Electrothermal vaporization, part 1: gas phase chemistry

This manuscript is the first of a two-part publication on evaluation of vaporization and atomization processes in electrothermal vaporizers (ETV). Part 1 is specifically focused on gas phase (and heterogeneous) chemistry in ETVs. Molecular absorption spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (in conjunction with gas-phase mass spectrometry) are used to investigate the vaporization of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Co and Ni (chloride and nitrate salts). Graphite, Pt, and Ta were used as substrate material for vaporizers to elucidate some observations of gas-phase chemistry. The experiments in Part I and II of this series are intentionally performed using wall vaporization to closely mimic the conditions used when ETV is employed as a sample introduction device.