Measurement of Silicon in Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK) using Ultrasonic Nebulization with Membrane Desolvation and ICP-AES Detection

Silicone-based compounds are commonly used in the health care industry. The silicone content (as silicon) in these products may be monitored for quality control purposes. The use of organic solvents, such as methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) for extraction of the silicone-based materials presents a particular challenge for the measurement of Si by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The volatility of the organic solvents can cause loss of plasma, plasma instability, and carbon buildup on the ICP torch. This application note demonstrates the use of the CETAC U6000AT+ Ultrasonic Nebulizer / Membrane Desolvator in stabilizing the plasma operation through removal of most of the diluting organic solvent during analyte transport.