ICP-OES and ICP-MS

Detection Limit Guidance

Group
1 18
IA VIIIA
1 0.1 g ICP-OES sample mass 0.05 g ICP-MS sample mass 2

1
H 50 ml ICP-OES prep volume 100 ml ICP-MS prep volume
He
1 Solution dilution to run on ICP-OES 1 Solution dilution to run on ICP-MS
2 500 Typical ICP-OES dilution factor 2,000 Typical ICP-MS dilution factor
13 14 15 16 17
IIA IIIA IVA VA VIA VIIA
3 4 The detection limits are theoretical best case scenarios assuming there are no spectral interferences affecting 5 6 7 8 9 10

2
Li
5
Be
1
the best isotope or wavelength for a given element. For any given determination, the actual method detection
limit can be an order of magnitude higher or more. Use this as a guide, not absolute information
B
10
C N O F Ne
0.005 0.0005 0.05
2.5 0.5 To convert µg/L to ppm wt, use the following calculation: 5
0.01 0.001 [sol conc (µg/L) * prep vol (L)] / sample mass (g) = sample concentration in ppm wt (mg/Kg) 0.1
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

3
Na
50
Mg
0.5
Al
20
Si
20
P
50
S Cl Ar
0.01 0.001 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 0.001
10
5
10
1
25
25 0.25
0.02 0.002 IIIB IVB VB VIB VIIB VIII IB IIB 0.002 10 2
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
Period

4 100 0.5 5 5 5 5 1 5 5 5 5 5 50 50 50 50
0.05 0.005 0.005 0.001 0.0005 0.0005 0.0005 0.002 0.0005 0.002 0.0005 0.001 0.0005 0.004 0.001 0.002
50 0.25 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 0.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 25 25 25 25
0.1 0.01 0.01 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.004 0.001 0.004 0.001 0.002 0.001 0.008 0.002 0.004
37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

5
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe
10 0.5 5 5 50 10 50 100 50 5 5 50 50 50 50
0.001 0.001 0.0005 0.0005 0.001 0.0005 0.0005 0.0005 0.0005 0.0005 0.0005 0.0005 0.01 0.0005 0.005
5 0.25 2.5 2.5 25 5 25 50 25 2.5 2.5 25 25 25 25
0.002 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.02 0.001 0.01
55 56 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86

6
Cs Ba Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
40000 0.5 50 50 50 10 1 50 50 50 50 50 50 100

©2007 Evans Analytical Group, LLC • Printed in USA • 08/07 BR023

0.0005 0.0005 0.005 0.0005 0.001 0.0005 0.001 0.0005 0.0005 0.0005 0.001 0.001 0.0005 0.0005
20000 0.25 25 25 25 5 0.5 25 25 25 25 25 25 50
0.001 0.001 0.01 0.001 0.002 0.001 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.001 0.001
87 88 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 114 116

7
Fr Ra Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Uun Uuu Uub Uuq Uuh

Atomic
Number 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71
Lanthanides

3 La
10
Ce
50
Pr
50
Nd
50
Pm Sm
50
Eu
10
Gd
50
Tb
50
Dy
10
Ho
10
Er
10
Tm
10
Yb
10
Lu
10
Symbol
Li 0.0005
5
0.0005
25
0.0005
25
0.0005
25
0.0005
25
0.0005
5
0.0005
25
0.0005
25
0.0005
5
0.0005
5
0.0005
5
0.0005
5
0.0005
5
0.0005
5
ICP-OES Solution DL (µg/L) 5 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001
ICP-MS Solution DL (µg/L) 0.005 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
ICP-OES Solid DL (ppm wt) 2.5
Actinides

ICP-MS Solid DL (ppm wt) 0.01 Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr

50 500
0.0005 0.0005
25 250
0.001 0.001
 Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy

Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy techniques are "wet" sampling methods where samples are introduced in liquid form for analysis.

