Unique applications of solvent removal in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is the technique of choice for rapid, high precision, semiquantitative elemental and isotopic analysis for over 70 elements. Less than 20 years after the first mass spectrum was obtained by ICP-MS, this technique has applications in clinical chemistry, geochemistry, the semiconductor industry, the nuclear industry, environmental chemistry, and forensic chemistry. The determination of many elements, though, by ICP-MS is complicated by spectral interferences from background species, interelement spectral overlaps, and polyatomic ions of matrix elements. The emphasis of this thesis is the unique applications of solvent removal using cryogenic and membrane desolvation. Chapter 1 is a general introduction providing background information concerning the need for these methods and some information about the methods themselves. Chapter 5 discusses general conclusions and general observations pertaining to this work. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 have been processed separately for inclusion on the database. Chapter 2 describes a method to screen urine samples for vanadium using cryogenic desolvation. Chapter 3 compares solvent removal by cryogenic and membrane desolvation. Chapter 4 describes the use of cool plasma conditions for the determination of potassium in the presence of excess sodium by ICP-MS.