ICP-OES, ICP-MS and AAS Techniques Compared
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ICP OPTICAL EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY TECHNICAL NOTE 05 ICP-OES, ICP-MS and AAS Techniques Compared Geoff Tyler Jobin Yvon S.A.S, Horiba Group Longjumeau, France Keywords: atomic spectroscopy, detection limit, linear dynamic range, interferences, precision, cost of ownership, sample throughput 1 Introduction Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission 7. What sample volume is typically available? spectrometry (ICP-OES) is an attractive tech- 8. What other options/accessories are being nique that has led many analysts to ask whether considered? Why? 9. How important is isotope information to it is wiser to buy an ICP-OES or to stay with their you? trusted atomic absorption technique (AAS) (1). 10. How much money is available to purchase or More recently, a new and more expensive tech- lease? nique, inductively coupled plasma-mass spec- 11. What is the cost of ownership and running trometry (ICP-MS), has been introduced as a rou- costs for the techniques to fulfill the require tine tool (2). ments? 12. What level of skill operator is available to you? ICP-MS offers initially, albeit at higher cost, the advantages of ICP-OES and the detection limit advantages of graphite furnace-atomic absorp- For many people with an ICP-OES background, tion spectrometry (GF-AAS). Unlike the famous ICP-MS is a plasma with a mass spectrometer as prediction by Fassel, "…that AAS would be dead a detector. Mass spectroscopists would prefer to by year 2000….", low cost flame AAS will describe ICP-MS as mass spectrometry with a always have a future for the small lab with sim- plasma source. Either way, the technique is capa- ple needs. ble of giving isotope information. This informa- tion can help to overcome many of the "spectral" This article will briefly describe these three tech- interference problems that can occur in the mass niques, and point out the important criteria by spectrometer. which to judge their applicability to your own analytical problems. Table 1 below shows a Basically, the sample introduction system and checklist of common analytical requirements and plasma of ICP-OES and ICP-MS look similar. In may help in the assessment of the techniques. ICP-OES, the optical spectrum with a typical range of 165-800nm is viewed and measured, either sequentially or simultaneously. The simul- taneous ICP-OES can be faster for a large num- Table 1: Checklist of analytical requirements bers of elements, but more expensive, than 1. How many samples/week? sequential ICP-OES. This greatly depends on the 2. What are the sample types? (Steels, rocks, number of elements, and the concentrations effluents, soils, etc) required. More recently several ICP-OES spec- 3. What method of dissolution may be trometers are able to reach to 120 nm (3), thus employed? enabling the determination of Cl at the primary 4. How many and what elements need to be wavelength of 134.664 nm with sub-ppm detec- determined? tion limits. 5. Is Chlorine important (far UV option for some ICP-OES spectrometers)? ICP-MS extracts the ions produced in the plasma 6. What are the concentration ranges? into an interface consisting of a sampler cone fol ICP OPTICAL EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY TECHNICAL NOTE 05 lowed by a skimmer cone. This configuration m/z, in the mass region 3-250 Dalton. The isotope enables the pressure to be reduced differentially information can be used in several ways; these from atmospheric pressure down to a final pressure include isotope ratio measurements, often used for of between 10-5 to 10-7 Torr. The ions, once through Pb and U that do not have a constant natural abun- the interface, are passed through ion optics, which dance, and analysis of samples having unnatural optimize the ion paths to eliminate neutral species isotope abundances. and light, usually by a photon stop. The ions then pass through a mass filter, usually a quadrupole, Isotope dilution is a method of spiking the samples before the selected ions reach the detector. with a known concentration of a pure isotope to obtain a very accurate determination of the con- The ICP-MS provides information for each atomic centration of the element. A prerequisite of this mass unit (amu), or Dalton. The ratio of the mass technique is that the element of interest must have of the ion to its charge, is displayed, and labeled more than one isotope. Figure 1: Typical quadrupole ICP-MS Figure 2: Typical sequential (monochromator) ICP-OES 2 ICP OPTICAL EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY TECHNICAL NOTE 05 Figure 3: Typical double beam AAS 2 Detection limits ICP-MS detection limits are very impressive (Table The far UV capability of some ICP-OES spectrome 3, page 10). Most detection limits are in the 1-10 ters has opened up some new applications, notably part per trillion (ppt) range