Sample introduction is an important step in the use of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, as only a sample which has been broken down into a fine aerosol can be properly introduced into an ICP’s plasma discharge. ICP sample introduction has also been the source of much success for CETAC Technologies. The company was founded in 1987. Its first product was the U-5000 Ultrasonic Nebulizer. Since then, the company’s product offerings have broadened. It now provides five product types: automation systems, liquid-sample introduction instruments, solid-sample introduction systems, mercury analyzers and sample preparation systems. According to Jeff Rosenbohm, president of CETAC, “over the past nine years, CETAC has introduced over 20 new products and tripled in size.” Although the company’s main focus is still ICP-based technologies, its OEM automation systems have given it a presence in the atomic absorption, UV/visible spectroscopy, total organic carbon, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, titration and density, and HPLC markets.

Today, automation accounts for 50% of CETAC’s sales. The company provides a variety of autosamplers. For ICP applications, the APS-1650 Automated Preparation Station performs automated dilutions for petroleum applications. For OEM sales in non-spectroscopy fields, the company’s newest automation systems, the ASX-7000 and ASX-8000, are designed for HPLC, LC-MS and fraction collection. About this business, Mr. Rosenbohm told IBO: “The need for high-quality automation exists in many different industries. CETAC Technologies has a successful 15-year track record of automation product innovation and strong partnerships. This success has resulted in several new products in the market, many long-standing OEM accounts and a record of consistent growth directly linked to these factors.”

As Mr. Rosenbohm explained, changes in ICP instrumentation have led to an increased demand for robust ICP autosamplers. “With the advances in ICP and ICP-MS control, the need for advanced-degreed technicians operating the instruments has greatly decreased,” he said. “The operators’ responsibilities have shifted from problem solving to making sure the instrument is supplied with samples. This puts greater pressure on the sample introduction equipment because in many cases the operator is not trained on how to run a sample manually. If the sampler goes down, they are not running samples.” He added, “throughput is also a going concern. We have customers running 2,500–3,000 samples a day, every day. Reliable equipment that will increase their productivity is a big interest.”

CETAC’s liquid- and solid-sample introduction systems for ICP each account for 15% of company sales, according to Mr. Rosenbohm. Mercury analyzers account for another 15% of revenues, and sample preparation systems make up 5%. Nebulizers remain a focus for the firm. Its newest nebulizer, the pneumatic Marin-5 Enhanced Nebulizer System, was announced in March. “[It] provides up to five-times higher analyte sensitivity for ICP-AES and/or ICP-MS,” he stated. “The Marin-5 uses a patent-pending heated quartz spray chamber and condenser combination to enhance analyte transport from a standard 6 mm diameter concentric nebulizer.”