Trace metal analysis in arctic aerosols by an inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometer combined with an inductively heated vaporizer

Abstract

The aim of this extensive aerosol measurement campaign was to obtain a database for model-calculations of arctic aerosol, which play an important role in the global climate change. The ASTAR project was centered on two aircraft measurement campaigns, scheduled from 2004 to 2005, addressing both aerosol and cloud measurements, combined with ground-based and satellite observations. In the present paper one example for the analysis of ground-based aerosol particles is described. The sampling of aerosol particles was performed in a well-known manner by impaction of the particles on cleaned graphite targets. By means of a cascade impactor eight size classes between 0.35 and 16.6 Am aerodynamic diameters were separated. To analyze the metal content in the aerosol particles the targets were rapidly heated up to 2700 -C in an inductively heated vaporizer system (IHVS). An argon flow transports the vaporized sample material into the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) used as ionization source for the time of flight-mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). The simultaneous extraction of the ions from the plasma, as realized in the TOF instrument, allows to obtain the full mass spectrum of the sample during the vaporization pulse without any limitation in the number of elements detected. With optimized experimental parameters the element content in arctic aerosol particles was determined in a mass range between 7 Li and 209 Bi. Comparing the size distribution of the elemental content of the aerosol particles, two different meteorological situations were verified. For calibration acidified reference solutions were placed on the cleaned target inside the IHVS. The limits of detection (LOD) for the element mass on the target range between 2 and 200 pg for the elements studied, except Na, Mg, and Cr, which are influenced by high background. D

Characteristics of Picoliter Droplet Dried Residues as Standards for Direct Analysis Techniques

“…Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer. The mass spectrometric detection described here was performed using a novel orthogonal acceleration inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ICP-TOF-MS), first described by Hoffmann et al The system was developed especially for simultaneous multielemental analysis of transient signals offering high mass resolution, high precision, and sensitivity. , …”

Sources, fate and distribution of inorganic contaminants in the Svalbard area, representative of a typical Arctic critical environment–a review

“…Other minor processes leading to secondary contamination of Svalbard coasts include transport of metals of anthropogenic origin associated with marine aerosols (Kozak et al, 2015;Lüdke et al, 2005;Samecka-Cymerman et al, 2011). Marine air masses contain sea salt particles enriched in heavy metals due to fractionation in the sea-surface microlayer.…”

Current and emerging analytical techniques for geochemical and geochronological studies

“…Matrix matching external calibrations are utilized in order to compensate for the spectroscopic and nonspectroscopic interferences. Tables 35 and 36 F I G U R E 1 6 Schematic outline of the ICP-time of flight mass spectrometry instrument (Ludke et al, 2005) concentrations (μg/g) of major, minor, and trace elements including REE in some international sediment reference materials determined by ICP-TOF-MS a routinely applicable technique for direct solid analysis with capability to do in-situ probing of individual minerals including fluid and melt inclusions. It enables highly sensitive elemental and isotopic analysis to be performed directly on solid samples with unique capabilities, such as depth profiling analysis, two-dimensional (2D) elemental/isotope mapping with possibility of analysing both conductive and T A B L E 3 5 Concentrations (μg/g) of major, minor, and trace elements in some international sediment reference materials determined by ICP-TOF-MS Element NOD T A B L E 3 6 Concentrations (μg/g) of REE in some international sediment reference materials determined by ICP-TOF-MS Element NOD T A B L E 3 7 LA-ICP-MS detection limits (Abduriyim & Kitawaki, 2006) Element/isotope Detection limit 3σ (μg/g) Element/isotope Detection limit 3σ (μg/g) Element/isotope Detection limit 3σ (μg/g) F I G U R E 1 8 Schematic diagram of the laser ablation-ICP-MS system (Elkadi et al, 2010) [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com] nonconductive materials.…”