ATOMIC ABSORPTION

PinAAcle Series Metal Body

Nebulizer Instructions

PerkinElmer, Inc.
710 Bridgeport Avenue
Shelton, CT 06484-4794, U.S.A.

Internet: http://www.perkinelmer.com
email: info@perkinelmer.com

PerkinElmer is a registered trademark of PerkinElmer, Inc.

Copyright Information:
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Copyright © 2015 PerkinElmer, Inc.

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marked as such, are protected by law.
PerkinElmer is a register trademark of PerkinElmer, Inc.

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Release Information:
Manual Part No. Release Release Date
09932003 G May 2015
 1

CONTENTS
SYMBOLS AND CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS
INSTRUCTION SHEET ..................................................................... 2 
NOTES, CAUTIONS, AND WARNINGS ................................................... 2 
THE PINAACLE SERIES METAL BODY NEBULIZER ............. 3 

ABOUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS ................................................... 3 

INSTALLING AND ADJUSTING THE PINAACLE METAL

BODY NEBULIZER ........................................................................... 7 
INSTALLING THE PINAACLE METAL BODY NEBULIZER ..................... 7 
ADJUSTING THE PINAACLE METAL BODY NEBULIZER
FOR MAXIMUM ABSORBANCE.................................................. 10 
USING ORGANIC SOLVENTS .............................................................. 12 
MAINTAINING OPTIMUM PINAACLE METAL BODY NEBULIZER
PERFORMANCE ................................................................................. 13 
CLEANING THE METAL BODY NEBULIZER ........................................ 15 
REASSEMBLY AND REPLACEMENT .................................................... 18 
SUPPLIES, ACCESSORIES, AND REPLACEMENT PARTS .. 20 
2

Symbols and Conventions Used in this

Instruction Sheet
Normal text is used to provide information and instructions. All
eight digit numbers are PerkinElmer part numbers unless stated
otherwise.
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
Three terms, in the standard following formats, are also used to
highlight special circumstances and warnings.
NOTE: A note indicates additional, significant information
that is provided with some procedures.

This is an example of a warning, a situation

that could lead to a personal injury.

WARNING

CAUTION This is an example of a caution, a situation

that could lead to damage to the instrument
or loss of data.
 3

The PinAAcle Series Metal Body Nebulizer

The nebulizer is an adjustable pneumatic device that is used to draw the
sample into the capillary tubing and spray it as a fine aerosol into the
spray chamber. The oxidant gas is routed through the oxidant tubing
into the nebulizer through a connecting passage in the burner assembly
(spray chamber). The sample uptake rate/sensitivity is optimized by
adjusting the nebulizer.

The metal body nebulizer can be used for most solutions containing
< 5 % acid. It has excellent performance (precision and signal-to-noise
ratio) and it is less prone to clogging. The needle assembly and venturi
can be changed to produce a Platinum alloy and corrosion resistant
version. See Figure 1 for a close up of this nebulizer.

About These Instructions

Use these instructions to install your new nebulizer in your PinAAcle
spectrometer. Also make certain you understand the maintenance
procedures.
4

1 2

Figure 1 Close Up of the Metal Body Nebulizer (P/N N3160143)

Item Description Item Description
1 Needle Assembly 2 Nebulizer body
 5

Parts Included in the Metal Body Nebulizer Kit

Part Number Description

N3160143 Metal Body Nebulizer Assembly

03030405 Apiezon-L Grease

03030135 Cleaning Wire

09932003 Metal Body Nebulizer for PinAAcle Series Instructions

Parts needed for a Corrosion-Resistant Nebulizer

(Note: only one capillary assembly is needed)

Part Number Description

03030402 Capillary Assembly (nebulizer capillary tubing comes attached since

the capillary assembly is made of plastic)

00570957 Capillary Assembly with long nebulizer capillary tubing for use with
the autosampler (nebulizer capillary tubing comes attached since the
capillary assembly is made of plastic)

