Application Of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Research Articles

Application of ICP-MS in the Innovation and Practice of Instrument Analysis Course - Taking the Determination of Cesium in Soil as an Example

Instrumental analysis is an important part of analytical chemistry, which plays a crucial role in cultivating the experimental operation ability of students in disciplines such as environment, geology, and medicine. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is currently an irreplaceable basic equipment in inorganic element analysis, and incorporating it into experimental teaching content is a requirement of the times. However, there is still a lack of application in this area. This article focuses on the graduate course “Modern Detection Technology”. The experimental course adopts a mixed teaching mode of pre class theoretical guidance and in class emphasis on practical operation. It combines theoretical and practical teaching organically, and takes the current hot topic of radioactive pollution as the problem orientation. The teaching mainly focuses on analyzing experimental design, instrument operation and use, sample measurement and result analysis, etc. The teaching mode and content of ICP-MS continuously explored to improve the quality of experimental teaching and enable students to comprehensively enhance their basic skill knowledge, scientific research literacy, and innovation awareness.

Method development for determination of trace amounts of palladium in environmental water samples by ICP-MS/MS after pre-concentration on thiol-functionalized MCM-41 materials

The anthropogenic cycle of Pd in the environment, its fate and impact is still unknown due to limitations of measurement techniques. For separation and pre-concentration of Pd(II) ions, mesoporous silica materials MCM-41 were synthesized and functionalized with different amounts of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) by co-condensation and grafting methods. The structural and textural properties of materials were characterized using XRD, TEM, SEM and BET techniques. The results proved that functionalization with thiol groups did not significantly affect structural and textural parameters of synthesized sorbents. The Pd(II) ions were quantitatively retained on sorbents functionalized by grafting in acidic solutions (pH 2), efficiently eluted with 0.1 mol L−1 thiourea solution in 1 mol L−1 HCl and determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The limit of detection (LOD) of the developed SPE ETAAS method was 0.06 ng mL−1, and the pre-concentration factor was 30. For analysis of Pd in environmental water samples inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in MS/MS mode was used. Spectral interferences on 105Pd caused by the presence of Sr in water samples were eliminated using helium (5 mL min−1) or ammonia (7 mL min−1) gas in collision/reaction cell. The developed SPE ICP-MS method is characterized by good selectivity in the presence of interfering elements and chloride ions and detection limit of 0.0002 ng mL−1. Its accuracy was confirmed by analysis of spiked water samples. The application of ICP-MS together with efficient separation/pre-concentration of analyte on thiol-functionalized MCM-41 sorbents allows to determine Pd in environmental water samples at pg mL−1 level.

Application of ICP-MS, INAA and RNAA to the determination of some \u201cdifficult\u201d elements in infant formulas

In this work a determination of selected elements in the infant formulas commercially available on the Polish market was done. 14 different materials (milk-based formulas and grain porridges) were analyzed. Both, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) were applied for the determination of As, Cr, Fe and Se, which are recognized as the problematic elements for ICP-MS. For As and Se, the radiochemical NAA was also used. The daily intake of Se and Fe in the age 0–6 months for non-breast fed infants was estimated and compared with present safety limits.

Application of ICP-MS and ICP-OES on the Determination of Nickel, Vanadium, Iron, and Calcium in Petroleum Crude Oils via Direct Dilution

The direct introduction of crude oil samples diluted in organic solvents to be analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is an attractive way to perform elemental analysis, particularly in high sample volume facilities, where turnaround time is critical. Here, it is presented results obtained by performing direct injection of a broad set of petroleum crude oils diluted in o-xylene and analyzed by ICP-OES/MS. By utilizing proper sample preparation and instrument tuning parameters, we set out to assess data accuracy, standard deviation, and recovery, particularly in the region of mg kg–1 to μg kg–1. A multielement Conostan standard (10 elements at 2 mg kg–1 in crude oil) as well as NIST 1634c CRM were selected for this purpose. In general, the data from both instruments were comparable regarding precision, relative standard deviation, and recoveries for metals evaluated at a concentration range of interest. The pot...

