Determination of total tin in sediment reference materials by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after alkali fusion

Abstract

The total tin concentration in a candidate sediment reference material (NIES CRM No.12 Marine Sediment) was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with a combination of different sample decomposition methods (acid digestion and alkali fusion) and modes of quantification [standard addition and isotope dilution (ID)] during a collaborative analysis for certification. Good agreement between the methods was obtained (10.2-11.0 mg kg 21 ) and the data were consistent with those obtained from collaboration laboratories (9.38-11.6 mg kg 21 ). Among the analytical methods used in this study, the most precise method, ID-ICP-MS, was examined further for its accuracy by analyzing other sediment CRMs. The analytical values obtained after acid digestion and alkali fusion differed significantly for all seven sediment CRMs analyzed; the total tin value was consistently higher and the relative standard deviation of the analysis was larger when the sample was decomposed by alkali fusion than by acid digestion. The difference varied from CRM to CRM (3-80%). This result indicated that there was a fraction of tin that was resistant to acid attack and the distribution of the fraction in the sediment was inhomogeneous. For an accurate determination of total tin in sediment, alkali fusion-ID-ICP-MS is the most suitable method.

Validation of alkaline oxidation as a pre-treatment method for elemental quantification in single-walled carbon nanotubes

“…8 This treatment is normally applied to samples that are impervious to strong acids. Among these are refractory materials such as carbides 19,20 and borides, ceramics, 21 mineral ores, 22,23 marine sediments 24,25 and human bones. The application of fusion to carbon materials was previously limited to coal 26 and graphite 27 but, in 2016, we used it for CNTs and graphene and compared its elemental quanti-cation results with those obtained from wet digestion.…”

Characterisation of reference materials by isotope dilution mass spectrometry

“…Thus IDMS results yielded essential information on these geological RMs. In the geological and environmental field many RMs have been certified by applying IDMS, such as sediments, [161][162][163][164] dust 165 and others. 166 In his recent review on geochemical RMs Roelandts characterised IDMS as being indispensible for highly accurate isotope determinations.…”

Mass Spectrometry in Environmental Sciences

“…ICP-MS has also been used to measure total tin in sediment reference materials. 852 Mercury compounds have been determined in environmental samples using LC/ICP-MS, 853 GC/ICP-MS, 854,855 and ICP-MS. [856][857][858][859][860] Detection limits using LC/ICP-MS were 0.03-0.11 µg/L for several mercury species. 853 With one of the GC/ICP-MS methods, 0.15 pg detection limits were achieved.…”

“…Sediment concentrations showed no trend of decrease between 1992 and 1995, and levels were extremely high in the marina secluded from tidal action (17.5 μg/g) but much lower in the marina with tidal action (0.117 μg/g). ICP-MS has also been used to measure total tin in sediment reference materials …”