Influence of the physical properties and handling of silica gel modified carbon paste electrodes on the phase transfer of solved Cu(II) ions

EDTA, a powerful chelating agent, is used extensively in soil sciences to determine the bioavailability of trace metals and their possible decontamination from polluted soils. Because of its non-selective nature, the co-dissolution of major elements also occurs, in addition to the extraction of trace metal ions.In this work, the reactivity of trace and major elements (Pb, Cu, Cd, Al, Fe, Ca and Mg) with different concentrations of EDTA was studied in eight soil samples (Burgundy, France). The limit between lack and excess of EDTA with respect to total metal extracted, determined after 24 h of reaction for different types of soil varied from 0.002 to 0.05 M, respectively.For calcareous samples the amount of Pb, Cu and Cd extracted by EDTA was reduced to 50% of that extracted in non-calcareous soils.From the kinetic point of view, the extraction behavior of major elements seemed to depend heavily on excess or lack of EDTA and the soil Ca content. For a lack of EDTA, different competitive behaviors were revealed for the major elements (Al, Ca, Fe and Mg) towards the reagent, depending on the soil matrix.According to these experimental results, the mass balance between the reagent and cations in any EDTA-soil media is strongly controlled by major metal extraction. When choosing the reagent concentration needed to extract the trace metals efficiently, all the extractable metal present in the concerned sample must be taken into account.     

Relevance of NH4F in acid digestion before ICP-MS analysis

In order to implement a simpler, less expensive and more safe sample dissolution procedure, we have substituted the HF-HClO₄ mixture by NH₄F. By testing three certified reference materials, lichen 336, basalt BE-N, soil 7, it was found that the three-reagents digestion without HF and HClO₄ (HNO₃ + H₂O₂ + NH₄F was used) was very effective for the pretreatment of ICP-MS measurement. The comparison was based on the measurement results and their uncertainties. All are reference material for amount contents of different trace elements. The accuracy and precision of the developed method were tested by replicate analyses of reference samples of established element contents. The accuracy of the data as well as detection limits (LODs) vary among elements but are usually very good (accuracy better than 8%, LODs usually below 1 μg/g in solids). ICP-MS capabilities enable us to determine routinely 13 and 16 minor and trace elements in basalt and soil.     

Applications of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in materials science

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) have been applied as the most important inorganic mass spectrometric techniques having multielemental capability for the characterization of solid samples in materials science. ICP-MS is used for the sensitive determination of trace and ultratrace elements in digested solutions of solid samples or of process chemicals (ultrapure water, acids and organic solutions) for the semiconductor industry with detection limits down to sub-picogram per liter levels. Whereas ICP-MS on solid samples (e.g. high-purity ceramics) sometimes requires time-consuming sample preparation for its application in materials science, and the risk of contamination is a serious drawback, a fast, direct determination of trace elements in solid materials without any sample preparation by LA-ICP-MS is possible. The detection limits for the direct analysis of solid samples by LA-ICP-MS have been determined for many elements down to the nanogram per gram range. A deterioration of detection limits was observed for elements where interferences with polyatomic ions occur. The inherent interference problem can often be solved by applying a double-focusing sector field mass spectrometer at higher mass resolution or by collision-induced reactions of polyatomic ions with a collision gas using an ICP-MS fitted with collision cell. The main problem of LA-ICP-MS is quantification if no suitable standard reference materials with a similar matrix composition are available. The calibration problem in LA-ICP-MS can be solved using on-line solution-based calibration, and different procedures, such as external calibration and standard addition, have been discussed with respect to their application in materials science. The application of isotope dilution in solution-based calibration for trace metal determination in small amounts of noble metals has been developed as a new calibration strategy. This review discusses new analytical developments and possible applications of ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS for the quantitative determination of trace elements and in surface analysis for materials science.     

