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Title: Plasma mass-spectrometric detection for high-performance liquid chromatography

Miscellaneous ·
OSTI ID:7201062

Plasma mass spectrometry is evaluated as a detector for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both the argon inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and the helium microwave induced plasma (MIP) ion sources are investigated. Anion-exchange HPLC is directly combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the speciation of arsenic in urine. Four arsenic species are determined in urine samples using the method of standard additions. The absolute detection limits ranged from 20 to 91 pg As in aqueous media and 36-96 pg As in urine. The determination of inorganic arsenite is complicated by the presence of an interfering peak, which is believed to arise from the co-elution of chlorine-containing species and subsequent formation of {sup 40}Ar{sup 35}Cl{sup +} (m/z = 75). Continuous hydride generation is investigated for sample introduction with ICP-MS. The system allows for the simultaneous determination of hydride forming elements with elements which do not form volatile hydrides. Detection limits for volatile hydrides are generally 1 order of magnitude improved over conventional sample introduction employing pneumatic nebulization. The hydride system is used on-line with ion pairing HPLC for the speciation of four arsenic species. Detection limits ranged from 2.3 to 10.6 pg As for each of the arsenic species. Reversed phase HPLC is directly coupled to helium microwave induced plasma mass spectrometry (MIP-MS) for the element-selective detection of halogenated organic compounds. Absolute detection limits are approximately 50 pg Br, 1 pg I, and 10 ng Cl for the corresponding halogenated compounds. The effect of organic solvents on the background mass spectrum is investigated.

Research Organization:
Cincinnati Univ., OH (United States)
OSTI ID:
7201062
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English