Inductively Coupled Plasma

Mass Spectrometry or ICP-

MS
What you can do using ICP-MS instrument

Maather Sawalha (Ph.D)

Water and Environment Studies Institute (WESI)
An-Najah National University
 ICP-MS
•What is it?
•How does it work?
•Main components
•Cost to analyze samples
•Applications (idea’s)
 What is ICP-MS
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass
Spectrometry or ICP-MS is an analytical
technique used for elemental determinations
• Employs plasma as ionization source and a
mas spectrometer (MS) analyser for detect
ion
• It can perform qualitative, semi quantitative,
and quantitative analysis.
• Developed in 1980’s.
 Reasons for the growing
popularity
• Performs multi-elemental analysis with
excellent sensitivity and high sample
throughput
• Instrument detection limits are at or below
ppt level
• Productivity is unsurpassed by any other
technique
• Isotopic analysis (one isotope or ratio)
Elements analyzed by ICP-
MS
How does ICP-MS work?
•Samples introduced into an
argon plasma as aerosol
droplets.
• The plasma dries the aerosol,
dissociates the molecules, and
then removes an electron
from the components, forming
singly-charged ions, Figure 1. The ICP Torch showing the
fate of the sample (PerkinElmer,
•Ions are directed into a mass Inc.)

filtering device known as the

mass spectrometer.
 An ICP-MS consists of
• Sample introduction system
• ICP torch and RF
• Interface
• Vacuum system
• Collision/reaction cell
• Ion optics
• Mass spectrometer
• Detector
• Data handling and system controller
 Sample introduction
system
• provides the means of getting samples into the
instrument
• composed of a nebulizer and spray chamber

• The liquid sample may be introduced to a nebulizer

by a peristaltic pump or through self aspiration that
creates an aerosol of fine droplets.
• The fine droplets are passed through a spray
chamber before they are allowed to enter the
plasma
 ICP torch and RF coil
•ICP torch generates the argon plasma (6000
°C)
•plasma is generated by passing argon
through a series of concentric quartz tubes
(the ICP torch) that are wrapped at one end
by a radio frequency (RF) coil.
•Energy supplied to the coil by the RF
generator couples with the argon to produce
the plasma.
•During their voyage into the plasma, the
liquid droplets, are dried to a solid and then
heated to a gas, then absorb more energy, Figure 1. The ICP Torch showing the
fate of the sample (PerkinElmer,
release one electron to form Inc.)
singly charged ions.
• The singly charged ions exit the plasma and
enter the interface region.
The interface – sampling ions
•Allows the plasma and the ion lens
system to coexist (Due to highly
different T and P of each)
•Allows ions generated by the
plasma to pass into the ion lens
region.  Figure 2. The interface region of an ICP-MS.

•It consists of two or three inverted

funnel-like devices called cones
(opening is about 1mm).
•Downstream focusing of the ion
beam is required by the use of a
single or a series of charged devices
called ion lenses
•If three cones are used then there is
no need for ion lens
 The vacuum system
• provides correct operating pressure
• The distance from the interface to the
detector <=1 meter
• ions need not to collide with gas molecules
during the travel
• so gas molecules are removed by using a
combination of a turbo molecular pump and
mechanical roughing pump
 Ion deflection device
• separates ions from neutrals and
photons
•Ion beam exiting the interface region
of the instrument contains some non-
ionized materials – neutrals – and
photons.
• the ions are turned by the quadrupole
at a right angle for their entry into the
filtering quadrupole or universal cell
•The ion beam is so well focused not to
make contact with the quadrupole
(then no need to clean it)
 The collision/reaction cell
“the universal cell”
• Interferences caused when ions carry a mass-
to-charge ratio that is identical to that of the
analyte ion
• the interfering ion is physically larger than the
analyte ion.
• Passing both through a cloud of inert gas
molecules, the interferent ion will collide more
frequently with the inert gas atoms this
removes a certain amount of the kinetic energy
possessed by the ion.
• Analyte ion will retain more of its energy when
compared to the interferent ion.
• An energy barrier is placed at the exit of the
cell
• Collision cell can be a rxn cell by using un inert
gas that converts charged interfering ions into
inert ones
It can perform on all modes to
remove interference

The ability of a well-designed ICP-MS to remove interferences

using its standard mode, collision mode, and reaction
mode can be readily seen in Figure 4.
 The mass spectrometer
• The mass spectrometer separates the singly charged ions from each
other by mass, serving as a mass filter.
• A quadrupole works by setting voltages and radio frequencies to
allow ions of a given mass-to-charge ratio to remain stable within
the rods and pass through to the detector, while others are ejected.
• the quadrupole is capable of scanning at a rate > 5000 atomic mass
units (amu) per second.
Schematic of quadrupole
mass filter.PerkinElmer, Inc.)
 The detector – counting ions
• The ions exiting the mass spectrometer strike
the active surface of the detector (dynode) and
generate a measurable electronic signal.
• a dynode, releases an electron each time an ion
strikes it.
• released electrons strike a second dynode where
more electrons are released until a measurable
pulse is created. By counting the pulses
generated by the detector, the system counts the
original ions.

                 
Discrete dynode detector used on the ELAN ICP-MS systems.
 Data handling and system
controller
• The software compares the intensities of the
measured pulses to those from standards, which
make up the calibration curve, to determine the
concentration of the element.
• The software translates the ion counts measured
by the detector into information
• provide data in one of four ways – semi-
quantitative analysis, quantitative analysis,
isotope dilution analysis, and isotope ratio
analysis.
liquid samples limitations
• ICP-MS has some limitations as to the amount of
total dissolved solids in the samples.
• Generally, no more than 0.2% TDS for best
instrument performance and stability
• many sample types, including digested soil and
rock samples must be diluted
• If samples with very high TDS levels are run, the
orifices in the cones will eventually become
blocked, causing decreased sensitivity and
detection capability and requiring the system to be
shut down for maintenance.
 Approximate costs

Costs depends mainly on

Number of samples
Number of elements to be analyzed
Time required
 Applications
Elements and isotopes in
• Soil
• Water/wastewater
• Food
• Human and biological samples
• Industrial like pharmaceutical………..
Thank you