for solutions. These are Cl in oils. Modern ICP-MS spectrometers have now as good as, or better than, GF-AAS for most ele- eliminated negative ion capability to reduce the cost ments in pure water and also cover many more ele- of manufacture. This has left these ICP-OES spec- ments. ICP-OES has typically two to three orders of trometers as the only atomic spectroscopy method magnitude poorer detection limits than ICP-MS, for the determination of Cl, Br, and I. with most elements in the 1-10 part per billion (ppb) range. Flame AAS has generally poorer detection limits than ICP-OES except for the alkalis metals, e.g., Na, K. Recently, one ICP-OES spectrometer (11) has shown impressive detection limits in the sub-ppb region for some elements using a high-resolution 3 Types of interferences monochromator with a radially viewed plasma. Other spectrometers have been able to get improve- The three techniques exhibit different types and ments using an axially viewed ICP, although this complexity of interference problems. For this rea- view has problematic matrix interferences. son, we will look at each technique separately. It should be noted, however, that the comment above about ICP-MS detection limits is for simple 3.1 ICP-MS Interferences solutions having low levels of other dissolved mate- rial. For detection limits related to concentrations in 3.1.1 Spectral the solid, the advantage for ICP-MS can be degrad- ed by up to 50 times because of the poorer dis- solved solids capability. Some common lighter ele- The spectral interferences in ICP-MS are predictable ments (e.g., S, Ca, Fe, K and Se) have serious inter- and number less than 300. Polyatomic and isobaric ferences in ICP-MS, which degrade the detection interferences are found where a species has a sim- limits considerably. ilar mass to the analyte, whereby the resolution of the spectrometer (generally around 0.8 Dalton) will not resolve it, e.g. 58Ni on 58Fe, 40Ar on 40Ca, 3 ICP OPTICAL EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY TECHNICAL NOTE 05 40Ar16O on 56Fe, or 40Ar-40Ar on 80Se. Element equations (similar in principle to inter-ele- Solutions for ICP-MS analysis are normally prepared ment correction in ICP-OES) can be used. In many in nitric acid however care is sometimes required cases alternative isotopes with lower natural abun- (Table 4, page 10). dances may be employed. The use of mixed gases (small percentages of other gases such as nitrogen 3.1.3 Doubly charged ions or ammonia added to the main argon gas) can sometimes be effective in reducing interferences. Any doubly charged ions will cause a spectral inter- ference at half the m/z of the singly charged ions, More recently collision cell technology has offered e.g., 138Ba++ on 69Ga+ or 208Pb++ on 104Ru+. the ICP-MS spectroscopists the opportunity to measure low concentrations using these optimal These interferences are few and can be consider- masses. However, comments within the industry ably minimized or effectively eliminated by optimiz- still pose caution on its applicability with routine ing the system before proceeding with the analysis. analysis. Optimal gas choice is still problematic especially for a routine busy laboratory. 3.1.4 Matrix effects The background in ICP-MS is so low, typically <10 counts/second, that it doesn't pose a problem. This Transport effects include spray chamber effects is a major reason for the superior detection limits of ("adaptation” effect) and differences in viscosity ICP-MS. between sample solutions and calibration stan- dards. This will change the efficiency of aerosol production from one solution to another. Matrix 3.1.2 Matrix acids matching is usually required, although internal stan- dardization can be used as an alternative method. It should be especially noted that HCl, HClO , The rapid scanning speed of ICP-MS does give 4 superior results when using an internal standard. H3PO4 and H2SO4 may cause considerable spectral problems. Polyatomic interferences are caused by Cl+, P+, S+ ions in conjunction with other matrix elements like Ar+, O+, H+. Examples are: 3.1.5 Ionization 35Cl40Ar on 75As and 35Cl16O on 51V. Ionization effects can be caused by samples con- The avoidance of HCl, HClO4, H3PO4 and H2SO4 in taining high concentrations of Group I and II ele- ICP-MS is paramount (Table 5, page 11) for most ments. Matrix matching, sample dilution, standard analyses. Where this is not possible, separation addition, isotope dilution, extraction or separation chromatography (micro-columns) may be used by chromatography may be necessary. Ionization before the sample is introduced into the plasma. buffers cannot be used due to the dissolved solids. Many favor this method to get rid of the unwanted species and it also creates an opportunity to pre- concentrate at the same time. Other techniques 3.1.6 Space charge effects used to overcome these problems are: electro-ther- mal vaporization (ETV) and mixed gases.