Trace Element Determination by ICP‐AES and ICP‐MS: Developments and Applications Reported During 2006 and 2007

Abstract

This review describes developments in trace element determination using inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectrometry (ICP‐AES) and inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) that were reported in 2006 and 2007. It focuses on the application of ICP techniques to geological and environmental samples; fundamental studies in ICP‐MS and ICP‐AES instrumentation have largely been ignored. New advances in ICP‐MS and ICP‐AES were incremental over this period, partly because both techniques are now well‐established. A continuing shift towards the hyphenation of low‐flow separation techniques has sparked activity in the development of appropriate low‐flow interfaces, and papers discussing interference removal also contribute significantly to the volume of research for both ICP‐AES and ICP‐MS. Whereas the majority of new ICP publications concerned advances in ICP‐MS analysis rather than ICP‐AES, development for ICP‐AES still occurs in almost all areas, particularly in sample introduction and hyphenated techniques.