How to clean RF coils?

Hi

I think you have to check injector, nebulizer etc now

Better to replace RF Coil or if u want to clean then can sonicate but not sure it will clean too much..

https://community.agilent.com/knowledge/icp-oes-portal/w/icp-oes-knowledgebase/9881/cleaning-the-agilent-icp-oes-cone

For cone u may check above document...

Hello sophia,

This is very common in organic applications due to the use of the oxygen/argon mixture. The copper goes oxide due to the presence of O2.

In a given time, you will get some ignition problems and plasma stability, because the magnetic field that sustain the plasma will not be as efficient as with a new coil.

You can clean the coil but it is a very delicate job, because you can deform it and misalign the coil relatively to the torch position. You can remove it using a wrench (chiller off) and do it outside the torch box. When reinstalling it, you have to be very careful not to deform the coil, and also to let it aligned. Use a spent torch to do the job when aligning it - so you avoid breaking a new one.

To check if it is not touching the quartz tube, you can rip off a piece of paper and pass it through the coil and the outer tube. If it stucks, then adjust the coil. Another way to check the alignment is to use the camera of your smartphone on top of the outer tube, and see if the outer tube is centered to the coil.

The RF coil is considered a spare part, so it is a good idea to have some in your lab.

Don't worry about the cone - it will not clog as as an ICP-MS cone. But it is important to check the axial lens once in a while or when you start to get poor results.

Best regards,
Rodolfo

Thank you very much for your reply. Can I replace RF coils by myself or preferably ask service from agilent?

I thought gold coated RF coils can be used longer. We did not measure many samples. 100 to 200 samples. Most of them without O2, with kerosene dilution. Maybe I forgot to turn off the Ar/O2 for some measurements...

Hi Sophia, I understand... this is an issue that labs running organic samples using the gas mixture often report to us. My suggestion is to run as many samples you can while the coil is still functioning.

I will suggest to call your local agilent support.

Chiller need to switch off and need to drain all water before changing it.

In picture, i saw that one white tube is blackish so may need to change that one also...