Page 77 - Inorganic Mass Spectrometry : Fundamentals and Applications

The Ohio State ~niversity
Colu~bus, Ohio

Since the introduction of the first comercial instrument in 1983, inductively
coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has become widely accepted as a
powerful technique for elemental analysis. Two excellent books on ICP-MS have
been published [ 1,2]. ICP-MS provides rapid, multielement analysis with detec-
tion limits at single parts part trillion or below for about 40 to 60 elements in
solution and a dynamic range of IO4 to 108. These are the main reasons most IC
Two additional, unique capabilities of ICP-
MS instruments have been purchased.
MS have also contributed to its commercial success: elemental isotope ratio
measurements and convenient semiquantitative analysis. The relative sensitivities
from element to element are predictable enough that semiquantitative analysis
(with accuracy within a factor of 2 to 5) for up to 80 elements can be obtained
a
using a single calibration solution containing few elements and a blank solution.
The analytical performance and ease of use of commercial ICP-MS instru-
ments have grown rapidly since the introduction of the first instruments from
Sciex (now sold by PE-Sciex) and VG (now VG Elemental, a subsidiary of
Thenno Optek). Detection limits, stability, and instrument computer-con~olle~
automation have all improved dramatically. At the same time the instruments have
of
become smaller and less expensive. Although most the ICP-MS instruments are
based on quadrupole mass spectrometers, time-of-flight- and magnetic sector-
based ins~ments are now also comercially available. Several additional com-
panies now sell ICP-MS instruments, including Finnigan, HP, Micromass, Sieko,
Shimadzu, Spectro, Thenno Jarrell Ash, and Varian. Leco and GBC sell time-of-
flight ICP-MS instruments. The use of an ICP ion source with ion trap and Fourier