CPC C22B 7/004 (2013.01) [C22B 4/005 (2013.01); C22B 4/08 (2013.01); C22B 7/001 (2013.01); C22B 19/30 (2013.01); Y02P 10/20 (2015.11)] | 14 Claims |
1. A process for extracting a species of a plurality of species from a matrix, comprising:
injecting a plasma into an extraction chamber by a plasma torch, wherein the plasma is formed from a plasma generating gas and an additional gas, the additional gas having a composition selected to react with a chemical composition of the species to be extracted from the matrix;
reacting atoms of the additional gas of the plasma with the species to be extracted to form molecules at a surface of the matrix such that the species is vaporized and extracted from the matrix, the matrix disposed on a moveable support within the extraction chamber;
continuously monitoring a composition of excited elements of the vaporized species extracted from the matrix and contained in the plasma by optical emission spectroscopy;
setting a distance between the moveable support and the plasma torch to achieve a predetermined temperature at an interface between the matrix and the plasma, wherein the predetermined temperature is a function of the species to be extracted from the matrix;
setting the matrix at a determined potential related to the plasma and adjusting the potential according to the monitored excited elements; and
collecting on a plate, exterior to the plasma, the molecules of the species extracted from the matrix.
|