Nebulizer with plasma source

[0032]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a portion of an apparatus 100 for analyzing gases and chemical solutions according to one embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus 100 includes an electrospray needle or nebulizer 102 that directs nebulized liquid into a sample introduction or spray chamber 104 at atmospheric pressures. In one embodiment, spray chamber 104 may be filled with helium and an aerosol that could be highly acidic. Electrospray needle 102 may be one built by Analytica of Branford or may alternatively be a Burgener nebulizer (e.g., an Ari Mist model), in which the electrospray is used as an atomizer and is not energized electrically. The nebulized liquid is drawn from a sample of solution to be analyzed, such as a SC2 or UPW bath. The nebulized aerosol is formed by combining a carrier gas, such as argon, helium, or nitrogen, with the analyte to form a spray.

[0033] In one embodiment, the pressure of the carrier gas as it is introduced into electrospray needle 102 is appr