A possible steady state kinetic model for the atomization and excitation processes during inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry: Application to interference effects of lithium on calcium

A possible steady state kinetic model is presented for the atomization and excitation processes during inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The model takes into account the relative rates of (a) thermal dissociation of analyte salt, (b) recombination of counter atom and analyte atoms, (c) charge transfer between analyte and interferent species, (d) charge transfer between analyte and argon species, and (e) ion/electron collisional de-ionization. Number density ratio data, n_u′/n_u, where n_u denotes the excited state and the prime denotes the presence of an interferent element, are presented showing that the predictions of the model are consistent with the signal enhancement observed at low analyte concentrations when Ca is determined by ICP in the presence of excess Li.