Column: Atomic Perspectives

Robert Thomas has more than 30 years of experience in trace element analysis. He is the principal of his own freelance writing and scientific consulting company, Scientific Solutions, based in Gaithersburg, MD.

Articles

A recent investigation found dangerous levels of heavy metals in commercial baby foods. Tighter scrutiny and regulations are needed.

Regulating Heavy Metals in Baby Food: The Challenges of Food Manufacturers and the FDA Being on the Same Page

EPA Method 200.8 and the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions don’t allow use of modern ICP-MS technology with a collision cell. Instead, correction equations can be used to compensate for polyatomic interferences.

Analyzing Water Samples Using EPA Method 200.8 to Support the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions

Analysis of heavy metals in pet food using ICP–OES was conducted to determine if there were potentially toxic elements present. Many of the samples showed significant concentrations of various toxic metals.

Heavy Metals in Pet Food: Changes in Heavy Metal Contamination in Pet Food Over the Past Decade

This method detects elements intrinsically present in cells, and because sc-ICP-TOF-MS measures a full mass spectrum, no analytes are missed.

Single-Cell Analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry to Quantify Algal Cell Interaction with Nanoparticles by Their Elemental Fingerprint

For a number of elements, spectroscopic interferences can have a significant impact on the ability to achieve low detection limits in ICP-MS. We investigate the mechanisms in multi-quadrupole ICP-MS that are designed to remove these interferences.

Multi-Quadrupole ICP-MS: Pushing Limits of Detection to the Next Decimal

Recent advances in laser ablation laser ionization TOF mass spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS) are allowing laboratories to reach required limits of quantitation for trace impurities in solid materials by direct analysis, while avoiding common limitations of other techniques.

Advances in Trace Element Solid Sample Analysis: Laser Ablation Laser Ionization TOF Mass Spectrometry (LALI-TOF-MS)

By placing a liquid particle counter in-line with an ICP-OES system it is possible to analyze wear metals and particles in lubricant samples in one run. This approach streamlines the monitoring of in-service lubricants and meets the ASTM D5185 standard. Such analyses are critical for heavy machinery maintenance.

Integrated Analysis of In-Service Lubricants for Particle Size and Count and Metal Content in a Single Sample Run

A laminar flow box for sampling is combined with a positive voltage on the skimmer cone to reduce detection limits to pg/L concentrations in ICP-MS. These improvements reduce the risk of contamination and increase the efficiency of ion sampling and focusing.

Strategies for Achieving the Lowest Possible Detection Limits in ICP-MS

A detailed look at the most critical component of an ICP-MS instrument: the interface cones

ICP-MS Interface Cones: Maintaining the Critical Interface between the Mass Spectrometer and the Plasma Discharge to Optimize Performance and Maximize Instrument Productivity

Emmett Soffey is with Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Complex isobaric and polyatomic spectral interferences can be mitigated using triple quadrupole ICP-MS (ICP-MS/MS) with a  collision–reaction cell (CRC). This configuration allows for the multielement characterization and detection of smaller nanoparticle sizes.