Application of double focusing sector field ICP-MS for multielemental characterization of human hair and nails. Part III. Direct analysis by laser ablation.

The capabilities of laser ablation double focusing sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of 55 elements in nails and hair were studied. Quantification was performed by external calibration using in-house matrix-matched standards in tablet form following correction for variations in ablation efficiency by internal standardization using a matrix element (S). For nails, intra-individual long- and short-term chronological variations as well as depth distribution patterns were studied.

Adsorption of trace elements on pyrite surfaces in sulfidic mine tailings from Kristineberg (Sweden) a few years after remediation.

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA ICP-MS) has been used to determine the elemental composition of the surface and interior layers of pyrite grains from the mine tailings from Kristineberg (northern Sweden) in order to determine concentration gradients between these two layers. The pyrite grains were collected from oxidized and unoxidized zones within the tailings. The aim of this study was to assess the role of pyrite surfaces as sites for the attenuation of solutes from the mine-tailings porewater.

High spatial resolution analysis of ferromanganese concretions by LA-ICP-MS†.

A procedure was developed for the determination of element distributions in cross-sections of ferromanganese concretions using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The effects of carrier flow rates, rf forward power, ablation energy, ablation spot size, repetition rate and number of shots per point on analyte intensity were studied. It is shown that different carrier gas flow rates are required in order to obtain maximum sensitivities for different groups of elements, thus complicating the optimisation of ICP parameters.

Multielemental analysis of Mn-Fe nodules by ICP-MS: optimisation of analytical method.

Two acid digestion procedures (microwave-assisted and room temperature) were developed for the quantitative analysis of ferromanganese nodules by inductively coupled plasma double focusing sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS). Different compositions of the acid mixture, dilution factors and corrections for spectral interferences were tested. A combination of nitric, hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids is necessary for complete sample digestion, with lowest acid to sample ratios (v/m) of 15 and 1.