Interest and limits of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for urinary diagnosis of radionuclide internal contamination

After a review of radiometric reference methods used in radiotoxicology, analytical performance of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the workplace urinary diagnosis of internal contamination by radionuclides are evaluated. A literature review (covering the period from 2000 to 2012) is performed to identify the different applications of ICP-MS in radiotoxicology for urine analysis. The limits of detection are compared to the recommendations of the International commission on radiological protection (ICRP 78: "Individual monitoring for internal exposure of workers"). Except one publication describing the determination of strontium-90 (β emitter), all methods using ICP-MS reported in the literature concern actinides (α emitters). For radionuclides with a radioactive period higher than 10(4) years, limits of detection are most often in compliance with ICRP publication 78 and frequently lower than radiometric methods. ICP-MS allows the specific determination of plutonium-239 + 240 isotopes which cannot be discriminated by α spectrometry. High resolution ICP-MS can also measure uranium isotopic ratios in urine for total uranium concentrations lower than 20ng/L. The interest of ICP-MS in radiotoxicology concerns essentially the urinary measurement of long radioactive period actinides, particularly for uranium isotope ratio determination and 239 and 240 plutonium isotopes discrimination. Radiometric methods remain the most efficient for the majority of other radionuclides.

Application of ICP-MS as a Multi-Element Detector for Sulfur and Metal Hydride Impurities in Hydrocarbon Matrices

Maturation of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in terms of size, reliability, and cost has had a significant impact on its consideration as a viable detector for gas chromatography. Its generally excellent sensitivity for those elements it can measure has been a contributing factor. A method for sulfur speciation in various hydrocarbon products is investigated, as well as sulfur and metal hydride contaminants in high purity hydrocarbon feed stocks. Detection limits for sulfur species in hydrocarbon liquids and gases are approximately 5 and 10 ppb, respectively, as sulfur. Lower detection limits on the order of 100 parts per trillion are achieved for arsine. The use of collision cell technology (CCT) is exploited to remove interferences. CCT has been described elsewhere (1) using helium or helium-hydrogen mixtures for suppression of (16)O(16)O(+) interference with (32)S. In this work, a novel approach is investigated which uses oxygen to remove this interference by shifting it in a comprehensive fashion. The advantage of operating the system at full power with a tandem gas and liquid interface is also discussed.

Application of Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for Analysis of Novel Organic Semiconductor Materials

ABSTRACTICP-MS is a well established analytical technique in the semiconductor industry for essential trace metal characterization in chemical reagents and silicon wafers. Tetracene, Antracene, Pentacene and Rubrene are among the most interesting organic semiconductors for use in molecular electronic devises such as single-crystal Organic Field Effect Transistors (OFETs). One of the most important parameter for fabrication of single-crystal OFETs is the purity of the starting material. As the crystal growth process also results in the chemical purification of the material, several re-growth cycles may be required for improving the field-effect mobility, with the grown crystals used as the starting material for the subsequent re-growth. The number of required re-growth cycles depends strongly on the purity of starting material. We report the application of ICP-MS for impurity analysis in the organic semiconductors. The ICP plasma, where samples are atomized and ionized, generates strong ion current, which is instrumental in achieving exceptional detection limits. Some elements can be measured down to part per trillion range. This study can provide a better characterization of the trace metal impurities in starting material.

Application of ICP-MS and HR-ICP-MS for the characterization of solutions generated from corrosion testing of spent nuclear fuel

The corrosion behavior of spent nuclear fuels under simulated geologically unsaturated and oxidizing conditions are being studied by subjecting both unirradiated and irradiated nuclear fuels to dripping groundwater. Solutions and solid materials are periodically sampled and subsequently analyzed to determine concentrations of groundwater and fuel components in these materials to elucidate corrosion mechanisms. The analyses are performed primarily by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For ICP-MS we use the method of internal standardization with direct external calibration with multi-elemental standards possessing natural isotopic abundances for the determination of concentrations groundwater components and indirect instrumental response calibration for the determination of fuel components. Additionally, we are utilizing high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) to enhance our ability to determine concentrations of low-solubility actinides at ultratrace concentrations.

Optimisation and application of ICP-MS and alpha-spectrometry for determination of isotopic ratios of depleted uranium and plutonium in samples collected in Kosovo