03031920 Venturi
6

Parts needed for a Platinum Alloy Nebulizer

Part Number Description

03030433 Capillary Assembly

03033124 Venturi

O-Ring Part Numbers

Part Number Description

09902102 Capillary Assembly O-Ring

09902005 Venturi O-Ring

09902239 O-ring (that seals the nebulizer to the end cap)

09902015 Nebulizer Body O-Ring (two are needed)

03031802 Teflon® Washer

 7

Installing and Adjusting the PinAAcle

Metal Body Nebulizer
A metal body nebulizer end cap (Part No. N3160505) is required
to install the PinAAcle metal body nebulizer.
A different end cap is required for the plastic body nebulizer.
Before you install the nebulizer, check the parts you received with
the PinAAcle metal body nebulizer Kit (Part No. N3160143), with
the parts listed in the table on page 5, of this instruction sheet. If any
parts are missing or damaged, notify PerkinElmer immediately.

Installing the PinAAcle Metal Body Nebulizer

Install the PinAAcle metal body nebulizer using the following
procedure:
1. Carefully reinstall the needle assembly by taking the beveled
edge of the needle assembly and insert it into the nebulizer in the
1 o’clock position to align with the nebulizer gas port. If correctly
positioned, the open part of the bevel will align with the nebulizer
body gas port. See the following figure.
8

4 3

Figure 2 Close Up of the Needle Assembly

Item Description Item Description
1 Needle assembly 3 Nebulizer body
2 Beveled edge of the hypodermic 4 Needle in the 1
needle in the needle assembly o’clock position
 9

NOTE: Use Apiezon®-L grease Make sure that no grease gets onto
the tip of the capillary.
2. Apply a small amount of Apiezon grease on all the inner
O-rings (insert, venturi and the needle assembly). The
nebulizer parts will seal better.
3. Insert the re-assembled nebulizer into the end cap in the
unlocked position.
4. Rotate the arm 90 degrees clockwise into the locked position.
5. Push the locking clamp all the way in to lock the nebulizer in
place.

NOTE: When the nebulizer is securely in place, the nebulizer

interlock will be depressed and you will be able to run the
instrument. If the nebulizer interlock is not depressed, the
software will indicate that the safety interlock is not satisfied. A
checked off green box in the software will indicate that the safety locks
are engaged and the instrument will allow an analysis to occur.
The nebulizer installation is complete.
10

Adjusting the PinAAcle Metal Body

Nebulizer for Maximum Absorbance
Adjust the nebulizer to achieve maximum absorbance as follows:
1. Ignite the flame. Refer to the procedure for igniting the flame in
your PinAAcle Series user’s documentation.
2. Set up the spectrometer for the determination of copper,
magnesium, or another element which has an absorbing
wavelength above 250 nm and whose sensitivity is not
dependent on the fuel/oxidant ratio. Do not select an element
requiring a nitrous oxide-acetylene flame, as the nebulizer
should never be adjusted when a nitrous oxide-acetylene
flame is lit. The height for the air-acetylene flame is not as
critical as in the nitrous oxide-acetylene flame where the
sensitivity can vary a lot.
3. Use the Align Burner Wizard in the Flame Control Window
to optimize the burner position. After the flame is turned on,
autozero on a blank. Then aspirate a standard and make sure the
solution is being aspirated by the nebulizer so there will be an
absorbance with which the horizontal and rotational positions
can be optimized. If necessary, adjust the burner height before
optimizing the horizontal and rotational positions.
 11

4. While aspirating the standard, turn the nebulizer locking ring

clockwise until it is free of the nebulizer adjustment nut.
5. Slowly turn the nebulizer adjustment nut counterclockwise
until bubbles begin to appear at the end of the needle assembly
tube in the sample solution.
6. Slowly turn the nebulizer adjustment nut clockwise
until the absorbance goes to a maximum and then
begins to decrease. Go back to the maximum position.
7. Lock the nebulizer adjustment nut in its current (optimum)
position by turning the nebulizer locking ring counter-clockwise
while carefully holding the nebulizer adjustment nut.
8. Check the characteristic concentration as instructed
in your spectrometer manuals. This characteristic concentration
should normally be within ±20% of the value listed in the
Analytical Methods for AA Spectroscopy (P/N 03030152).
12

Using Organic Solvents

It is often beneficial to lower the nebulizer uptake rate when

aspirating organic solvents. The normal nebulizer update rate for
aqueous solutions is typically 6-8 mL/min.

