gDouble-focusing Sector Field Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry for Highly Sensitive Multi-element and Isotopic Analysis

Abstract

The different areas of application in double-focusing sector field ICP-MS are described, such as the determination of trace and ultratrace elements in environmental and materials research and for the characterisation of long-lived radionuclides in environmental and radioactive waste samples. Analytical methods using double-focusing sector field ICP-MS allow the determination at low mass resolution of ultratrace elements ( e.g ., rare earth elements) and some radionuclides in the µg l ^-1 and pg l ^-1 concentration ranges ( e.g. , for U, Th, Pu and ¹²⁹ I) in aqueous solutions and at the ng g ^-1 level and lower in solid samples after a digestion step. Some examples of trace analysis of solid samples after matrix separation are discussed. For the determination of spallation nuclides and impurities in irradiated tantalum (with an 800 MeV proton beam) from a spallation neutron source, double-focusing sector field ICP-MS was used after liquid–liquid extraction of the tantalum matrix. Further, the results of the analysis of high-purity GaAs by double-focusing ICP-MS after dissolution with and without matrix separation are compared with those of quadrupole ICP-MS.