Tungsten devices in analytical atomic spectrometry

Tungsten devices have been employed in analytical atomic spectrometry for approximately 30 years. Most of these atomizers can be electrically heated up to 3000 °C at very high heating rates, with a simple power supply. Usually, a tungsten device is employed in one of two modes: as an electrothermal atomizer with which the sample vapor is probed directly, or as an electrothermal vaporizer, which produces a sample aerosol that is then carried to a separate atomizer for analysis. Tungsten devices may take various physical shapes: tubes, cups, boats, ribbons, wires, filaments, coils and loops. Most of these orientations have been applied to many analytical techniques, such as atomic absorption spectrometry, atomic emission spectrometry, atomic fluorescence spectrometry, laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry, metastable transfer emission spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and microwave plasma atomic spectrometry. The analytical figures of merit and the practical applications reported for these techniques are reviewed. Atomization mechanisms reported for tungsten atomizers are also briefly summarized. In addition, less common applications of tungsten devices are discussed, including analyte preconcentration by adsorption or electrodeposition and electrothermal separation of analytes prior to analysis. Tungsten atomization devices continue to provide simple, versatile alternatives for analytical atomic spectrometry.