Method for the emission analysis of the elemental composition of liquid media

A method for determining a composition of liquid having elements therein, comprising:

• providing an electrolytic cell structure with a first reservoir and a second reservoir configured to hold the liquid to be analyzed, a current-carrying channel formed in a diaphragm separating the first reservoir and the second reservoir such that the current carrying channel connects and establishes liquid communication between the first reservoir and the second reservoir,
• providing liquid in the first reservoir and the second reservoir such that liquid is present in the current carrying channel,
• establishing an initial current in the current carrying channel such that at least some of the elements in the liquid are deposited within the current carrying channel, the initial current being insufficient to create atomization,
• atomizing of at least one of the group of (1) the at least some elements present in the current-carrying channel and (2) the at least some of the elements and the liquid present in the current-carrying channel, the atomizing being performed by reversing the polarity of the initial current and by increasing intensity of the initial current within the current carrying channel to create a local electric discharge, wherein the electrolytic cell structure is configured such that atomization of matter in the current carrying channel in the diaphragm is mass transfer neutral with regard to an allocation of liquid between the first and second reservoirs within the electrolytic cell structure, and
• detecting an emission generated by the local electric discharge in the current carrying channel;
• analyzing the emission to determine the composition of the at least some elements.