Abstract: A VUV plasma atomic emission apparatus system and method is distinguished by the features of a plasma purge chamber about the plasma generated by the system, a chromator in optical communication and closed gaseous communication with said plasma, preferably through a common port in said plasma purge chamber, purge gas supply means for purging said chromator and ultimately said plasma purge chamber through said common port, vent means preferably operable by draft to continuously exhaust gases from said plasma purge chamber, and focusing means between the plasma and chromator for focusing light from an excited sample introduced into or near said plasma onto said chromator. The continuous gas purging feature establishes a steady state gaseous environment of minimum absorption characteristics to the specific wavelengths of interest, thus expanding the energy band that may be reliably detected (i.e.