In plasma emission spectroscopy (OES), a sample solution is introduced into the core of inductively coupled argon plasma (ICP), which generates temperature of approximately
8000°C. At this temperature all elements become thermally excited and emit light at their characteristic wavelengths. This light is collected by the spectrometer and passes
through a diffraction grating that serves to resolve the light into a spectrum of its constituent wavelengths. Within the spectrometer, this diffracted light is then collected by wave-
length and amplified to yield an intensity measurement that can be converted to an elemental concentration by comparison with calibration standards.

In plasma mass spectroscopy (MS), the inductively coupled argon plasma (ICP) is once again used as an excitation source for the elements of interest. However in contrast
to OES, the plasma in ICP-MS is used to generate ions that are then introduced to the mass analyzer. These ions are then separated and collected according to their mass to
charge ratios. The constituents of an unknown sample can then be identified and measured. ICP-MS offers extremely high sensitivity to a wide range of elements.

Strengths
Up to 70 elements can be determined simultaneously in a single sample analysis.
The useful working range is over several orders of magnitude.
Instrumentation is suitable to automation, thus enhancing accuracy, precision and throughput.
Limitations
The emission spectra are complex and inter-element interferences are possible if the wave-
length of the element of interest is very close to that of another element.
During Mass Spectrometry, the common matrix elements and other molecular species can
interfere with the measurement of some elements. Doubly charged or molecular ionic species
can create difficulties in quantifications.
The sample to be analyzed must be digested prior to analysis in order to dissolve the
element(s) of interest.

EAG Locations

United States International Locations

Arizona Massachusetts New York Evans Analytical Group - Shanghai Nano Science Corporation
903 S. Rural Road, #101-388 10 Centennial Drive SHIVA Technologies Ste. 102, Building 44, 1387 Zhangdong Road 7F, Sumitomo Bldg., Higashi Ikebukuro 1-10-1

©2007 Evans Analytical Group, LLC • Printed in USA • 08/07 BR023

Tempe, AZ 85281
480 239-0602
602 470-2655 Fax
info.az@eaglabs.com
California
810 Kifer Road
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
408 530-3500
408 530-3501 Fax
info.ca@eaglabs.com
1135 E. Arques Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
408 738-3033
408 738-3035 Fax
785 Lucerne Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
408 737-3892
408 737-3916 Fax
Peabody, MA 01960 6707 Brooklawn Parkway Pudong Area, Shanghai, China 201204 Toshima-Ku, Tokyo 170-0013, Japan
978 278-9500 Syracuse, NY 13211 86 21 6879 6088 81 3 5396 0531
978 278-9501 Fax 315 431 9900 86 21 6879 9086 Fax 81 3 5396 1930 Fax
info.ma@eaglabs.com 315 431 9800 Fax info.cn@eaglabs.com info.jp@eaglabs.com
info.ny@eaglabs.com
Minnesota Shiva Technologies Europe SAS Evans Taiwan LLC
18725 Lake Drive East North Carolina 94, chemin de la Peyrette 5F-1, No. 31 PuDing Road
Chanhassen, MN 55317 616 Hutton St., Ste. 101 31170 Tournefeuille, France HsinChu, Taiwan, 300 R.O.C.
952 828-6411 Raleigh, NC 27606 33 5 61 73 15 29 886 3 5632303
952 828-6449 Fax 919 829-7041 33 5 61 73 15 67 Fax 886 3 5632306 Fax
info.mn@eaglabs.com 919 829-5518 Fax info.fr@eaglabs.com info.tw@eaglabs.com
info.nc@eaglabs.com
New Jersey Cascade Scientific GmbH Cascade Scientific Ltd.
104 Windsor Center Dr., Ste. 101 Texas Industriepark Höchst, Building G 865 ETC Building
East Windsor, NJ 08520 425 Round Rock West Dr., Ste. 100 D-65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Brunel Science Park
609 371-4800 Round Rock, TX 78681 49 (0) 693053213 Uxbridge UB8 3PH, U.K.
609 371-5666 Fax 512 671-9500 49 (0) 69307941 Fax 44 (0) 1895 811194
info.nj@eaglabs.com 512 671-9501 Fax info.de@eaglabs.com 44 (0) 1895 810350 Fax
info.tx@eaglabs.com info.uk@eaglabs.com
WWW.EAGLABS.COM