Characterization of a high-sensitivity ICP-TOFMS instrument for microdroplet, nanoparticle, and microplastic analyses

Abstract

We report the capabilities of an inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS) instrument for single-droplet and single-particle analysis. The icpTOF-S2 (TOFWERK AG) is a high-sensitivity version of the icpTOF...

Direct Measurement of Microplastics by Carbon Detection via Single Particle ICP-TOFMS in Complex Aqueous Suspensions

“…38,39 Consequently, the size limit of detection (LOD) for particulate plastic using our current optimized settings for sp-ICP-TOFMS was calculated using the following formula, assuming a spherical shape, a particle stoichiometry (C 8 H 8 ) n , and density of polystyrene (ρ PS ): The experimental size LOD was determined to 1.56 μm, and is comparable to values obtained by Harycki and Gundlach-Graham. 29 It is worth noting here that particle size LOD should be used as a rough guide to the sizes of MPs which can be measured using this approach, since (1) this depends on plastic chemistry (and the associated mass of C contained in a given polymer) and ( 2) environmental MPs will mostly be irregularly shaped, and so the spherical equivalent size is a simplification. It is anticipated that the number of carbon atoms in a nanosized plastic would not allow for its detection using this approach (Table S3).…”

“…In this particular case, to access low m/z-species such as 12 C + , a low pass filter was required and could be generated by decreasing the RF amplitude. Thanks to this dedicated tuning, 29 the icpTOF S2 was able to detect carbon-based particles, including MPs. Full operating conditions are presented in Table S1.…”

“…The experimental size LOD was determined to 1.56 μm, and is comparable to values obtained by Harycki and Gundlach-Graham. 29 It is worth noting here that particle size LOD should be used as a rough guide to the sizes of MPs which can be measured using this approach, since (1) this depends on plastic chemistry (and the associated mass of C contained in a given polymer) and ( 2) environmental MPs will mostly be irregularly shaped, and so the spherical equivalent size is a simplification. It is anticipated that the number of carbon atoms in a nanosized plastic would not allow for its detection using this approach (Table S3).…”

Machine learning analysis to classify nanoparticles from noisy spICP-TOFMS data

“…† Nanoparticle suspensions of ENPs, INPs, NNPs, and mixture samples were analyzed using an icpTOF-S2 instrument (TOF-WERK AG, Thun, Switzerland) equipped with an online microdroplet calibration system, as described previously. 51,52 Sample aliquots were injected with a microFAST MC autosampler and a PFA pneumatic nebulizer (PFA-ST, Elemental Scientic, NE, USA) connected via a baffled cyclonic quartz spray chamber to the injector of the ICP torch. Additional instrument parameters are provided in Table S3.…”

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

“…The probability of such events can be determined by coincidence analysis and limited using adequate dilution. 25 The capabilities of sp-ICP-TOFMS have already been demonstrated through numerous different case studies, including multi-element NP characterization, 26,27 distinguishing between naturally occurring (NNPs) and engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), 16,28,29 analysis of surface water [30][31][32] and wastewater samples, 33 soil samples, [34][35][36] gunshot residues, 37,38 microplastics, 39,40 as well as more exotic samples such as polar ice dust 41 and space-station dust particles. 42 While all these works highlighted the benefits of TOFMS for multi-element NP analysis, the sp-ICP-TOFMS methodology has not yet been validated.…”