Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in atomic spectrometry and related techniques

Abstract

This review of 177 references covers developments in ‘Atomic Spectrometry’ published in the twelve months from November 2019 to November 2020 inclusive. It covers atomic emission, absorption, fluorescence and mass spectrometry, but excludes material on speciation and coupled techniques which is included in a separate review. It should be read in conjunction with the previous review and the other related reviews in the series. A critical approach to the selection of material has been adopted, with only novel developments in instrumentation, techniques and methodology being included. The analysis of nanoparticles is of current interest, with several novel developments in single particle ICP-MS methods of analysis. Nanoparticles have also been used extensively for elemental tagging to determine proteins and biomarkers, which is now becoming a routine method. Matrix effects in ICP-MS have come under scrutiny, with several studies pointing to a re-evaluation of space charge effects in instruments with newer designs of ion lenses. The DBD, and similar miniature plasma sources, are becoming increasingly popular in compact portable instruments, and for vapour generation and trapping. Developments in laser-based spectroscopy have slowed somewhat, but there were some novel developments in double-pulse and microwave assisted LIBS. Data treatment is one area which looks to be attracting some attention, particularly ways to reduce the huge LIBS dataset to a manageable size for processing. Methods of analysing isotopes continued to be refined using high-impedance resistors, but also with the development of ATONA-based Faraday collectors (ato-to nano- Amp detection) in certain instruments. There were also a number of studies utilising chemical reaction cells to remove isobaric interferences and reduce scatter: a development that will continue to smooth a path towards high precision isotope ratios from vanishingly small amounts of analyte. Double spiking continued to be the mass fractionation correction method of choice in a variety of stable isotope, radiogenic isotope and nuclear environmental applications.