Determination of the fungicides vinclozolin and dicloran in soils using ultrasonic extraction coupled with solid-phase microextraction

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to ultrasonic extraction was evaluated for extracting trace amounts of two agrochemical fungicides, vinclozolin and dicloran, in soil samples. Extraction was performed following two experimental approaches prior to the submission of the aqueous extracts to SPME-GC analysis. In the first approach, extraction involved sample homogenization with a water solution containing 5% (v/v) acetone and centrifugation prior to fiber extraction. In the second approach, the extraction of the fungicides from the soil samples was conducted using acetone as organic solvent which was then diluted with water to give a 5% (v/v) content. The pesticides were isolated with fused silica fiber coating with 85 μm polyacrylate. Parameters that affect both the extraction of the fungicides by the soil samples and the trapping of the analytes by the fiber were investigated and their impact on the SPME-GC-MS was studied. The procedures with respect to repeatability and limits of detection were evaluated by soil spiked with both analytes. Repeatability was between 5.6 and 14.2% and the limits of detection were 2-13 ng g⁻¹. The efficiency of acetone/SPME was generally better than that for water/SPME procedure showing good linearity (R²>0.99) with coefficient variations below 9%, recoveries higher than 91% and limits of detection between 2 and 3 ng g⁻¹. Finally, the recoveries obtained with acetone/SPME procedure were compared with the conventional liquid-liquid extraction using real soil samples. The acetone/SPME method was shown to be an inexpensive, fast and simple preparation method for the determination of target analytes at low nanogram per gram levels in soils.     

Were Chinchorros exposed to arsenic? Arsenic determination in Chinchorro mummies' hair by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

Chinchorros, a fishermen culture, who lived about 7000 years ago in the coastal region of the Atacama Desert in the northern outpost of present-day Chile, practiced an intricate system of mummification of their dead. The drinking water in this region is rich with arsenic, and the mummies were found in these arsenic endemic areas. Well preserved mummy hair samples provided a unique opportunity to explore the ancient arsenic exposure of the Chinchorros by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) using a single hair strand without any elaborate sample preparation. Forty-six hair samples from mummies found in five burial sites around the Atacama Desert, Chile, were used for this study. After cleaning, hair strands were placed on mounting tape and ablated using a Nd-YAG UV laser coupled to ICP-MS. A suite of contemporary human hair from the same region with known arsenic concentrations was used for calibration of LA-ICP-MS. Satisfactory linear calibration functions were obtained for arsenic in hair. The method detection limit was 0.8 µg/g and the sample throughput for this method is ∼ 10 samples per hour. It appears that mummies from the Morro (Arica), Iquique and Camarones had the elevated concentration of arsenic in hair (AsH > 10 µg/g) in this sub-set of samples, where Morro had the broad distribution of As concentrations.     

Determination of volatile halogenated organic compounds in soils by purge-and-trap capillary gas chromatography with atomic emission detection

Nine volatile halogenated organic compounds (VHOCs), including four trihalomethanes (THMs), were determined in soils by capillary gas chromatography with microwave induced-plasma atomic emission spectrometry (GC-AED), using a purge-and-trap system (PT) for sample preconcentration. Analytes were previously extracted from the soil sample in methanol and the extract was preconcentrated before being chromatographed. Element-specific detection and quantification were carried out monitoring two wavelength emission lines, corresponding to chlorine (479 nm) and bromine (478 nm). Each chromatographic run took 21 min, including the purge step. The method showed a precision of 1.1-7.2% (R.S.D.) depending on the compound. Detection limits ranged from 0.05 to 0.55 ng ml⁻¹, for chloroform and dichloromethane, respectively, corresponding to 3.3 and 36.0 ng g⁻¹ in the soil samples. The chromatographic profiles obtained showed no interference from co-extracted compounds. Low levels of dichloromethane and chloroform ranging from 0.04 to 1.13 μg g⁻¹ were found in samples obtained from small gardens irrigated with tap water. The method is reliable and can be used for routine monitoring in soil samples.     

粉末压饼LA-ICP-MS测定土壤样品中微量元素

研究了采用粉末压饼制样LA-ICP-MS测定土壤样品中多元素的分析方法.在土壤样品中事先加入已知含量的In,并以聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)为粘合剂,在200 KN的压力下制备用于激光剥蚀的压饼.详细讨论了粉末压饼样品中元素的均一性及元素相对信号响应.所建立的方法用于土壤标准参考物质固体样品的直接分析,测定值与参考值具有较好的一致性.     

