Interface inductively coupled plasma-mass

A novel interface to connect a ce system with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (icpms) detector has been developed (88). The interface was built using a direct injection nebulizer (din) system. The ce/din/icpms system was evaluated using samples containing selected alkah, alkaline earths, and heavy-metal ions, as well as selenium (Se(IV) and Se(VI)), and various inorganic and organic arsenic species. The preliminary results show that the system can be used to determine metal species at ppt to ppb level. 

Kennett, D. J., Neff, FL, Glascock, M. D., and Mason, A. Z. (2001). Interface - archaeology and technology. A geochemical revolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. SAA Archaeological Record 1 22-26. 

Dodson MH (1963) A theoretical study of the use of internal standards for precise isotopic analysis by the surface ionization technique Part I General first-order algebraic solutions. J Sci Instrum 40 289-295 Douglas DJ (1989) Some current perspectives on ICP-MS. Canad J Spectrosc 34 38-49 Douglas DJ, French JB (1986) An improved interface for inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Spectrochim Acta 41B 197-204... 

Spivack AJ, Edmond JM (1986) Determination of horon isotope ratios hy thermal ionization mass spectrometry of the dicesium metaborate cation. Anal Chem 58 31-35 Tanner SD, Cousins LM, Douglass DJ (1994) Reduction of space charge effects using a three-aperture gas dynamic vacuum interface for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Appl Spectrosc 48 1367-1372... 

Sutton, K. L., and Caruso, J. A. (1999). Interfacing capillary electrophoresis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. LC-GC 17, 36—44. 

To optimize the applicability of the electrothermal vaporization technique, the most critical requirement is the design of the sample transport mechanism. The sample must be fully vaporized without any decomposition, after desolvation and matrix degradation, and transferred into the plasma. Condensation on the vessel walls or tubing must be avoided and the flow must be slow enough for elements to be atomized efficiently in the plasma itself. A commercial electrothermal vaporizer should provide flexibility and allow the necessary sample pretreatment to introduce a clean sample into the plasma. Several commercial systems are now available, primarily for the newer technique of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. These are often extremely expensive, so home built or cheaper systems may initially seem attractive. However, the cost of any software and hardware interfacing to couple to the existing instrument should not be underestimated. 

Multi-element determination of dissolved metals at ultratrace level may be performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). U.S. EPA s Methods 200.8 and 1638 present a methodology for measuring trace elements in waters and wastes by the above technique. Sample is acid digested and the solution is introduced by pneumatic nebulization into a radio-frequency plasma. The elements in the compounds are atomized and ionized. The ions are extracted from the plasma through a differentially pumped vacuum interface and separated by a quadrupole mass spectrometer by their mass to charge ratios. The mass spectrometer must have a resolution capability of 1 amu peak width at 5% peak height. 

Lu, Q.H., Bird, S.M. and Barnes, R.M. (1995) Interface for capillary electrophoresis and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Anal. Chem., 67, 2949-2956. 

Raynor, M.W., Dawson, G.D., Balcerzak, M., Pretorius, W.G. and Ebdon, L. (1997) Electrospray nebulisation interface for micro-high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 12, 1057-1064. 

Peters, G.R. and Beauchemin, D. (1992) Versatile interface for gas chromatographic detection or solution nebulization analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry preliminary results./. Anal. At. Spectrom., 7, 965-969. 

Interfacing Liquid Chromatography with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry... 

Figure 15 Supercritical fluid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SFC-ICP-MS) instrument diagram showing a SFC-ICP interface. (From Ref. 116.)...

This experiment presents the measurement of uranium with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). In this system, a nebulizer converts the aqueous sample to an aerosol carried with argon gas. A torch heats the aerosol to vaporize and atomize the contents in quartz tubes. The atoms are ionized with an efficiency of about 95% by an RF (radiofrequency) coil. The plasma expands at a differentially-pumped air-vacuum interface into a vacuum chamber. The positive ions are focused and injected into the MS while the rest of the gas is removed by the pump. The ions are then accelerated, collected, and measured as a function of their mass. Losses at various stages, notably the vacuum interface, result in a detection efficiency of about 0.1 %, which is still sufficient to provide great sensitivity. The amounts of uranium isotopes in the sample are determined by comparisons to standards. Because different laboratories have different instruments, the instructor will provide instrument operating instmctions. Do not use the instrument until the instructor has checked the instrument and approved its use. 

W. G. Pretorius, L. Ehdon, S. J. Rowland, Development of a high-temperature gas chromatography - inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry interface for the determination of metalloporphyrins, J. Chromatog., 646 (1993), 369-375. 

T. de Smaele, P. Verrept, L. Moens, R. Dams, A flexible interface for the coupling of capillary gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, Spectrochim. Acta, SOB (1995), 1409-1416. 

Kirlew, P.W., Castillano, M.T.M., Caruso, J.A. Evaluation of ultrasonic nebulizers as interfaces for capillary electrophoresis of inorganic anions and cations with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection. Spectrochim. Acta Part B 53, 221-237 (1998)... 

Michalke, B., Schramel, P. Selenium speciation by interfacing capillary electrophoresis with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Electrophoresis 19, 270-275 (1998)... 

Fig. 1 The inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) used as a detector for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The liquid sample passes through the capillary into a nebulizer where it is changed into an aerosol. The aerosol passes through a spray chamber and into the plasma. The analytes pass into the mass spectrometer. The CE interface is not in detail in this figure.

Interfacing Capillary Electrophoresis to the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer... 

B H3mier Day, J.A. Caruso, J.A. Evaluation of a micro-concentric nebulizer and its suction effect in a capillary electrophoresis interface with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Appl. Spectrosc. 2000, 54, 1040-1046. 

Wang L., May S. W., Browner R. F. and Pollock S. H. (1996) Low-flow interface for liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry speciation using an oscillating capillary nebulizer, J Anal At Spectrom 11 1137-1146. 

B Hymer C., Sutton K. and Caruso J. A. (1998) Comparison of four nebulizer-spray chamber interfaces for the high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of arsenic compounds using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection, J Anal At Spectrom 13 855-858. 

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