Development of Hands-on Student Experiments to Use ICP-AES in the Analysis of Real Samples

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This department is developing several new experiments in modern inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) with an aim to motivating and inspiring curiosity in undergraduate students enrolled in two analytical service courses, quantitative and instrumental analysis for nonmajors and in the Integrated Laboratory program for chemistry majors. Students are learing first-hand how to prepare real samples by microwave digestion and the power of quantitative multi-elemental analysis for all important metals. Since the advent of the first commercial ICP in 1975, the spectrometer has experienced a redesign and growth due to the use of composite materials instead of steel to make the spectrometer lighter, microcomputers to control the instrument and display results for multi-element analysis, and the use of a solid-state radio frequency generator to produce an Argon atom plasma that can reach 6,000 to 9,000 degrees, a temperature sufficient to atomize and excite significant emission from almost any element. There are several new generation spectrometers that are appropriate for use in the undergraduate teaching laboratory. Since fast sequential detection of 10 to 20 elements is possible, the technique is very well suited to the analysis of major, minor, and trace constituents found in real but complex environmental samples such as rocks and soil, foods and biologicals water, and air.