Glow Discharge Spectrometry Techniques for Elemental Analysis
Summary
Glow discharge spectrometry encompasses a suite of plasma-based analytical methods in which a low-temperature gas discharge excites atoms and ions from solid or liquid samples, producing element-specific optical or mass signals. Originally developed for depth profiling of metals and alloys under low-pressure conditions, the technique now includes pulsed and continuous direct current glow discharges, radio-frequency discharges and atmospheric pressure variants. Key advantages include minimal sample preparation, high throughput, multi-element capability and surface-sensitive analysis down to sub-micrometre layers. Recent innovations have focused on miniaturised discharge sources, liquid-cathode configurations and hybrid approaches that couple glow discharge with hydride generation or inductively coupled plasma systems. These advances have enhanced analytical sensitivity, reduced resource consumption and enabled portable instrumentation for field studies. Applications span metallurgy, materials science, environmental monitoring and forensic investigations, with growing interest in real-time on-site elemental mapping and depth profiling of modern alloys, coatings and environmental particulates.
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Glow Discharge Spectrometry Techniques for Elemental Analysis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in glow discharge spectrometry techniques for elemental analysis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Glow discharge spectrometry: Analytical technique using a plasma between electrodes to excite sample atoms for elemental detection.
Atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD): Plasma sustained at ambient pressure, enabling compact, low-power emission spectrometers.
Liquid cathode glow discharge (LCGD): Glow discharge in which the sample solution serves as the cathode for direct liquid analysis.
Hydride generation: Chemical conversion of certain elements into volatile hydrides to enhance introduction and sensitivity.
Optical emission spectrometry (OES): Detection of characteristic light emitted by excited atoms or ions in a plasma for quantitative analysis.
References
- Analysis of Trace Heavy Metal in Solution Using Liquid Cathode Glow Discharge Spectroscopy. Sensors (2024).
- Hanging drop cathode-atmospheric pressure glow discharge as a new method of sample introduction for inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (2020).
- High‐Sensitivity Determination of K, Ca, Na, and Mg in Salt Mines Samples by Atomic Emission Spectrometry with a Miniaturized Liquid Cathode Glow Discharge. Journal of Analytical Methods in Chemistry (2017).
- A novel atmospheric pressure glow discharge system for sensitive determination of As, Sb, and Se by optical emission spectrometry following their hydride generation. Spectrochimica Acta Part B Atomic Spectroscopy (2024).
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