Inductively coupled plasma-mass samples

Igarashi, Y., Kawamura, H., Shiraishi, K. and Takaku, Y., Determination of Thorium and Uranium in biological samples inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using internal standardisation. J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 4 (1989) 571. 

Lasenby, D. C., and Veinott, G. (1998). Ingestion of trace metals by the opossum shrimp, Mysis relicta, determined by laser ablation sampling-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Can.J. Zool. 76(8), 1605. 

Veinott, G., Northcote,T., Rosenau, M., and Evans, R. D. (1999). Concentrations of strontium in the pectoral fin rays of the white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) by laser ablation sampling—inductively coupled plasma—mass spectrometry as an indicator of marine migrations. Can.J. Fish. Aqua. Sci. 56(11), 1981. 

If a sample solution is introduced into the center of the plasma, the constituent molecules are bombarded by the energetic atoms, ions, electrons, and even photons from the plasma itself. Under these vigorous conditions, sample molecules are both ionized and fragmented repeatedly until only their constituent elemental atoms or ions survive. The ions are drawn off into a mass analyzer for measurement of abundances and mJz values. Plasma torches provide a powerful method for introducing and ionizing a wide range of sample types into a mass spectrometer (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, ICP/MS). 

To examine a sample by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP/MS) or inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectroscopy (ICP/AES) the sample must be transported into the flame of a plasma torch. Once in the flame, sample molecules are literally ripped apart to form ions of their constituent elements. These fragmentation and ionization processes are described in Chapters 6 and 14. To introduce samples into the center of the (plasma) flame, they must be transported there as gases, as finely dispersed droplets of a solution, or as fine particulate matter. The various methods of sample introduction are described here in three parts — A, B, and C Chapters 15, 16, and 17 — to cover gases, solutions (liquids), and solids. Some types of sample inlets are multipurpose and can be used with gases and liquids or with liquids and solids, but others have been designed specifically for only one kind of analysis. However, the principles governing the operation of inlet systems fall into a small number of categories. This chapter discusses specifically substances that are normally liquids at ambient temperatures. This sort of inlet is the commonest in analytical work. 

Gold is a useflil caUbration standard for this method (see Radioactive tracers). Whereas similar sensitivities can be achieved by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (qv), the latter requires more extensive sample preparation to overcome interference by other metals such as copper (64). 

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. 

The very low Hg concentration levels in ice core of remote glaciers require an ultra-sensitive analytical technique as well as a contamination-free sample preparation methodology. The potential of two analytical techniques for Hg determination - cold vapour inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CV ICP-SFMS) and atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) with gold amalgamation was studied. 

The complex of the following destmctive and nondestmctive analytical methods was used for studying the composition of sponges inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Techniques of sample preparation were developed for each method and their metrological characteristics were defined. Relative standard deviations for all the elements did not exceed 0.25 within detection limit. The accuracy of techniques elaborated was checked with the method of additions and control methods of analysis. 

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a multielement analytical method with detection limits which are, for many trace elements, including the rare earth elements, better than those of most conventional techniques. With increasing availability of ICP-MS instalments in geological laboratories this method has been established as the most prominent technique for the determination of a large number of minor and trace elements in geological samples. 

Determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry of acid digested catalyst samples Calculated from X-ray diffraction peak broadening at (101) foranatase and (110) formtile TiOa Mean particle diameter measured from transmission electron microscopy pictures of gold catalysts... 

Moens L, Verreft P, Boonen S, Vanhaecke F and Dams R (1995) Solid sampling electrothermal vaporization for sample introduction in inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Spectrochim Acta 508 463-475. Mooijman KA, In t Veld PH, Hoekstra JA, Heisterkamp SH, Havelaar AH, Notermans SHW, Roberts D, Griepink B, Maier E (1992) Development of Microbiological Reference Materials. European Commission Report EUR 14375 EN, Community Bureau of Reference, Brussels. 

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). 

Becker JS, Pickhardt C, Dietze H-J (2000) Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the trace, ultratrace and isotope analysis of long-lived radionuclides in solid samples. Inti J Mass Spectrom 202 283-297... 

Nakai S, Fidcuda S, Nakada S (2001) Thorium isotopic measurements on silicate rock samples with a multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Analyst 126 1707-1710... 

Pd removal was determined as follows. An aliquot of a representative liquid or solid sample was accurately weighed and subsequently digested by refluxing in nitric and/or hydrochloric acid using a closed vessel microwave procedure (CEM MARS5 Xpress or Milestone Ethos EZ). Cooled, digested samples were diluted, matrix matched to standards, and referenced to a linear calibration curve for quantitation an internal standard was employed to improve quantitation. All samples were analyzed by an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer or ICP/MS (Perkin Elmer SCIEX Elan DRCII) operated in the standard mode. 

