ICPMS mass spectrometry

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, ICPMS... 

ICPMS can be considered a high-sensitivity extension of mass spectrometry, as well as an increased-sensitivity detector replacing optical ICP (ICP-OES) analysis. In fret, both viewpoints are accurate, and the wide application of ICPMS analysis... 

ICPMS is uniquely able to borrow a quantitation technique from molecular mass spectrometry. Use of the isotope dilution technique involves the addition of a spike having a different isotope ratio to the sample, which has a known isotope ratio. This is usefiil for determining the concentration of an element in a sample that must undergo some preparation before analysis, or for measuring an element with high precision and accuracy. ... 

In contrast to thermal ionization methods, where the tracer added must be of the same element as the analyte, tracers of different elemental composition but similar ionization efficiency can be utilized for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) analysis. Hence, for ICPMS work, uranium can be added to thorium or radium samples as a way of correcting for instrumental mass bias (e g., Luo et al. 1997 Stirling et al. 2001 Pietruszka et al. 2002). The only drawback of this approach is that small inter-element (e g., U vs. Th) biases may be present during ionization or detection that need to be considered and evaluated (e.g., Pietruszka et al. 2002). 

Multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) combines sector-field ICPMS with a multiple collector detector system and has recently emerged as an alternative to TIMS for precise U-Th isotope measurement. The full potential of MC-ICPMS has yet to be realized. Yet despite this, its performance in high precision isotope measurement already challenges and, in some cases, surpasses that ever achieved by TIMS (e.g., Lee and Halliday 1995 Blichert-Toft and Albarede 1997). 

Figure 4 Measurements of (A) uranium activity ratios, UARs (234U 238U) and U concentrations (B) across a salinity gradient off the Amazon River mouth (1996). UARs were determined by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) at Caltech (D. Porcelli) U concentrations by ICPMS...

The interaction between Ag+ and selenium in the bloodstream has been studied in vitro by means of the HPLC-inductively coupled argon plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS) method. The metal ions and selenide form the unit complex (AgSe) and then this unit binds to selenoprotein to form the ternary complex [(AgSe)ra] selenoprotein in the bloodstream.1042... 

This presentation will summarize developments in laser ablation with emphasis on LIBS (laser induced breakdown spectroscopy) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) as analytical tools for real time chemical analysis (Fig. 1) (Russo et al. 

Turner IL, Montaser (1998) Plasma generation in ICPMS. In Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Montaser A (ed),. Wiley-VCH, New York, p 265-334... 

Koirtyohann SR (1994) Precise determination of isotopic-ratios for some biologically significant elements by inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Spectrochim Acta B-Atomic Spectrosc 49 1305-1311 Rosier J, Kucera M, Sylvester P (2001) Precise measurement of Li isotopes in planktonic foraminiferal tests by quadrupole ICPMS. Chem Geol 181 169-179... 

With the advent of multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma-source mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) it is now possible to measure Mg/ Mg and Mg/ Mg of Mg in solution with a reproducibility of 30 to 60 ppm or better (Galy et al. 2001). What is more, ultraviolet (UV) laser ablation combined with MC-ICPMS permits in situ analysis of Mg-bearing mineral samples with reproducibility of 100 to 200 ppm (Yoimg et al. 2002a). These new analytical capabilities allow mass-dependent fractionations of the isotopes of Mg to be used as tracers in natural systems. 

Perhaps the greatest advance afforded by the MC-ICPMS technology is the ability to measure Mg/ Mg and Mg/ Mg independently with precision many times smaller than the magnitude of the natural variations. Thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS)... 

Cations were determined by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HR-ICPMS), relatively new analytical instrumentation with a large dynamic range and detection limits (DLs) in the low (1-50) parts per trillion (ppt) for most elements. The exceedingly low DLs allow for recognition of elemental variations that are not possible with traditional analytical methods for water. 

Q-ICPMS quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry... 

Several samarium and neodymium isotopes are isobars (Table 4.2) and cannot be separated by mass spectrometry. Thus, samarium and neodymium must be completely separated by chemical procedures prior to measuring them in a mass spectrometer. The ion-exchange chemistry necessary to separate these elements is now well developed (see Appendix). Isotope measurements can be done either by TIMS or ICPMS (inductively... 

As with the Sm- Nd and Re- Os systems, careful chemistry is required to cleanly separate the parent and daughter elements because mass spectrometry cannot resolve 176Lu from 176Hf. The ion-exchange chemistry is similar to that for samarium-neodymium. In fact, fractions of samarium, neodymium, lutetium and hafnium are often produced in a single procedure. Mass spectrometry is done by ICPMS because this is the only method that effectively ionizes hafnium. 

Atomic spectrometric methods Here, the entire sample is atomized or ionized either by flame or inductively coupled plasma and transferred into the detector. The most common techniques in this class are flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). A general characteristic of these methods is the determination of the total concentration of the analyte without the direct possibility of distinguishing its specific forms in the sample. 

In the test method, the coal or coke to be analyzed is ashed under controlled conditions, digested by a mixture of aqua regia and hydrofluoric acid, and finally dissolved in 1% nitric acid. The concentration of individual trace elements is determined by either inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICPAES) or inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Selected elements that occur at concentrations below the detection limits of ICPAES can be analyzed quantitatively by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAA). 

Kim et al. [30] have demonstrated good agreement between methods of determining 237neptunium in soils, based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, neutron activation analysis and a-spectrometry. Kim et al. [30] determined the 240plutonium to 239plutonium ratio in soils using the fission track method and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). 

Figure 6.1 Bar-graph of MeHg in CRM 580. The results correspond to six replicate determinations as performed by different laboratories using various methods. MEANS indicates the mean of laboratory means with 95% confidence interval. Abbreviations-. CVAAS, cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry CVAFS, cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry ECD, electron capture detection GC, gas chromatography HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography ICPMS, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry MIP, microwave induced plasma atomic emission spectrometry QFAAS, quartz furnace atomic absorption spectrometry SFE, supercritical fluid extraction.

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