Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Inductively Coupled
Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP) is a powerful technique of
chemical characterization capable of simultaneously measuring up
to 50 different trace elements, sometimes at concentrations as
low as several parts per billion. The ICP-MS functions by
passing small amounts of material into a plasma, a super-heated
gas, which ionizes the sample material. The plasma itself
operates at around 8000 degrees C, a temperature greater than
the surface of the sun. This ionized sample is then sent through
a series of powerful magnets called a mass spectrometer, which
separates sample ions on the basis of their mass/charge ratio.
These ions are then measured by a detector to establish sample
composition. Sample can be introduced into the ICP-MS either as
a vaporized solid, or as a liquid. One such method is Laser
Ablation, in which a pulsed laser is used to remove small
amounts of sample material, which is then swept into the plasma
via a Helium carrier gas. Alter