Time-resolved studies of particle effects in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry Part 2. Investigation of MO+ ions, effect of sample morphology, transport gas, and binding agents

Abstract

Time resolved signals in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) are studied to determine the influence of experimental parameters on ICP-induced fractionation effects. Differences in sample composition and morphology, i.e., ablating brass, glass, or dust pellets, have a profound effect on the time resolved signal. Helium transport gas significantly decreases large positive signal spikes arising from large particles in the ICP. A binder for pellets also reduces the abundance and amplitude of spikes in the signal. MO⁺ ions also yield signal spikes, but these MO⁺ spikes generally occur at different times from their atomic ion counterparts.