ICPmassaspektroskopia

ICP-massaspektroskopia, or Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, is an analytical technique used for determining the elemental composition of a sample. It is capable of detecting and quantifying elements at very low concentrations, often in the parts per billion or even parts per trillion range. The method begins with introducing a liquid sample into a high-temperature plasma, typically generated from argon gas. This plasma, reaching temperatures of around 6,000 to 10,000 Kelvin, atomizes and ionizes the elements present in the sample.

These ions are then extracted from the plasma and directed into a mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer separates the ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio. Various types of mass analyzers can be used, such as quadrupole, time-of-flight, or magnetic sector analyzers. As the ions pass through the mass analyzer, they are detected, and the signal intensity is proportional to the abundance of that specific ion. By measuring the intensity of ions at different mass-to-charge ratios, a comprehensive elemental profile of the original sample can be generated. ICP-MS is widely applied in fields like environmental monitoring, food safety, geochemistry, clinical diagnostics, and semiconductor manufacturing due to its high sensitivity and broad elemental coverage. It can analyze nearly all elements in the periodic table, with the exception of some light elements like hydrogen, helium, and neon. The technique can also be used for isotopic analysis, providing information about the relative abundance of different isotopes of an element, which is valuable in tracing and dating applications.