Analysis of high-purity quartz sand by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used for the trace and ultra-trace analysis of quartz sand, after prior volatilisation of the matrix as silicon fluoride. Quantitative results were obtained for 13–14 elements of major interest and for 6–7 other elements upper limits at the nanogram per gram level were found. The results are generally in good agreement with those obtained using other methods.