Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: achievements, problems, prospects

Abstract

Introduction ferents with isotopes of analytical interest or that are incorporated into polyatomic interferences. 2 Evolution of LA-ICP-MS 3 Laser principles Motivated partly by such difficulties, alternative sample introduction methods such as direct sample insertion (DSI),4 3.1 Ruby 3.2 Nd5YAG electrothermal vaporization (ETV),5 spark ablation (SA)6 and laser ablation (LA)7 began to be used with ICP-MS. The 3.3 Excimer 4 Laser ablation systems ability of the ICP to accept vapours and solid aerosols produced by such methods for atomization and ionization was 5 Laser-solid interactions 6 Particle transport already known from optical emission spectrometry (OES). Indeed, development of these sample introduction techniques 7 Optimization 8 Calibration strategies for ICP-OES continues in parallel with their use in ICP-MS. Ablation of solids using pulses from a laser and carriage of 9 Performance and problems 10 Growth areas the released material to the ICP in a gas flow, usually of argon, is a very attractive alternative to the nebulization of 10.1 Fingerprinting 10.2 Geological microprobe analysis aqueous sample solutions. In addition to the usual analytical advantages of ICP-MS, LA offers reduced sample preparation, 10.3 Isotope ratios 11 Prospects rapid sample exchange and throughput, reduced spectral interferences and the possibility of in situ spatially resolved analysis. 12 References The key challenge in LA-ICP-MS, evident from the first feasibility study of the technique, which employed pulses from

Peer Reviewed: Laser Ablation-ICPMS

“…In contrast, in LA-ICPMS, it has often been demonstrated that nonmatrix-matched calibration provides accurate results in a wide variety of applications (10,11,15,17). However, because the concentration of one element in the standard and the sample must be known, the universal and routine use of this technique has been limited.…”

“…However, even similar materials often exhibit different ablation rates. To avoid such a complication, an internal standard (often a minor isotope of a major element) is used, and this step has significantly improved the quality of data obtained by LA-ICPMS over the past two decades (7,10,11). However, a stoichiometric aerosol composition is still crucial for the success of quantitative analysis by LA-ICPMS.…”

Peer Reviewed: The Physics of Laser Ablation in Microchemical Analysis

“…LA-ICPMS and LA-ICP-AES are promising analytical approaches for essentially nondestructive determination of elements with very low detection limits. Variations in analytical instrumentation, as well as different chemical aspects of LA, have been discussed in many recent reviews (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19). In this article, we will focus on some physical aspects of the LA process that are important for microchemical analysis.…”

“…As an alternative to LIBS, LA microanalysis can work with a mass or optical spectrometer with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) as the analytical excitation source (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19). In this experiment, inert gases such as argon and helium are typically used to carry laser-ablated mass to the ICP excitation source.…”

Inorganic mass spectrometry as a tool for characterisation at the nanoscale

“…In the LA process, a short-pulsed high-power laser beam is focused into the solid sample surface in an inert gas atmosphere (e.g. Ar) under atmospheric pressure [19]. The laser beam converts instantaneously a finite volume of the solid sample into a vapour phase aerosol, which is transferred by an Ar or He gas stream into the plasma ion source (i.e.…”