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Dealing with with aggressive sample matrices can be a challenge with ICP spectrometry, and, generally, most 'real samples' analyzed by ICP laboratories contain considerable concentrations of TDS, including soils, sludges, wastewater, brines, high acid digests, and fusions. Analyzing these types of samples can pose a number of challenges for the ICP analyst, including increased frequency of torch replacement due to shortened torch life.
The combination of high temperature from the plasma and salt deposits on the torch causes a quartz torch outer tube to devitrify. The disadvantage of a single-piece torch is that it is a relatively high-cost consumable item, and the entire torch must be replaced, when, in most cases, it is just the outer tube that suffers from devitrification.
The D-Torch (Figure 1) is a robust and higher-performing alternative to both a single-piece and a semi-demountable quartz torch. Compared to other demountable torches, the D-Torch is the only torch design that comes standard with a ceramic intermediate tube for greater robustness and a lower cost of ownership (Figure 2).
Glass Expansion pioneered the design of ceramic torches more than 25 years ago. Since then, we have provided ceramic versions of our D-Torch for dozens of different ICP models. Using a ceramic outer tube on your ICP torch produces a hotter, more robust plasma, which reduces matrix effects and improves detection limits. Compared to a quartz outer tube, the ceramic outer tube has a much longer lifetime, greatly reducing maintenance, cleaning and downtime due to torch failure. In some sample matrices, quartz outer tubes can degrade in hours while the ceramic outer tube will last years under the same conditions.
Higher concentrations of salt in the samples lead to more rapid devitrification. The quartz torch in the photo was run for only 6 hours with samples containing 10% NaCl and is already badly degraded. By contrast, the ceramic material does not devitrify and is not affected by salt deposits.
The ceramic D-Torch in the photo was run for the same period and with the same samples as the quartz torch but shows no degradation at all.
Part Number Torches 30-808-3560 D-Torch for Agilent ® 5100, 5110, 5800, 5900 SVDV/VDV 30-808-3590 D-Torch for Agilent ® 5100, 5110, 5800 RV Part Number D-Torch Options 31-808-3570 Quartz Outer Tube for 5100, 5110, 5800, 5900 SVDV/VDV D-Torch 31-808-3580 Ceramic Outer Tube for 5100, 5110, 5800, 5900 SVDV/VDV D-Torch 31-808-3582 Quartz Outer Tube for 5100, 5110, 5800, 5900 RV D-Torch 31-808-3586 Ceramic Outer Tube for 5100, 5110, 5800, 5900 RV D-Torch 31-808-3738 Tapered Quartz Injector 0.8mm 31-808-3583 Tapered Quartz Injector 1.4mm 31-808-3576 Tapered Quartz Injector 1.8mm 31-808-3584 Tapered Quartz Injector 2.4mm 31-808-3725 Tapered Alumina Injector 1.5mm 31-808-3585 Tapered Alumina Injector 1.8mm 31-808-3722 Tapered Alumina Injector 2.4mm
Click here for the full D-Torch range.