When an organic solvent is aspirated, the

CAUTION flame will become richer. The uptake rate
should be reduced to obtain a moderately
lean flame. If needed, the fuel flow can also
be reduced while the solvent is being
aspirated. The fuel flow must be increased
before the sample capillary is removed
from the solvent for any length of time, or
the flame will be too lean, which will cause
a flashback.
Depending on the type of organic solvent aspirated, reducing the
uptake rate to 1-3 mL/min, will minimize how rich the flame will
become when the solvent is aspirated. This leaner flame typically
provides improved precision, particularly when aspirating a
commonly used solvent such as xylene.
 13

To adjust the nebulizer uptake rate, unlock the nebulizer locking

nut and rotate the nebulizer adjustment nut until you locate a position
which provides reduced sample uptake. Then lock the nebulizer
locking nut.
NOTE: The uptake rate is easily measured by using a graduated
cylinder.
All uptake rate adjustments should be performed while running an
air/acetylene flame. The nebulizer should never be adjusted while
running a nitrous oxide/acetylene flame.

Maintaining Optimum PinAAcle Metal

Body Nebulizer Performance
To maintain optimum nebulizer performance, you must periodically
clean the nebulizer parts, and occasionally replace the capillary
(sample) tubing. A pinhole can develop in the capillary tubing which
will greatly reduce the sample uptake rate. See Figure 3 for an
exploded view of the nebulizer. Since the needle assembly and the
venturi come in direct contact with the sample, these parts will need
to be replaced over time.
Also, the nebulizer is only a part of the overall burner system.
For optimum burner-system performance, it is important to
periodically clean the burner chamber, burner head, and the end cap.
14

All o-rings must be checked on a regular basis and replaced if

sticky, flat, cut, or damaged in any way.
When aspirating concentrated samples with complex matrices, it
is especially important to keep the burner chamber and nebulizer
free of sample deposits. In addition to regular cleaning, it is
beneficial to periodically aspirate a dilute surfactant solution,
such as 0.1% Triton X-100, for several minutes to keep the
system clean.
The surfactant solution will encourage constant drainage, which is
required for obtaining optimum burner system performance.

Cleaning the Capillary Assembly

Clean the capillary assembly whenever you notice degradation in
absorbance values due to a blockage in the capillary. There are two
ways to clean the capillary assembly:
 The first (simplified) way should be used if the nebulizer
capillary assembly is not difficult to clear. This method
involves simply passing one of the cleaning wires, supplied,
through the capillary assembly.
 15

 The second (complete) procedure requires shutting down the

spectrometer, removing the nebulizer from the end cap,
removing the capillary tubing, cleaning the capillary assembly
and replacing the capillary tubing. This procedure must be
performed if you have no success with the first method.

Cleaning the Metal Body Nebulizer

A low or erratic absorbance reading may indicate that the burner

head, burner chamber, or the nebulizer and capillary tubing require
cleaning. If you find that the burner chamber and burner head is
clean, the problem is probably due to an obstruction
in the nebulizer or capillary tubing.
To clear an obstruction in the nebulizer
1. Aspirate pure solvent with the flame on until the absorbance
reading is satisfactory for a standard.
2. If you cannot obtain a satisfactory absorbance, try to clear the
obstruction by pushing the copper cleaning wire through the
capillary and into the nebulizer. Move the wire in and out to
dislodge any solid particles
16

CAUTION Use only the copper cleaning wire

provided with the nebulizer to clean the
capillary. Other wire may be burred and
can damage the nebulizer.
3. If deposits cannot be removed using these measures, remove
the nebulizer so you can disassemble and clean it.

Cleaning the Nebulizer

To clean a stubborn blockage from the nebulizer, perform the
procedure below.

Wear protective gloves when you remove

the nebulizer from the end cap if you were
analyzing toxic samples.