Comparative imaging of P,S, Fe,Cu, Zn and C in thin sections of rat brain tumor as well as control tissues by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used for quantitative imaging of selected elements (P, S, Fe, Cu, Zn and C) in thin sections of rat brain samples (thickness 20 μm). The sample surface was scanned (raster area ~ 2 cm²) with a focused laser beam (wavelength 266 nm, diameter of laser crater 50 μm, and irradiance 1 × 10⁹ W cm^− 2). The laser ablation system was coupled to a double-focusing sector field. The possibility was evaluated of using carbon (via measurement of ¹³C⁺) as an internal standard element for imaging element distribution as part of this method. The LA-ICP-MS images obtained for P, S, Fe Cu and Zn were quantified using synthetically prepared matrix-matched laboratory standards. Depending on the sample analyzed, concentrations of Cu and Zn in the control tissue were found to be in the range of 8–10 μg g^− 1 and 10–12 μg g^− 1, while in the tumor tissue these concentrations were in the range of 12–15 μg g^− 1 and 15–17 μg g^− 1, respectively. The measurements of P, S and Fe distribution revealed the depletion of these elements in tumor tissue. In all the samples, the shape of the tumor could be clearly distinguished from the surrounding healthy tissue by the depletion in carbon. Additional experiments were performed in order to study the influence of the water content of the analyzed tissue on the intensity signal of the analyte. The results of these measurements show the linear correlation (R² = 0.9604) between the intensity of analyte and amount of water in the sample. The growth of a brain tumor was thus studied for the first time by imaging mass spectrometry.     

Comparison of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for elemental imaging in Daphnia magna

Visualization of elemental distributions in thin sections of biological tissue is gaining importance in many disciplines of biological and medical research. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and scanning micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-XRF) are two widely used microanalytical techniques for elemental mapping. This article compares the capabilities of the two techniques for imaging the distribution of selected elements in the model organism Daphnia magna in terms of detection power and spatial resolution. Sections with a thickness of 10 and 20 μm of the fresh water crustacean Daphnia magna were subjected to LA-ICP-MS and micro-XRF analysis. The elemental distributions obtained for Ca, P, S and Zn allow element-to-tissue correlation. LA-ICP-MS and micro-XRF offer similar limits of detection for the elements Ca and P and thus, allow a cross-validation of the imaging results. LA-ICP-MS was particularly sensitive for determining Zn (LOD 20 μg g⁻¹, 15 μm spot size) in Daphnia magna, while the detection power of micro-XRF was insufficient in this context. However, LA-ICP-MS was inadequate for the measurement of the S distributions, which could be better visualized with micro-XRF (LOD 160 μg g⁻¹, 5 s live time). Both techniques are thus complementary in providing an exhaustive chemical profiling of tissue samples.     

A provenance study of coffee by photon activation analysis

Photon activation analysis (PAA) is a multi-elemental radioanalytical technique in trace elements analysis with high accuracy and precision. Researchers at the Idaho accelerator center performed PAA analysis on coffee samples from several locations around the world as an initial step in assessing the relationship between trace elements in illicit drugs and the soils in which they were grown. The preliminary results show coffees from different locations have different concentrations of trace elements. In the three cases where we have soil samples, the matrices of elements in the coffee samples are closely related to the matrices of the elements of the local soil samples. The majority of trace elemental content is similar to that of the local soil sample in which the coffee is planted. It may be that coffee assimilates numerous elements from the soil where it is grown in similar ratios as is found in the soil. Thus, it is conceivable that the elemental content could serve as “fingerprint” to trace the origins of the coffee. To verify our analytical results we applied X-ray fluorescence (XRF) methods as well. Our PAA results are consistent with XRF experimental data. The future of tracing the origin of illicit drugs with the PAA technique is promising.     

