IRIS digester-evaporator interface

A digester-evaporator interface for partially digesting a sample mixed in a solvent with an acid and for evaporating the solvent and the acid after partial digestion, said digester-evaporator including a digester portion and an evaporator portion. The digester includes at least one reaction coil having an input and an output, said at least one reaction coil adapted for receiving at its input a flow of a sample in a solvent and an acid suitable for partial digestion of the sample so as to partially mix and begin partial digestion in the reaction coil; a heating element arranged along a portion of the reaction coil; at least a portion of the reaction coil proximate to its output being preheated by the heating element to a degree sufficient to convert a partially digested sample into vapor; a collector spoon with carrier water for collecting sample vapor; and an evaporator portion including an evaporation chamber including a cover with a first opening having the substantially vertically-oriented tube extending from the cover, and the evaporation chamber includes an axial opening longitudinally arranged therein, and the evaporation chamber adapted to contain fluid at a bottom portion. The collector spoon is arranged in the top of the substantially vertically-oriented tube after a vapor sample has been collected from the digester portion, and a gas supply tube for supplying a preheated gas provided in a top of the substantially vertically-oriented tube and in the axial opening of the evaporation chamber so as to create a cyclonic gas flow into the chamber and carry the sample to a container area in a bottom portion of the chamber. The interface is especially useful in the separation and quantification of selenium containing proteins.