, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.