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Helium–hydrogen microplasma device (MPD) on postage-stamp-size plastic–quartz chips

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Abstract

A new design of a miniaturized, atmospheric-pressure, low-power (e.g., battery-operated), self-igniting, planar-geometry microplasma device (MPD) for use with liquid microsamples is described. The inexpensive MPD was a hybrid, three-substrate quartz–plastic–plastic structure and it was formed on chips with area the size of a small postage stamp. The substrates were chosen for rapid prototyping and for speedy device-geometry testing and evaluation. The ~700-µm (diameter) and 7-mm (long) He–H2 (3% H2) microplasma was formed by applying high-voltage ac between two needle electrodes. Operating conditions were found to be critical in sustaining stable microplasma on plastic substrates. Spectral interference from the electrode materials was not observed. A small-size, electrothermal vaporization system was used for introduction of microliter volumes of liquids into the MPD. The microplasma was operated from an inexpensive power supply. And, operation from a 14.4-V battery has been demonstrated. Microplasma background emission in the spectral range between 200 and 850 nm obtained using a portable, fiber-optic spectrometer is reported. Analyte emission from microliter volumes of dilute single-element standard solutions of Cd, Cu, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, and Zn is documented. Element-dependent precision was between 10–25% (the average was 15%) and detection limits ranged between 1.5 and 350 ng. The system was used for the determination of Na in diluted bottled-water samples.

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Acknowledgments

Financial assistance for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada and from the University of Waterloo (through awards of the Co-Op department) is gratefully acknowledged. Also, thanks to Taras Ryback (Co-Op student) and Nelmoy Biswas (Co-Op student) for their assistance during the early stages of this project. SW completed data collection as part of term-employment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1

    Scott Weagant & Vassili Karanassios

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  1. Scott Weagant
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  2. Vassili Karanassios
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Correspondence to Vassili Karanassios.

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Weagant, S., Karanassios, V. Helium–hydrogen microplasma device (MPD) on postage-stamp-size plastic–quartz chips. Anal Bioanal Chem 395, 577–589 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-009-2942-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-009-2942-2

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