A Customer Success Story

Improving Washout and Efficiency in a High-Throughput ICP-MS Testing Laboratory with the PCC Kit

One of the major challenges an ICP laboratory faces is the excessive washout time required for methods analyzing samples containing high levels of elements such as B and Hg, which tend to "stick" around in the sample introduction system. These "sticky" elements frequently require extended washout times and are typically followed by multiple rinse blanks to flush the system back down to reporting limits and, in some cases, down to method or even instrument detection limits. If there is an inadequate amount of rinse time, these high-concentration samples can frequently require a lab to rerun or flag samples analyzed after a sample containing high levels of elements like B and Hg.

PCC Hero

Webinar

Webinar Key Objectives:

  • Review the design of Glass Expansion's high-performance Peltier-cooled cyclonic spray chamber (PCC Kit) and Jet Vortex Interface (JVI) for the Agilent® ICP-MS.
  • Nebulizer selection and optimal pairing with the PCC Kit and your Agilent® ICP-MS.
  • Evaluate washout data collected using a real-world sample containing more than 4 ppm of Boron to compare the washout efficiency at a high-throughput environmental laboratory, resulting in a 61% improvement.

View Webinar, presented by Randy Mercurio:

 
 

Ordering Information

Part Number Description
KT-1212Q
PCC Quartz Spray Chamber for Agilent® 7850, 7900, 8900 with Actuator Mount
KT-1116 PCC Spray Chamber for Agilent® 7850, 7900, 8900
KT-1116Q
PCC Quartz Spray Chamber for Agilent® 7850, 7900, 8900
KT-1116P
PCC PFA Spray Chamber for Agilent® 7850, 7900, 8900
KT-1206
PCC Spray Chamber for Agilent® 7700, 7800, 8800
KT-1206Q
PCC Quartz Spray Chamber for Agilent® 7700, 7800, 8800
KT-1206P
PCC PFA Spray Chamber for Agilent® 7700, 7800, 8800
Product Benefits

Benefits of the PCC Design:

Faster Washout

The unique design of Glass Expansion’s cyclonic spray chamber minimizes washout time with highly concentrated samples and troublesome elements, such as B, Hg, Pb, and Sb compared to the standard Scott-style spray chamber.

Washout Comparison

Jet Vortex Interface (JVI™) – Aerosol Filtration

A patent pending, novel design provides highly-efficient Aerosol Filtration. With a simple and straightforward installation, the JVI works in conjunction with the existing "Make-Up" or "Dilution/Option" gas of your ICP-MS.

JVI
  • Compatible with your existing method settings for HMI and UHMI (7850/7900/8900).
  • Chemically inert, made from Teflon® (PTFE).
  • Secure connection to gas supply, spray chamber, and transfer tube.
  • Improved life of torch & interface cones.
  • Reduced build-up on injector & interface cones.
  • More robust plasma conditions.

Helix CT Interface

Glass Expansion's cyclonic spray chambers all feature the Helix CT locking screw, which allows for a consistent inert PTFE seal against the nebulizer - making it impossible to overtighten while ensuring a gas-tight seal and optimum nebulizer installation each and every time.

Helix CT Interface
Above Image.  A Glass Expansion Change Spray Chamber with Helix CT Interface
  • A positive stop to ensure that the nebulizer is inserted to the correct and optimum depth within the spray chamber.
  • Significantly reduces dead volume around the nebulizer.
  • Only nebulizer interface that delivers a ConstantTorque™ seal providing unparalleled, reproducible day-to-day analytical performance.
  • Tracey™ design provides best sensitivity, reproducibility and lowest memory effects.

For more information visit our Helix CT landing page.

Interchangeable Cyclonic Spray Chambers

The PCC Kit provides the ability to easily interchange between glass, quartz, or PFA Helix CT cyclonic spray chambers.

Spray Chamber Types
Above Image. Left to right - Tracey Spray Chamber in Glass, Quartz, and PFA
  • Glass provides a lower-cost option where low-level Boron measurements are not required.
  • High purity Quartz, the most common option, is required for low-level Boron measurements.
  • High-purity PFA, for applications with a hydrofluoric acid matrix and ultra-trace ICP-MS analyses (paired optimally with the OpalMist DC nebulizer).
  • The interior of the Tracey PFA spray chamber has the proprietary Stediflow surface treatment, which improves the wettability of the surface and ensures efficient drainage. Without the Stediflow treatment, droplets tend to form on the surface and degrade both sensitivity and precision.

Fast and Simple Installation

The PCC Kit connects directly to the existing electronics and water-cooling system of the Agilent® ICP-MS. A convenient mounting bracket is also included that allows for fast and simple installation on the Agilent® ICP-MS.

Above Images. PCC kit installed on Agilent ® ICP-MS
PCC Installation

Installation Guide

For ICP-MS Semi-Demountable Torch and PCC Kit (KT-1116Q)

This video will provide an installation guide for proper assembly and installation of Glass Expansion's semi-demountable torch and PCC Kit on the Agilent® ICP-MS.

 
 

Customer Comments

With the PCC Kit (Agilent 7850), our LODs and LOQs for high mass element isotopes like 111Cd and 201Hg are lowered on average by 5x into sub-ppb level concentrations compared to the Scot-style spray chamber.

For our particular application this PCC kit was a great improvement. On specific cases that required four (or more) blank runs to bring the boron level to baseline now we can do it two or one blank run. This allowed us to increase sample throughput by about 50%.

In reference to PCC Kit installed on Agilent 7900 — "More Internal Standard "consistency" in day-to-day operation, meaning that Internal Standard recoveries are more tightly grouped at the set Cal 0 CPS values (assuming no harsh matrices drastically impact said recoveries).

In reference to PCC Kit installed on Agilent 7900 — "Boron, Manganese and other "sticky" analytes continue to have much less carryover when compared to the other instruments that have the Scot Style spray chambers running similar matrices.

We have the PCC Kit installed (Agilent 8800) and everything is looking great so far. Our stabilization time once the valve switches to “Inject” is about 1/3 of what it was before.

For all enquiries or more information:

Contact Glass Expansion