A contribution to the study of matrix effects in the analysis of solid samples by D. C. glow discharge mass spectrometry

Abstract

Relative Sensitivity Factors (RSF) for the analysis of 22 elements by glow discharge mass spectrometry have been determined from the multiple determination of 19 reference materials representing steels, Ni-based heat resisting alloys, copper, aluminium, molybdenum and indium by using an Ar/0.2 vol. % H 2 mixture as a filler gas. The measurements were made by using the VG 9000 glow discharge mass spectrometer. For all the materials analyzed, the relative variations of these factors were reduced by more than a factor of 2 when the Ar/H 2 mixture was substituted to the pure argon. In addition, the proposed technique greatly decreases the matrix effects, thus allowing the determination of the elemental composition of metallic samples without needing to use standard reference materials.