A comparison of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry,micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy,and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy for the discrimination of automotive glass

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μXRF), and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) are compared in terms of discrimination power for a glass sample set consisting of 41 fragments. Excellent discrimination results (> 99% discrimination) were obtained for each of the methods. In addition, all three analytical methods produced very similar discrimination results in terms of the number of pairs found to be indistinguishable. The small number of indistinguishable pairs that were identified all originated from the same vehicle. The results also show a strong correlation between the data generated from the use of µXRF and LA-ICP-MS, when comparing µXRF strontium intensities to LA-ICP-MS strontium concentrations. A 266 nm laser was utilized for all LIBS analyses, which provided excellent precision (< 10% RSD for all elements and < 10% RSD for all ratios, N = 5). The paper also presents a thorough data analysis review for forensic glass examinations by LIBS and suggests several element ratios that provide accurate discrimination results related to the LIBS system used for this study. Different combinations of 10 ratios were used for discrimination, all of which assisted with eliminating Type I errors (false exclusions) and reducing Type II errors (false inclusions). The results demonstrate that the LIBS experimental setup described, when combined with a comprehensive data analysis protocol, provides comparable discrimination when compared to LA-ICP-MS and μXRF for the application of forensic glass examinations. Given the many advantages that LIBS offers, most notably reduced complexity and reduced cost of the instrumentation, LIBS is a viable alternative to LA-ICP-MS and μXRF for use in the forensic laboratory.     

Inorganic trace analysis by mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometric methods for the trace analysis of inorganic materials with their ability to provide a very sensitive multielemental analysis have been established for the determination of trace and ultratrace elements in high-purity materials (metals, semiconductors and insulators), in different technical samples (e.g. alloys, pure chemicals, ceramics, thin films, ion-implanted semiconductors), in environmental samples (waters, soils, biological and medical materials) and geological samples. Whereas such techniques as spark source mass spectrometry (SSMS), laser ionization mass spectrometry (LIMS), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) have multielemental capability, other methods such as thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) have been used for sensitive mono- or oligoelemental ultratrace analysis (and precise determination of isotopic ratios) in solid samples. The limits of detection for chemical elements using these mass spectrometric techniques are in the low ng g⁻¹ concentration range. The quantification of the analytical results of mass spectrometric methods is sometimes difficult due to a lack of matrix-fitted multielement standard reference materials (SRMs) for many solid samples. Therefore, owing to the simple quantification procedure of the aqueous solution, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is being increasingly used for the characterization of solid samples after sample dissolution. ICP-MS is often combined with special sample introduction equipment (e.g. flow injection, hydride generation, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or electrothermal vaporization) or an off-line matrix separation and enrichment of trace impurities (especially for characterization of high-purity materials and environmental samples) is used in order to improve the detection limits of trace elements. Furthermore, the determination of chemical elements in the trace and ultratrace concentration range is often difficult and can be disturbed through mass interferences of analyte ions by molecular ions at the same nominal mass. By applying double-focusing sector field mass spectrometry at the required mass resolution—by the mass spectrometric separation of molecular ions from the analyte ions—it is often possible to overcome these interference problems. Commercial instrumental equipment, the capability (detection limits, accuracy, precision) and the analytical application fields of mass spectrometric methods for the determination of trace and ultratrace elements and for surface analysis are discussed.     

Characterization and forensic analysis of soil samples using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

A method for the quantitative elemental analysis of surface soil samples using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was developed and applied to the analysis of bulk soil samples for discrimination between specimens. The use of a 266 nm laser for LIBS analysis is reported for the first time in forensic soil analysis. Optimization of the LIBS method is discussed, and the results compared favorably to a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) method previously developed. Precision for both methods was <10% for most elements. LIBS limits of detection were <33 ppm and bias <40% for most elements. In a proof of principle study, the LIBS method successfully discriminated samples from two different sites in Dade County, FL. Analysis of variance, Tukey’s post hoc test and Student’s t test resulted in 100% discrimination with no type I or type II errors. Principal components analysis (PCA) resulted in clear groupings of the two sites. A correct classification rate of 99.4% was obtained with linear discriminant analysis using leave-one-out validation. Similar results were obtained when the same samples were analyzed by LA-ICP-MS, showing that LIBS can provide similar information to LA-ICP-MS. In a forensic sampling/spatial heterogeneity study, the variation between sites, between sub-plots, between samples and within samples was examined on three similar Dade sites. The closer the sampling locations, the closer the grouping on a PCA plot and the higher the misclassification rate. These results underscore the importance of careful sampling for geographic site characterization.     

