Inductively Coupled,Plasma Source Mass Spectrometry - A New Element/Isotope Specific Mass Spectrometry Detector for Chromatography

A new mass spectrometry detector for chromatography is described. It is element/isotope specific. The interfacing of GC with the detector is very simple, consisting of a short (0. 5m) stainless steel tube. Oxygen gas (about 20% of total sample gas flow) must be injected, into the GC effluent entering the torch, to prevent carbon buildup on the torch. Three pentylated tin compounds (Me₃SnPe, Me₂SnPe₂ and MeSnPe₃) were separated and determined using the system. Although detection limits (ng's) achieved in this preliminary work were worse by over 2 orders of magnitude compared to state-of-the-art electrothermal atomic absorption detection, the approach holds much promise for the future in environmental/clinical metal organic species investigations.