Metal Analysis

Abstract

AbstractMeasuring the concentration levels of trace and ultratrace elements in different samples is an important analytical task in environmental, biological, clinical, as well as industrial studies. Furthermore, the increasing recognition of species‐dependent behavior of elements in a given system has imposed the need for speciation analysis. Thus, the identification and/or quantification of individual compounds is required for elements in their naturally occurring forms, those produced and/or emitted from different anthropogenic activities, as well as the products of species degradation or biotransformation. The two most commonly used tools to deal with such analyses are plasma‐spectrometry techniques, namely inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS). The suitability of these two techniques relies on their multielemental capabilities, high selectivity, wide dynamic range, high sample throughput, absence of chemical interferences, and easy coupling with different separation techniques. Consequently, applications of these techniques encompass both the determination of total element concentration and the specific detection of elements in different speciation schemes. In this article, the technical background of ICP‐OES and ICP‐MS is introduced, highlighting the capabilities and limitations of each technique. Different sample introduction systems are briefly presented and some applications for element analysis in inorganic and organometallic chemistry are reviewed.