Itoh, A., Hamanaka, T., Rong, W., Ikeda, K., Sawatari, H., Chiba, K., and Haraguchi, H., Multielement determination of rare earth elements in geochemical samples by liquid chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, Anal. Sci., 15, 17, 1999. 

In isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) the spike, the unspiked and a spiked sample are measured by ICP-MS in order to determine the isotope ratio. Using this technique, more precise and accurate results can be obtained than by using a calibration graph or by standard addition. This is due to elimination of various systematic errors. Isotopes behave identically in most chemical and physical processes. Signal suppression and enhancement due to the matrix in ICP-MS affects both isotopes equally. The same holds for most long-term instrumental fluctuations and drift. Accuracy and precision obtained with ID-ICP-QMS are better than with other ICP-QMS calibration... 

D. Beauchemin, D.C. Gregoire, D. Gunther, V. Karanassios, J.-M. Mermet and T.J. Woods (eds), Discrete Sample Introduction Techniques for Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, Elsevier, Amsterdam (2000). 

Bjorn E, Freeh W, Hoffmann E, Liidke C (1998) Investigation and quantification of spectroscopic interferences from polyatomic species in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using electrothermal vaporization or pneumatic nebulization for sample introduction. Spectrochim Acta 53B 1766... 

Elemental Speciation - New Approaches for Trace Element Analysis Discrete Sample Introduction Techniques for Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry... 

Detailed examination of another madder preparation proved that the sample can be premordanted with alum. [ 19] After hydrolysis performed with hydrochloric acid and extraction with M-amyl alcohol, only four colourants are found alizarin, purpurin, and probably lucidin and ruberythric acid. Additionally, signals at m/z 525 and 539 are observed in the mass spectrum. Analysis of the preparation by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) shows that aluminium and calcium are the main inorganic components of the sample. This is why it was suggested that the signal at m/z 539 can be attributed to the complex of aluminium with alizarin, and the second one, observed at m/z 525, to an aluminium-calcium cluster. 

Specht and Beauchemin [506] have described an automated system to provide online addition of isotopic spikes to seawater samples in the determination of molybdenum by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. 

At present, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry provides a unique, powerful alternative for the determination of rare earths in natural samples [638,639]. Nevertheless, its application to the determination of rare earths at ultratrace concentration level in seawater is limited, because highly saline samples can cause both spectral interferences and matrix effects [640]. Therefore, a separation of the matrix components and preconcentration of the analytes are prerequisites. To achieve this goal, many preconcentration techniques have been used, including coprecipitation with... 

Techniques for analysis of different mercury species in biological samples and abiotic materials include atomic absorption, cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry, gas-liquid chromatography with electron capture detection, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Lansens etal. 1991 Schintu etal. 1992 Porcella etal. 1995). Methylmercury concentrations in marine biological tissues are detected at concentrations as low as 10 pg Hg/kg tissue using graphite furnace sample preparation techniques and atomic absorption spectrometry (Schintu et al. 1992). 

Atomic techniques such as atomic absorption spectrometry (AA), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), have been widely used in the pharmaceutical industry for metal analysis.190-192 A content uniformity analysis of a calcium salt API tablet formulation by ICP-AES exhibited significantly improved efficiency and fast analysis time (1 min per sample) compared to an HPLC method.193... 

Soil samples were collected along a traverse over the Honerat kimberlite and extended off the kimberlite approximately 75 m SE and 225 m NW from the pipe s centre (Fig. 1). Although it is common practice to collect samples from upper B-horizon soil (Levinson 1980 Bajc 1998 Mann et al. 2005) our samples were collected from C-horizon soil because GAGI samplers were placed at a depth of 60 cm (well below the B horizon). Within 8 hours of sampling, a portion of each soil sample was mixed with Milli-Q water (1 1) to create a slurry. The values of pH and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) were determined in each slurry. Ammonia acetate leach of the soil samples were performed at Acme Analytical Laboratories, Vancouver, where 20 ml of ammonium acetate was mixed with 1 g soil sample and elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The GAGI samplers installed at Unknown were placed in piezometers and submerged in water at a depth of approximately 1 m below ground surface. 

Soil samples were sieved to two size fractions <63 pm and <2 mm. Samples were analyzed for multi-element geochemistry by inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICP/MS) following a near total 4-acid digestion. 

---