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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

How can you assess real-world detection capability of an ICP-MS system?

Impact of Measurement Protocol on ICP-MS Data Quality Objectives: Part II

A tutorial and spreadsheet for the validation and uncertainty evaluation for ICP-MS analysis was successfully applied to determine multiple elements in a nasal spray.

Determination of Elemental Impurities in a Nasal Spray by ICP-MS

The way the analytical signal is managed in ICP-MS has a direct impact on the results generated. In this first of a two-part series, we explain the fundamental principles of a scanning quadrupole and how measurement protocols can be optimized based on data quality objectives.

Impact of Measurement Protocol on ICP-MS Data Quality Objectives: Part I

Uwe Karst of the University of Münster in Germany explains the use of laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) imaging to provide spatially resolved quantification of trace elements in biological samples.

Investigating Lanthanide Deposition Patterns in Tissue Using Laser Ablation–Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) Imaging

Seaweed has become a popular ingredient in Western diets. Concerns for heavy metals and inorganic arsenic have been raised as potential risks to consumers. Methods for analysis are described, including microwave digestion, HPLC,
and ICP-MS for quantitation and speciation.

Studying Inorganic Arsenic, Heavy Metals, and Iodine in Dried Seaweed

The determination of metals in hygienic face masks is important for global heath
at this time. Following the guidelines of ISO 18562-4, an ICP-OES method is described including sample preparation, analysis, and validation of the methodology.

The Determination of Metals in Disposable, Non-Medical Face Masks by ICP-OES

This study describes how interference-free, low-level analysis of toxic elements as well as major elements in particulate matter (PM), with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or smaller, can be accomplished. Comparison study examples are given for two locations.

Analyzing the Elemental Composition of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Emitted as Air Pollution Using Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Investigating Lanthanide Deposition Patterns in Tissue Using LA-ICP-MS Imaging

Metallomics approaches based on mass spectrometry have become increasingly important in the support of developing metal-based anticancer drugs. This area is a key focus for Gunda Koellensperger and her colleagues at the University of Vienna (Austria) and they recently published an article discussing this state-of-the-art instrumentation, as well as highlighting recent analytical advances, focusing especially on the latest developments in inductively coupled plasma-–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). 

Advancing Metal-Based Anticancer Drugs with ICP-MS and Imaging MS Techniques

A team of researchers at the University of Brighton in England used a combination of geochemical and statistical approaches to determine where Stonehenge’s sarsen (silcrete) megalith stones came from.