Issue 1, 2015

Laser-ablation sampling for inductively coupled plasma distance-of-flight mass spectrometry

Abstract

An inductively coupled plasma distance-of-flight mass spectrometer (ICP-DOFMS) has been coupled with laser-ablation (LA) sample introduction for the elemental analysis of solids. ICP-DOFMS is well suited for the analysis of laser-generated aerosols because it offers both high-speed mass analysis and simultaneous multi-elemental detection. Here, we evaluate the analytical performance of the LA-ICP-DOFMS instrument, equipped with a microchannel plate-based imaging detector, for the measurement of steady-state LA signals, as well as transient signals produced from single LA events. Steady-state detection limits are 1 μg g−1, and absolute single-pulse LA detection limits are 200 fg for uranium; the system is shown capable of performing time-resolved single-pulse LA analysis. By leveraging the benefits of simultaneous multi-elemental detection, we also attain a good shot-to-shot reproducibility of 6% relative standard deviation (RSD) and isotope-ratio precision of 0.3% RSD with a 10 s integration time.

Graphical abstract: Laser-ablation sampling for inductively coupled plasma distance-of-flight mass spectrometry

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
14 Jul 2014
Accepted
14 Aga 2014
First published
14 Aga 2014

J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2015,30, 139-147

Laser-ablation sampling for inductively coupled plasma distance-of-flight mass spectrometry

A. Gundlach-Graham, E. A. Dennis, S. J. Ray, C. G. Enke, C. J. Barinaga, D. W. Koppenaal and G. M. Hieftje, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2015, 30, 139 DOI: 10.1039/C4JA00231H

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