Soil analysis by thin-film energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence

Energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence is advantageous for trace analysis of soils present as thin films. A target thickness of about 2 mg cm^-2 provides a compromise between optimal sensitivity and minimal absorption effect or optimal accuracy. Sample preparation involves only suspending the finely ground soil in water and drying this suspension on a thin mylar foil glued on a ring that fits into the x.r.f. spectrometer. The “effective sample weight” present in the exciting beam area is computed from the scatter peaks, a method that cancels out target heterogeneity problems. High accuracy is demonstrated for many elements in reference soil and rock materials; a precision around 5% and a detection limit around 10 ppm can be achieved. As an illustration, results for 16 trace elements and preliminary interpretation are given for a series of pedologically important soil samples from Brasil.     

Lead determination in whole blood by laser ablation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

This work describes a simple procedure for blood lead level determination. The proposed method requires little sample pretreatment and subsequent direct analysis of a dried blood spot on a filter membrane using laser ablation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). In general, LA-ICP-MS studies are somewhat limited by the lack of matrix-matched standards for calibration purposes. Here we describe aqueous standard calibration and matrix-matched calibration methods. This method was validated by analysis of the reference materials. With the matrix-matched calibration method, the recovery ranged from 97.8% to 112.8%, while the aqueous standard calibration method ranged 90.4% to 122.4%. The lower detection limit was estimated as 0.1 ng mL⁻¹. The determination precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD), was not worse than 10% for all results. A sample throughput of approximately 5 min per sample made it possible to rapidly screen a large number of samples.     

Ultrasound-assisted treatment of palm oil samples for the determination of copper and lead by stripping chronopotentiometry

The concentration of trace metals in vegetable oils is an important criterion for the assessment of oil qualities with regard to freshness, keeping properties, storage and their influence on human nutrition and health. In this work, an effective and simple method for the determination of copper and lead in palm oil by stripping chronopotentiometry (SCP) is proposed. The metal ions were concentrated as their amalgams on the glassy carbon surface of a working electrode that was coated with a thin mercury film. An ultrasonic bath was used for the extraction of copper and lead from eleven oil samples using a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of concentrated hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Efficient extraction of copper and lead (∼ 100%) was attained after 60 min of ultrasonic pre-treatment. A good correlation between the amount of sample and the time necessary for complete liberation of the metals was observed. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by means of a reference sample of skim milk powder containing trace elements (BCR 151). Quantitative analysis was carried out by the method of standard additions. Good linearity was obtained in the range of the concentrations examined. Detection limits of 13 and 50 ng g^− 1 were found for Cu and Pb, respectively, in the palm oil samples. The average values found for the palm oil samples analyzed were in the range of < 0.013-2.67 µg g^− 1 for copper and < 0.050-1.82 µg g^− 1 for lead. The palm oil samples were also analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), demonstrating a very good correlation between the results.     

Determination of refractive and volatile elements in sediment using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Wet-milling protocol was employed to produce pressed powder tablets with excellent cohesion and homogeneity suitable for laser ablation (LA) analysis of volatile and refractive elements in sediment. The influence of sample preparation on analytical performance was also investigated, including sample homogeneity, accuracy and limit of detection. Milling in volatile solvent for 40 min ensured sample is well mixed and could reasonably recover both volatile (Hg) and refractive (Zr) elements. With the exception of Cr (−52%) and Nb (+26%) major, minor and trace elements in STSD-1 and MESS-3 could be analysed within ±20% of the certified values. Comparison of the method with total digestion method using HF was tested by analysing 10 different sediment samples. The laser method recovers significantly higher amounts of analytes such as Ag, Cd, Sn and Sn than the total digestion method making it a more robust method for elements across the periodic table. LA-ICP-MS also eliminates the interferences from chemical reagents as well as the health and safety risks associated with digestion processes. Therefore, it can be considered as an enhanced method for the analysis of heterogeneous matrices such as river sediments.     

