Analytical Capability of High-Time Resolution-Multiple Collector-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry for the Elemental and Isotopic Analysis of Metal Nanoparticles

Abstract

We measured the Re/Os (185 Re/ 188 Os) and 187 Os/ 188 Os ratios from nanoparticles (NPs) using a multiple collector-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer equipped with high-time resolution ion counters (HTR-MC-ICP-MS). Using the HTR-MC-ICP-MS system developed in this study, the simultaneous data acquisition of four isotopes was possible with a time resolution of up to 10 µs. This permits the quantitative analysis of four isotopes to be carried out from transient signals (e.g., < 0.6 ms) produced by the NPs. Iridium-Osmium NPs were produced from a naturally occurring Ir-Os alloy (ruthenosmiridium from Hokkaido, Japan; osmiridium from British Columbia, Canada; iridosmine from the Urals region of Russia) through a laser ablation technique, and the resulting nanoparticles were collected by bubbling water through a suspension. The 187 Os/ 188 Os ratios for individual NPs varied significantly, mainly due to the counting statistics of the 187 Os and 188 Os signals. Despite the large variation in the measured ratios, the resulting 187 Os/ 188 Os ratios for three Ir-Os bearing minerals, were 0.121 ± 0.013 for Hokkaido, 0.110 ± 0.012 for British Columbia, and 0.122 ± 0.020 for the Urals, and these values were in agreement with the ratios obtained by the conventional laser ablation-MC-ICP-MS technique. The data obtained here provides a clear demonstration that the HTR-MC-ICP-MS technique can become a powerful tool for monitoring elemental and isotope ratios from NPs of multiple components.

Basic and advanced spectrometric methods for complete nanoparticles characterization in bio/eco systems: current status and future prospects

“…MC-ICP-MS allows simultaneous detection of multiple isotopes and can become a powerful tool for monitoring elemental and isotope ratios from NPs of multiple components in a particle-by-particle mode. However, MC-ICP-MS is not adapted for multiple element analysis as it can only target a narrow range of m/z in one data acquisition cycle [85]. Moreover, a low amount of sample and/or a low target isotope concentration can strongly compromise applications focused on high-precision isotopic analysis of nanoparticles by MC-ICP-MS, and the widespread application of MC-ICP-MS is limited due to its high cost and enormous size [4,69].…”

Results of an interlaboratory comparison for characterization of Pt nanoparticles using single-particle ICP-TOFMS

“…The number of analytes that are recordable in the specific mass range is limited to 9–15 isotopes depending on the number of collectors on the instrument. 20 Wider m / z ranges can principally be acquired using Mattauch–Herzog type MC-ICPMS 21 but our experience with the only commercial instrument currently available indicates that the signal/noise of the Faraday-strip-based detection system prevents the acquisition of low intensity, short signals from individual NPs.…”

Nanoparticle identification using single particle ICP-ToF-MS acquisition coupled to cluster analysis. From engineered to natural nanoparticles

“…t d ≥ 1 ms) combined with the relatively slow rate of change of the magnetic field (few tens of milliseconds) to switch from one mass to charge ratio ( m / z ) to another prevents the possibility of monitoring multiple elements in an individual NP. Hirata et al (2020), 11 proposed spICP-MS analysis with a multi-collector (MC)-ICP-MS for Re/Os ( 185 Re/ 188 Os and 187 Os/ 188 Os) ratios on NPs produced through a laser-ablation system. Such a mass spectrometer is equipped with several detectors that allow the measurement of multiple isotopes simultaneously.…”