Verlag des Forschungszentrums Jülich
JUEL-3468
Commercial instrumental equipment, the capability (detection limits, accuracy, precision) and
the analytical application fields of mass spectrometric methods for the detennination of trace
and ultratrace elements and for surface analysis are discussed.
Keywords: Accelerator mass spectrometry; Glow discharge mass spectrometry; Inductively
coupled plasma source mass spectrometry; Isotope dilution technique; Laser ablation ICP-
MS; Laser ionization mass spectrometry; Resonance ionization mass spectrometry; Secondary
ion mass spectrometry; Spark source mass spectrometry; Sputtered neutral mass
spectrometry; Thermal ionization mass spectrometry; Trace analysis.
Becker, Johanna Sabine; Dietze, Hans-Joachim
Inorganic trace analysis by mass spectrometry
83 S., 1997
Mass spectrometric methods for the trace analysis of inorganic materials with their ability to
provide a very sensitive multielemental analysis have been established for the determination
of trace and ultratrace elements in high-purity materials (metals, semiconductors and
insulators), in different technical samples (e.g., alloys, pure chemicals, ceramics, thin films,
ion-implanted semiconductors), in environmental samples (waters, soils, biological and
medical materials) and geological samples. Whereas such techniques as spark source mass
spectrometry (SSMS), laser ionization mass spectrometry (LIMS), laser ablation inductively
coupled plasma spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS),
secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
(ICP-MS) have multielemental capability, other methods such as thermal ionization mass
spectrometry (TIMS), accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and resonance ionization mass
spectrometry (RIMS) have been used for sensitive mono- or oligoelemental ultratrace analysis
( and precise determination of isotopic ratios) in solid samples. The limits of detection for
chemical elements using these mass spectrometric techniques are in the low ng g-l
concentration range. The quantification of the analytical results of mass spectrometric
methods is sometimes difficult due to a lack ofmatrix-fitted multielement standard reference
materials (SRMs) for many solid samples. Therefore, owing to the simple quantification
procedure of the aqueous solution, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
is being increasingly used for the characterization of solid samples after sample dissolution.
ICP-MS is often combined with special sample introduction equipment ( e.g. flow injection,
hydride generation, HPLC or electrothermal vaporization) or an off-line matrix separation and
enrichment of trace impurities ( especially for characterization of high-purity materials and
environmental samples) is used in order to improve the detection limits of trace elements.
Furthermore, the detennination of chemical elements in the trace and ultratrace concentration
range is often difficult and can be disturbed through mass interferences of analyte ions by
molecular ions at the same nominal mass. By applying double-focusing sector field mass
spectrometry at the required mass resolution - by the mass spectrometric separation of
molecular ions from the analyte ions - it is often possible to overcome these interference
problems.
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