Studies of the Desolvation Mechanism of the Thermospray (TSP)—New Explanation on Analytical Sensitivity Enhancement with TSP Coupled HPLC-FAAS

Abstract

Previous cadmium speciation studies using a modified thermospray (TSP)-coupled-HPLC-Flame AAS system gave significant improvements in limits of detection (LOD). Experimental data also revealed that a smaller capillary tip orifice size and a larger capillary internal diameter (ID) provided better LOD and relative standard deviation (RSD). Further studies to understand the desolvation mechanism inside the TSP capillary generated a new concept of the possible desolvation process occurring inside the heated TSP capillary. The separated components in the HPLC efficient were precon cent rated in a series of concentrated solute plugs producing concentrated plugs of free atoms and hence increased absorption.