70 Evaluation of High Efficiency Nebulisers to Increase the Sensitivity of the ICP-AES Technique Promulgated in ISO 15202

Abstract

International Standard (ISO) 15202 describes methods for the determination of metals and metalloids in workplace air. Its development involved harnessing selected sample digestion procedures, promulgated in existing national standards, with additional method validation work carried out by HSE. In summary, requirements for air sampling (part 1); acid digestion procedures for dissolving air filter samples (part 2) and procedures for the analysis of digests (part 3) by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) are described. Exposure limit values for many metals/metalloids are now reducing and consequently more sensitive analytical techniques such as ICP-MS (promulgated in ISO 30011) may well be required in occupational hygiene laboratories. Boosting the sensitivity of the ICP-AES technique through the use of high efficiency sample introduction systems (nebulisers) is however possible as described in this presentation.