METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECOMPOSING SAMPLE

PURPOSE:To decompose a sample efficiently by cooling gas produced by heating solvent for decomposing the sample in an enclosed vessel and absorbing the gas into pure water contained while being spaced apart therefrom thereby decomposing the sample immersed in the pure water by means of the solvent absorbed into the pure water. CONSTITUTION:Cover 1a of an enclosed vessel 1 is removed and an acid liquid A is injected therein. A container 3 is then set above the vessel 1 and pure water is filled in the container 3. A sample is then immersed in the pure water and the cover 1a is applied onto the container 3 thus closing the container tightly. Botton part of the vessel 1 is then heated by heating means 7 thus heating the acid liquid A. Consequently, the acid liquid A evaporates and intrudes through a vent 3a into the container 3. Since the interior of the container 3 is cooled forcibly by means of a cooling pipe 5, the acid vapor is absorbed into the pure water in the container 3 thus recovering a high purity acid liquid A. In this regard, impurities in the acid liquid A do not evaporate because of the atmospheric pressure and thereby extremely high purity acid vapor is obtained. The sample is decomposed by the high purity acid liquid A to produce a solution causing no external contamination.