WARNING
1. Turn off the spectrometer and turn off all gas supplies.
 17

2. Lift the end-cap spring clamp and gently pull the nebulizer
out of the burner end cap.
3. After you have taken the nebulizer apart, clean the
components as follows:
4. Clean the capillary assembly using a mild laboratory
detergent solution, or a solvent such as isopropanol, preferably
in an ultrasonic bath.
5. Clean the nebulizer body and any other parts that appear
dirty in a mild laboratory detergent solution, or a solvent
such as isopropanol, preferably in an ultrasonic bath.
6. Rinse all the cleaned components thoroughly with deionized
water. If the venturi or the tip of the needle assembly looks
worn, then that part should be replaced.
7. Inspect the all O-rings on the nebulizer body and clean
them if necessary in mild laboratory detergent solution,
followed by a thorough rinsing with deionized water. If
they look damaged, replace them.

After you have cleaned the components, reassemble the nebulizer.

18

Reassembly and Replacement

2 3 7 8 10
5

1 6 9
4 11

Figure 3 Exploded View of the Metal Body Nebulizer with stainless

steel needle assembly and venturi
Item Description Item Description
1 Fine adjustment nut (P/N 0301460) 7 Nebulizer body O-rings (2)
((P/N 09902015)
2 Sample capillary (P/N 09908265) 8 Venturi O-ring (P/N 09902005)
®
3 Teflon washer (P/N 03031802) 9 Venturi (P/N 03031810)
4 Needle assembly (P/N 03030354) 10 Cap (P/N N3161057)
5 Spring (P/N 03031806) 11 O-ring (P/N 09902239) that
seals the nebulizer to the end cap
6 Nebulizer body (P/N N3160133)
 19

Reassembling the Nebulizer

NOTE: If not already done, inspect all o-rings for damage and
replace them if necessary. Lightly lubricate the surface of the inner
O-rings with a minimum of the supplied Apiezon®-L grease. Do not
use Apiezon grease of unknown source and quality as it may contain
trace metals. Make sure that no grease gets onto the tip of the
capillary.

1. Replace the insert (with an o-ring placed on it) in the body of the
nebulizer if it was removed. The insert is in the body of the
nebulizer and is not seen in the above picture.

2. Replace the locking nut if it was removed from the nebulizer body.

3. Slide the spring back onto the capillary assembly. Place the Teflon
washer on the other end of the capillary assembly.

4. Slide the assembled capillary assembly into the nebulizer body

and secure with the fine adjustment nut.

5. If the fine adjustment nut is screwed all the way in, the orientation
of the bevel on the needle assembly can be checked, by looking at
the other end of the nebulizer.
20

6. Replace the venturi (with o-ring) into the other end of the
nebulizer. The side with the o-ring goes in first. Twist the
venturi to make a good seal.

7. Replace the cap, then place the o-ring which seals the
nebulizer to the end cap, on the outside of the venturi.

8. Reinstall the nebulizer in the end cap.

9. Replace the capillary tubing by feeding the tubing on a

cleaning wire first, and then attach the tubing to the nebulizer.

Supplies, Accessories, and

Replacement Parts
Every day you count on PerkinElmer to provide you with solutions
that deliver reliable performance, control operating costs and
maximize operational time. Our complete portfolio of
consumables, parts, supplies, training and service helps you meet
both routine and demanding measurement challenges. We invest
heavily in testing and validating our products to ensure you receive
guaranteed compatibility and performance-on-time, every time, for
every instrument in your laboratory.
 21

Supplies, replacement parts, and accessories can be ordered

directly from PerkinElmer, using the part numbers quoted in
the guides provided with the instrument.
See our website:
http://www.perkinelmer.com
PerkinElmer's catalog service offers a full selection of high-quality
supplies.
To place an order for supplies and many replacement parts, request a
free catalog, or ask for information:

 If you are located within the U.S., call toll free

1-800-762-4000, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. Your order
will be shipped promptly, usually within 24 hours.

 If you are located outside of the U.S., call your local PerkinElmer
sales or service representative.
22
 ATOMIC ABSORPTION

PinAAcle Series Metal Body

Nebulizer Instructions

PerkinElmer, Inc.
710 Bridgeport Avenue
Shelton, CT 06484-4794, U.S.A.

Internet: http://www.perkinelmer.com
email: info@perkinelmer.com

PerkinElmer is a registered trademark of PerkinElmer, Inc.