This paper describes the automated in situ trace element analysis of solid materials by laser ablation (LA) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A compact computer-controlled solid state Nd:YAG Merchantek EO UV laser ablation (LA) system has been coupled with the high sensitivity VG PQII S ICP-MS. A two-directional communication was interfaced in-house between the ICP-MS and t...

The performance and validation characteristics of different single collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers based on different technical principles (ICP-SFMS, ICP-QMS in reaction and collision modes, and ICP-MS/MS) were evaluated in comparison to the performance of MC ICP-MS for fast and reliable S isotope ratio measurements. The validation included the determination of LOD, BEC,...

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is an analytical technique that performs elemental analysis with excellent sensitivity and high sample throughput. The ICP-MS instrument employs a plasma (ICP) as the ionization source and a mass spectrometer (MS) analyzer to detect the ions produced. It can simultaneously measure most elements in the periodic table and determine analyte con...

International reference materials representing a diverse suite of sulfide ores and related lithologies have been analyzed for major and trace element concentrations by XRF, solution ICP–MS, and laser-ablation ICP–MS (LA–ICP–MS) after fusion of the sample to a lithium borate glass. Reference materials analyzed for this study include a wide variety of bulk compositions, including ores of Pb–Zn su...

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is now a well established detection technique for liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, supercritical fluid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. A review of the literature with particular regard to ICP-MS as a chromatographic and capillary electrophoretic detector is presented. The various modes of chromatography and capillary ...

This article will briefly describe these three techniques, and point out the important criteria by which to judge their applicability to your own analytical problems. Table 1 below shows a checklist of common analytical requirements and may help in the assessment of the techniques. For many people with an ICP-OES background, ICP-MS is a plasma with a mass spectrometer as a detector. Mass spectr...

The main factors affecting the accurate and precise determination of U using ICP-MS are instrumental background, the isobaric interference of UH molecular ion on U analyte ions, and the presence of U and U peak tails. An optimized analytical method for attenuating the influence of these factors on uranium isotope ratio measurements at ultratrace level of environmental samples has been developed...