Issue 9, 2017

Towards the reduction of matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry: an argon–nitrogen–hydrogen mixed-gas plasma for the analysis of geological and environmental samples

Abstract

An argon–nitrogen–hydrogen mixed-gas plasma was optimized towards the minimization of matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Analyte sensitivity was enhanced by a factor of 1 to 4 (n = 26 elements) upon adding 3.7% v/v N2 to the plasma gas and 1.1% v/v H2 as a sheath around the Ar nebulizer gas flow in the central channel. However, detection limits were on average similar when using the mixed-gas plasma versus the Ar plasma, although at least 2-fold improvements resulted for Al and Ca in presence of 5% m/v Na. The 8.9 ± 1.7% (n = 26 elements) analyte signal suppression with an Ar plasma in a 0.23% m/v (or 0.1 M) Na matrix was reduced to 5.6 ± 2.3% with the mixed-gas plasma. The mixed-gas plasma was significantly more robust, with a Mg II/Mg I ratio of 13.3 ± 0.1 (n = 5 replicates), compared to 9.87 ± 0.16 for an Ar plasma optimized for robustness. The plasma excitation temperature also increased by 717 K for the mixed-gas plasma, confirming the improved excitation conditions. The superior analytical performance of the robust mixed-gas plasma for complex sample matrices was demonstrated through the direct quantitative multi-elemental analysis of a variety of certified reference materials (i.e., lake sediment, till, stream sediment, and natural ore digests), without internal standardization or matrix-matched calibration.

Graphical abstract: Towards the reduction of matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry: an argon–nitrogen–hydrogen mixed-gas plasma for the analysis of geological and environmental samples

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 mar 2017
Accepted
15 maj 2017
First published
15 maj 2017

J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2017,32, 1688-1696

Towards the reduction of matrix effects in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry: an argon–nitrogen–hydrogen mixed-gas plasma for the analysis of geological and environmental samples

Y. Makonnen, W. R. MacFarlane, M. L. Geagea and D. Beauchemin, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2017, 32, 1688 DOI: 10.1039/C7JA00112F

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