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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

The use of ICP-MS is constantly expanding into an ever-wider variety of applications. We assess the current landscape and where the technique is going in the future.

40 Years Old and Still Solving Problems: Evolution of the ICP-MS Application Landscape

The SCGD ambient-atmosphere microplasma has emerged as an alternate excitation source for atomic emission spectroscopy that is able to perform admirably compared to established, conventional approaches—with lower cost.

Solution-Based Glow Discharges for Atomic Emission Spectroscopy Come of Age

Andreas Riedo of the Physics Institute at the University of Bern, the 2023 winner of the Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award, is using laser ablation–desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LIMS) to chemically analyze complex mineral surfaces found in space exploration.

The 2023 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award

Nominate a colleague for the 2024 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award!

Call for Nominations: The 2024 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award

Is ICP-MS instrumentation ready to handle the requirements of AOAC Method 2015.01 for the determination of toxic elements in food—including dealing with interferences? We ran this study to check.

Determination of Toxic Elements in Food by ICP-MS Using AOAC Method 2015.01

Andreas Riedo of the Physics Institute at the University of Bern has won the 2023 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award, which is presented by Spectroscopy magazine. 

Spectroscopy Announces the Winner of the 2023 Emerging Leader in Atomic Spectroscopy Award

In this third part of this four-part series on spectroscopy instrument components, we take a closer look at components used in atomic spectroscopy instrumentation—from beryllium and Kapton windows used in X-ray analysis to sampler and skimmer cones and plasma torches for ICP systems.

A Survey of Basic Instrument Components Used in Spectroscopy, Part 3: Atomic Spectroscopy

ICP-MS is increasingly being used to analyze complex matrices,
but an ICP-MS instrument optimized for the highest sensitivity may
not have the sufficient matrix tolerance to analyze high-salt samples. We describe a method to optimize plasma robustness and interference control for accurate, routine analysis of critical trace elements in undiluted seawater.

ICP-MS Configuration and Optimization for Successful Routine Analysis of Undiluted Seawater

Brines from desalination plants are increasingly being seen as a source of valuable elements, such as lithium, rubidium, and cesium. We show how ICP-OES can be used to measure the concentrations of such elements in brines to assess the economic feasibility of their recovery.

Analysis of Desalination Discharge Brines for Elements of Environmental and Economic Importance with ICP-OES

This tutorial explains the most critical components of the sample introduction system of modern ICP-optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and ICP-mass spectrometry (MS) instruments, providing analysts with a guide for initial configuration settings and recommended maintenance intervals for reliable daily operation.