How should Tyfoon nebulizers be connected to argon and sample tubing ?
Tyfoon nebulizers are supplied with standard connectors
that suit such tubes - 'quick-fit' gas connectors
and RubeTube sample tube connectors that suit all commonly-used sample tubing.
What benefits can one expect from a 'Tyfoon nebulizer' ?
If the comparison is made with a standard concentric glass nebulizer, they are as follows :
(A) with a radial-view ICP-OES instrument : sensitivity improvement over 50%,
for most elements
(B) with an axial-view ICP-OES instrument : sensitivity improvement over 10%,
much higher salt tolerance
(C) with an ICP-MS : higher sensitivity at low uptakes, higher tolerance of dissolved solids.
What else can be done to deal with high-salt samples ?
Every salt has its solubility limit - and it depends upon temperature ... :
(1) Lower the uptake as much as possible - less sample means less salt,
thus less risk of crystallization
(2) Raise or lower the spray chamber temperature
so as to increase solubility
(3) Use a SOLVIT Argon Humidifier :
a simple, low-cost precaution.
(4) Use a oneFAST valve system :
to maximize analysis speed.
My 'Tyfoon nebulizer' has been broken ! Can it be fixed ?
No, this isn't possible - rework of the glass would alter its geometry too much.
More rugged concentric nebulizers do exist : see
EPOND's 'No-Break' nebulizers
,
ESI's PFA nebulizers or
Burgener nebulizers .
Will a 'Tyfoon nebulizer' cope with slurries ?
Yes, unless the slurry particles are wider than ~50 microns : bunching of large particles could
then occur, so the sample should be treated with a nebulizer with a wider sample passage,
such as a Burgener PTFE or PEEK MiraMist.
EPOND can supply specialized
concentric and Burgener nebulizers
designed for slurries and similar samples.
How can the self-aspiration rate of a Tyfoon nebulizer be best adjusted ?
At a constant applied pressure, you can reduce the aspirated uptake by either
lengthening the uptake tube,
or by reducing the internal diameter ( ID ) of the uptake tube.
Reducing the ID by a factor of 2 can cut the uptake by a factor of 5 or more.
This is governed by the
( see the Wiki ) Poiseuille-Hagen law .
EPOND Switzerland can provide you with a
range of tubes and with components to connect
them,
such as the 'RubeTubes'.
Can a Tyfoon nebulizer be used with the
ESI APEX system ?
The correct and recommended nebulizers for the APEX high-sensitivity sample introduction
system are ESI's MicroFlow and PFA-ST concentric nebulizers.
The Tyfoon functions well at low uptakes, but it isn't rated for use at elevated temperatures.
Is there a simple way to measure the self-aspiration rate of a nebulizer ?
The best way to do this is with the EPOND
'XENA', an electronic device to measure
uptake accurately in seconds - in the range 5 to 2000 microlitres per minute. The patented measurement system of the
XENA is volumetric, non-contact and precise.
Are any Tyfoon nebulizers available made of PFA ?
No. For PFA nebulizers and other PFA components EPOND recommends ESI's
products.
Apart from the detailed information about these products that's available from
EPOND and
ESI,
there's a lot of favourable, independent comment about them in the
archives of Mike Cheatham's PlasmaChem bulletin board.
The 2 most well-known ESI PFA nebulizers are the MicroFlow and the PFA-ST ,
both of them designed for use with the
APEX-Q and APEX-E
high-sensitivity systems.
Does EPOND supply ICP components apart from nebulizers ?
Yes. Take a look at the EPOND site :
you'll see that there are cones, detectors and a wide range of other atomic spectroscopy
components and systems.
If you have any less-frequently asked questions, please email and we'll answer within the day.