Dynamic fractionation of trace metals in soil and sediment samples using rotating coiled column extraction and sequential injection microcolumn extraction: A comparative study

Dynamic fractionation has been recognized as an appealing alternative to conventional equilibrium-based sequential extraction procedures (SEPs) for partitioning of trace elements (TE) in environmental solid samples. This paper reports the first attempt for harmonization of flow-through dynamic fractionation using two novel methods, the so-called sequential injection microcolumn (SIMC) extraction and rotating coiled column (RCC) extraction. In SIMC extraction, a column packed with the solid sample is clustered in a sequential injection system, while in RCC, the particulate matter is retained under the action of centrifugal forces. In both methods, the leachants are continuously pumped through the solid substrates by the use of either peristaltic or syringe pumps.A five-step SEP was selected for partitioning of Cu, Pb and Zn in water soluble/exchangeable, acid-soluble, easily reducible, easily oxidizable and moderately reducible fractions from 0.2 to 0.5 g samples at an extractant flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹ prior to leachate analysis by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry.Similarities and discrepancies between both dynamic approaches were ascertained by fractionation of TE in certified reference materials, namely, SRM 2711 Montana Soil and GBW 07311 sediment, and two real soil samples as well. Notwithstanding the different extraction conditions set by both methods, similar trends of metal distribution were in generally found. The most critical parameters for reliable assessment of mobilisable pools of TE in worse-case scenarios are the size-distribution of sample particles, the density of particles, the content of organic matter and the concentration of major elements. For reference materials and a soil rich in organic matter, the extraction in RCC results in slightly higher recoveries of environmentally relevant fractions of TE, whereas SIMC leaching is more effective for calcareous soils.     

Headspace-trap gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for determination of sulphur mustard and related compounds in soil

Methods for trace determination of sulphur mustard (HD) and some related cyclic sulphur compounds in soil samples have been developed using headspace-trap in combination with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two quite different types of soil were employed in the method optimisation (sandy loam and silty clay loam). Prior to analysis, water saturated with sodium chloride was added to the samples, at a water to soil ratio of 1:1. A detection limit of 3 ng/g was achieved for HD, while the cyclic sulphur compounds 1,4-thioxane, 1,3-dithiolane and 1,4-dithiane could be detected at 0.2–0.7 ng/g. The methods were validated in the concentration range from the limit of quantification (LOQ) to hundred times LOQ. The within assay precision at fifty times LOQ was 6.9–7.3% relative standard deviation (RSD) for determination of the cyclic sulphur compounds, and 15% RSD for determination of HD. Recoveries were in the range of 43–60% from the two soil types. As the technique requires very little sample preparation, the total time for sample handling and analysis was less than 1 h. The technique was successfully employed for the determination of cyclic sulphur compounds in a sediment sample from an old dumping site for chemical munitions, known to contain HD degradation products.     

Electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of trace amount of lanthanides and yttrium in soil with polytetrafluroethylene emulsion as a chemical modifier

A method of electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ETV-ICP-MS) for the determination of trace lanthanides and yttrium in soil samples with a polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) emulsion as chemical modifier to promote the vaporization of the analytes from the graphite furnace was developed in this paper. The analytical characteristics, spectral interference and matrix effect of the analytical method were evaluated and critically compared with those of pneumatic nebulization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (PN-ICP-MS). Under the optimized operation conditions, the relative detection limits of lanthanides (La-Lu) and yttrium for ETV-ICP-MS and PN-ICP-MS were 0.4-20 ng l⁻¹ and 1.0-21 ng l⁻¹, respectively, the absolute detection limits for ETV-ICP-MS were 4-200 fg, which were improved by 1-2 orders of magnitude compared with PN-ICP-MS. While the analytical precision of ETV-ICP-MS is worse than that of PN-ICP-MS, with the R.S.D.s (%) of 4.1-10% for the former and 2.9-7.8% for the latter. Regarding to the matrix effect, both conventional method and stepwise dilution method were employed to observe the effect of matrix and the very similar results were obtained. It was found that the highest tolerance concentration of the matrix is 1000 mg l⁻¹ and 800 mg l⁻¹ for ETV-ICP-MS and PN-ICP-MS, respectively. To assess the accuracy, the proposed method was applied to the determination of trace lanthanides and yttrium in three different soil standard reference materials and one soil sample, and the determined values are in good agreement with the certified values or reference values.