The determination of environmental contamination with natural and artificial actinide isotopes and evaluation of their source requires precise isotopic determination of actinides, above all uranium and plutonium. This can be achieved by alpha spectrometry or by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after chemical separation of actinides. The performance of a sector-field ICP-MS (ICP-SFMS) coupled to a low-flow micronebulizer with a membrane desolvation unit, “Aridus”, was studied with respect to precise isotopic measurements of uranium and plutonium at the ultratrace level. The UH+/U+ formation rate was about 3 × 10−5 and a sensitivity for 238U of up to 4 × 109 counts s−1 ppm−1 was achieved. The limit of quantification (LOQ, 10s) for 236U and 239Pu using the experimental arrangement described above was 0.6 pg l−1 in aqueous solution and 0.13 pg g−1 in soil, respectively. ICP-SFMS was used in comparison to alpha spectrometry to measure the U and Pu concentrations and isotopic compositions in two soil samples and in one penetrator collected in Kosovo. ICP-MS permitted the determination of U and Pu isotope ratios including the 236U abundance and 240Pu/239Pu ratio at ultratrace levels in soil samples of up to 0.1 g. Depleted uranium (235U/238U = 0.002 02 ± 0.000 01) was determined in one penetrator and one soil sample. Pu concentrations of (5.5 ± 1.1) × 10−13 g g−1 and (4.4 ± 0.5) × 10−13 g g−1 (240Pu/239Pu = 0.35 ± 0.10 and 0.27 ± 0.07, respectively) were found in both soil samples from Kosovo. Besides plutonium, 236U (3.1 × 10−5 g g−1) and 241Am (1.7 × 10−12 g g−1) were also detected in the penetrator sample, which indicates the previous existence of neutron-related processes and points to a possible presence of spent reactor uranium in munitions. However, the most probable plutonium contamination sources in analyzed soil samples from Kosovo are mixed fallout including spent reactor fuel due to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986 and plutonium due to nuclear weapon tests. Additional plutonium contamination could not be determined in the Kosovo soil sample containing depleted uranium with a detection limit of about 10−13 g g−1.

Perspective. Impact of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on certification programmes for geochemical reference materials

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the certification of its Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) in 1986, only a few years after instruments first became commercially available. The United States, Canadian and Ontario Geological Surveys (USGS, CGS, and OGS, respectively) also made early use of the method to provide new data for existing certified reference materials (CRMs) and other non-certified geochemical reference materials (GRMs). The application of ICP-MS extends to most elements in the periodic table. NIST's efforts have focused largely on environmentally important trace elements. However, the impact of ICP-MS analysis in geochemistry is greatest in providing certified values for the platinum group elements (PGEs) and the rare earth elements (REEs). This paper will review the growing impact of ICP-MS analyses on the certification of CRMs/GRMs. Examples include NIST SRMs 1646a Estuarine Sediment, 2709-2711 Soils, 113b Zinc Concentrate; Centre de Recherches Petrographiques et Geochemiques (CRPG) CRMs CHR-Pt+ and CHR-Bkgr; Canadian Certified Reference Materials Program (CCRMP) WGB-1 gabbro rock, TDB-1 diabase rock and three other CCRMP CRMs recently certified for the PGEs. NIST has used ICP-MS almost exclusively in conjunction with isotope dilution. This has not been the situation among other users, but is to be recommended in certification analysis for several reasons, which will be outlined.

Analysis of inorganic impurities in seized methamphetamine samples

Classification of seized methamphetamine by impurity profiling can provide very useful information on drug intelligence. In this report, the validity of inorganic impurity analysis in discriminating seized methamphetamine samples in Japan was investigated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Triplicate sampling was carried out on 17 methamphetamine samples seized in Japan. About 20 mg of methamphetamine was taken, and was dissolved in 20 ml of water. After the qualitative analysis, Ba, Sb, Pd, Sr, Br, Zn and Cu were determined by ICP-MS, and Na was determined by AAS. Among eight elements determined in this study, most cations showed large heterogeneity in their content. On the other hand, the contents of Na which is abundant in methamphetamine samples, showed relatively small intra-sample variation, and that of Br also showed good homogeneity. On the basis of the concentration of Br and Na, 17 seized methamphetamine samples were classified into five groups. Trace elements such as Tl, Hg, Au or Cs were qualitatively detected by ICP-MS. These elements can provide useful information to impurity profiling of seized methamphetamine, because these elements are characteristically present in each sample. Application of ICP-MS and AAS to the analysis of inorganic impurities can be helpful in giving additional information to the impurity profiling of seized methamphetamine by organic impurity analysis.

Applications of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the Central Analytical Department of Ciba-Geigy

The present paper shows the potentialities of ICP-MS for the trace and ultra-trace analysis of different materials in an industrial laboratory. An overview is given on some applications of ICP-MS in the Central Analytical Department of Ciba-Geigy. The use of a He-MIP (Microwave Induced Plasma) as an alternative to the Ar-ICP as an ionization source for the mass spectrometer is discussed.