Analysis of metals in fresh and marine waters by ICP-MS with an ultrasonic nebulizer

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:49611

Crecelius, E A; Apts, C W; Kiesser, S L ^[1]

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1. Battelle/Marine Sciences Lab., Sequim, WA (United States)

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) allows the simultaneous determination of many metals in fresh water at the subpart per billion (ppb) level without sample pretreatment. The ultrasonic nebulizer improves the detection limit by approximately an order of magnitude. This methodology reduces the chance of contamination from preconcentration procedures. However, the ambient concentrations of many metals in natural waters are still below the detection limit of this technology and preconcentration techniques are necessary to quantify ambient concentrations. The high salt content of marine waters requires considerable dilution before analysis. Estuarine and ocean water causes many polyatomic interferences raising detection limits by several orders of magnitude. However, some of the US Environmental Protection Agency`s priority pollutant metals can be quantified below the marine water quality criteria without chemical separations.

• OSTI ID: 49611
• Report Number(s): CONF-9410273--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACCURACY
DATA COVARIANCES
FRESH WATER
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SEAS
WATER POLLUTION