Study of thermospray and evaporation effects in a flame-on-a-chip

• Published in: Microchemical journal Vol. 145; pp. 444 - 449
• Main Authors: Kiss, Arpad, Kecskemeti, Adam, Gaspar, Attila
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2019
• Subjects: Flame atomic emission spectrometry; Lab-on-a-chip; Microfludics; Sample introduction; Thermospray; Lab-on-a-chip; Flame atomic emission spectrometry; Thermospray; Microfludics; Sample introduction
• ISSN: 0026-265X; 1095-9149
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2018.10.061

In the present work, a simple thermospray sample introduction applied in the recently developed μFAES system (where a microburner and flame were created on a microchip (flame-on-a-chip)) was extended with a process based on combined effects of thermospray and evaporation of the formed solid salts. In the used microfluidic system, the mechanisms of the thermospray and evaporation exhibit interesting and new features, which can be utilized in atomic spectroscopy. The effects of several parameters (like flow rates, sample volume and inner diameter of the thermospray capillary) of the sample introduction were investigated. •Thermospray and evaporation effects were combined in a flame-on-a-chip using 2 μL sample volume.•The combined mechanism of the thermospray and evaporation was firstly studied.•2 μL of sample volume provided a very efficient sample introduction.•This combined sample introduction method can be utilized in atomic spectroscopy.