Accurate determination of ultra-trace impurities, including europium, in ultra-pure barium carbonate materials through inductively coupled plasma–tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract

Impurities, especially ultra-trace europium (Eu), in ultra-pure barium carbonate materials were accurately determined through inductively coupled plasma–tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). Two reaction modes, namely, mass shift (with O2 as reaction gas) and on-mass modes(with NH3/He and He as reaction gases), were extensively investigated using Eu+ as target analyte. The use of Eu+→EuO2+, instead of Eu+→EuO+, as ion pairs in mass shift mode eliminated polyatomic interferences based on Ba matrix ions (135Ba16O2+ on 151Eu16O+ and 137Ba16O2+ on 153Eu16O+). This procedure exhibited enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. When the ICP-MS/MS was operated in NH3 on-mass mode, Eu+ can be determined in its original mass in interference-free conditions because NH3 did not react with Eu+ but with BaO+ to form a neutral product (BaO). The two reaction modes, especially NH3 on mass mode, were validated to be accurate because their resultant isotope ratios of 153Eu/151Eu matched well with that of the natural abundance ratio. The proposed ICP-MS/MS method is a sensitive technique with a limit of detection as low as 2.0ngL−1 for 153Eu+. Compared with conventional single-quadrupole (SQ) ICP-MS, both NH3 on-mass mode and O2 mass shift mode in ICP-MS/MS can be used to accurately determine Eu+ in ultra-pure BaCO3 materials. The detected concentration of Eu+ was 4.0ngL−1 to 15ngL−1, with spiked recoveries ranging from 100%–110%. ICP-MS/MS was also used to eliminate polyatomic interferences, particularly Ba-based interferences, prior to measurement of Gd and Sm. Impurities, including Na, Mg, Al, K, Mn, Fe, Cr, Sr, and Cs, in ultra-pure BaCO3 materials were also determined using ICP-MS/MS in conventional SQ mode.