Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: A new technique for the determination of trace and ultra-trace elements in silicates

Journal Article · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1992 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(93)90447-5· OSTI ID:6951640

Perkins, W T; Pearce, N J.G.; Jeffries, T E ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Wales (United Kingdom)

This paper describes recent work applying a laser ablation system coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) for the direct analysis of solid geological materials. This work demonstrates the potential of LA-ICP-MS for the determination of a wide range of petrogenetically important trace and ultra-trace elements (including for example REE, Hf, Ta, Nb, Th, U) following a routine method of sample preparation. Powdered geological materials have been prepared as both pressed powder disks and fused glasses; both common methods of sample preparation for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The solid materials were sampled by ablation using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser operating at 1,064 nm. Analyses can be produced at approximately 10 samples per hour. This instrumental method has limits of detection at or close to those in chondritic meteorites and gives linear calibrations over four orders of magnitude. The accuracy of the technique has been evaluated using reference materials to calibrate the instrument and treating Geological Survey of Japan basalts JB-1a, JB-2, and JB-3 as unknowns.' Detection limits are better than routine XRF analysis and compare favorably with Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. Laser ablation overcomes the problems of sample dissolution employed in standard wet chemical techniques, whilst the fused glasses provide homogeneous solid samples. The fused glass technique has been applied to a wide range of reference materials from ultra-basic rocks through basalts and andesites to granites, as well as syenite, mica schist, and black shale. For all of the elements commonly used to generate multi-element discrimination diagrams the data obtained define straight line calibrations. This method is therefore capable of analyzing the complete range of silicate compositions normally encountered with a single calibration (i.e., there is no apparent matrix effect). 47 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6951640
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States) Vol. 57:2; ISSN GCACAK; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400101* -- Activation
Nuclear Reaction
Radiometric & Radiochemical Procedures
ABLATION
ACCURACY
ACTINIDES
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ANDESITES
ASIA
CALIBRATION
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
GLASS
GRANITES
HAFNIUM
IGNEOUS ROCKS
JAPAN
LASERS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METALS
METEORITES
MICA
MINERALS
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
NIOBIUM
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLASMA
PLUTONIC ROCKS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RARE EARTHS
ROCKS
SAMPLE PREPARATION
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SPECTROSCOPY
TANTALUM
THORIUM
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
URANIUM
VOLCANIC ROCKS