I've been carrying on Ca analysis using N2O flame in thermofisher i3000 series FAAS. A different noise started to come in and aspiration stopped. Capillary tube doesn't seem to be blocked. What would be the problem? Thank you in advance.
Firstly your sample shoud be clear, without any particulate which may block tubing, needle or nebulizer. Always aspirate the sample from above half of the sample solution, this avoid the aspiration of settled suspended particulate.
Thank you very much for your opinion. Capillary tube doesn't seem to be blocked. But I'm not sure about the nebulizer. Sample was clear. Do you know how to fix after the problem arised?
Remove the parts come in contact with sample soluiton and sonicate it if required was it with EDTA solution.
If the capillary is not blocked and your sample solution is very clear (hope you have filtered it), then the culprit can be the nebulizer. You may need to clean the nebulizer system. If you are not experienced to do this, take the help of a service engineer.
A nebulizer cleaning fine metal wire is available . You can clean nebulizer and check the aspiration rate (ml/min).Fill distilled water in a 10 ml graduated measuring cylinder. Aspirate water and check time (min) to aspirate a certain volume (ml). Compare the set value in the software. This will ensure that nebulizer is not blocked. Clean the N2O-Acetylene burner slot also. Also ensure that gas pressure and flow of N2O, Acetylene and Air are as per the desired set values.
Dear R.Girijan Menon and M P Sathianarayanan ,
Thank you for the very clear explanation. I will clean the nebulizer and check the rate. I've also contacted an engineer and I will attach his instructions if someone else needed it.
If the Ca concentration is high and PH of the solution is high too, it may be available in the precipitate/ suspended form, which may not visible. Thus, PH adjustment
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