Simplified design for solution anode glow discharge atomic emission spectrometry device for highly sensitive detection of Ag, Bi, Cd, Hg, Pb, Tl, and Zn

Herein, we propose a simplified design for a solution anode glow discharge-atomic emission spectrometry (SAGD-AES) device for determination of Ag, Bi, Cd, Hg, Pb, Tl, and Zn concentrations in solutions with high sensitivity. Using a Ti rod as the cathode, the need for a cooling device and noble gas environment was eliminated, which would enable the miniaturization of the device in the future. Moreover, the quartz tube in the device was directly connected to the graphite rod to eliminate the need to maintain a constant sample solution level in the device during discharge. A thorough parametric evaluation of the proposed SAGD-AES for heavy metal determination was performed. Our proposed SAGD-AES device achieved detection limits of 0.03, 1.98, 0.07, 1.7, 1.35, 0.02, and 0.12 mu g L-1 for Ag, Bi, Cd, Hg, Pb, Tl, and Zn, respectively, with the corresponding relative standard deviations for analyte concentrations of 10 mu g L-1 (Ag, Cd, Tl, Zn) and 200 mu g L-1 (Bi, Hg, Pb) being <5%. The accuracy of the proposed SAGD-AES design was experimentally verified by the determination of heavy metal concentrations in a simulated natural water sample (GBW08607) and in waste laboratory liquid. The results obtained using our device were in good agreement with those obtained using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.