Determination of trace and platinum-group elements in high ionic-strength volcanic fluids by sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

The accurate measurement of ultra-trace concentrations of rare metals and platinum group elements in volcanic fluids is complicated by interferences, complex matrices, and preferential element partitioning. We analyzed condensed, high-temperature magmatic fluids collected from Kudryavy volcano (Kurile Islands, Russia) for Be, B, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Cd, W, Re, Pt, Pb, Bi, and U using ICP-MS. The samples had three different matrices: 5 mol L^–1 sodium hydroxide (NaOH, pH = 11), gas condensates of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄, pH = 0), and solid elemental sulfur. Interferences and suppression/enhancement effects were investigated using standards in concentrated NaOH and H₂SO₄ solutions to determine adequate dilution for sample analyses, which then required very low levels of element detection (< 1 μg L^–1 for most elements). Depending on the field sampling technique of volcanic gas vents, our results show significant differences in concentrations of some trace elements due to the precipitation of solid sulfur during gas condensation and variations in element volatility as a function of temperature. Received: 1 March 1998 / Revised: 1 July 1998 / Accepted: 7 July 1998