Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1169029 Analytica Chimica Acta 2008 14 Pages PDF
Abstract

A method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification of major to ultratrace elements in geological samples using quadrupole ICP-MS techniques. The sample preparation involves fusion with LiBO2 and dilution in HNO3-HF which allows complete decomposition of refractory minerals and quantification of the elements of interest. The effects of high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Li in the solution are minimized using a matrix-tolerant interface and conditioning the instrument with LiBO2 solution. The signal drift is moreover controlled using conventional internal standards and specific Drift Correction Standards (DCS). A key issue of the technique is the external calibration using selected Certified Reference Materials (CRM). Depending on the sample type and analytes of interest three optimized programmable modes are used sequentially: Standard, Collision Cell (CCT) and Kinetic Energy Discrimination (KED) mode. The method allows to quantify more than 40 elements in concentrations from tens-of-percent to <0.1 ppm levels during a single experiment. The method has been validated through the analysis of different CRMs with recovery factors of ca. 100% and typical 2σ errors of <10%.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemistry Analytical Chemistry
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