Application of Laser-ICP-MS in environmental analysis

Laser sampling inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has been used for the quantitative determination of trace elements in samples of environmental significance. Solid sampling in environmental analysis is a very demanding type of application: in fact, the instrumental conditions must be carefully chosen and optimized to minimize signal fluctuations, the vaporized material introduced into the plasma should be representative to the composition of the whole sample and a suitable calibration method must be developed. The analytical problems addressed are: determination of elements in plant ash and their direct determination in growth rings of oaks.