Minimization of Sample Volume with Air-segmented Sample Injection and the Simultaneous Determination of Trace Elements by ICP-MS

• Published in: Analytical Sciences Vol. 24; no. 5; pp. 631 - 635
• Main Authors: NOGUCHI, Osamu, OSHIMA, Mitsuko, MOTOMIZU, Shoji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry 01.05.2008; Springer Nature Singapore; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Air; Analytical Chemistry; Calibration; Chemistry; Flow Injection Analysis - instrumentation; Flow Injection Analysis - methods; Hair - chemistry; Humans; Male; Mass Spectrometry - instrumentation; Mass Spectrometry - methods; Original Paper; Reproducibility of Results; Rivers - chemistry; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors; Trace Elements - analysis; Trace Elements - chemistry
• ISSN: 0910-6340; 1348-2246
• DOI: 10.2116/analsci.24.631

The application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to forensic chemistry was studied. The developed method, air-segmented sample injection (ASSI) coupled with ICP-MS, allowed the determination of about 25 elements at the sub-ppb level with only 0.2 ml of a sample solution. The optimum sample flow rate was found to be 0.4 ml min-1, along with a sample suction time of 30 s. The proposed method was validated by determining trace elements in river-water certified reference material (SLRS-4) issued by National Research Council Canada. The analytical results of the proposed method were in good agreement with the certified values. This method was successfully applied to a human hair sample, the volume of which was 3 ml.