In recent years, the spotlight on the safety of baby food has intensified, driven by growing concerns about toxic heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. These elements, even in low concentrations, pose significant health risks to infants and toddlers, whose developing bodies are particularly vulnerable. As regulatory standards tighten, advanced analytical techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) have emerged as crucial tools in ensuring baby food meets stringent safety and nutritional benchmarks.<h4>The importance of monitoring heavy metals in baby food</h4>Heavy metals can make their way into baby food through environmental contamination, agricultural practices, or industrial processes. For instance:<ul><li>Lead can leach from soil into crops.</li><li>Arsenic is often present in rice and rice-based products due to its natural occurrence in water and soil.</li><li>Mercury can accumulate in fish and seafood.</li><li>Cadmium is introduced via contaminated soil or fertilizers.</li></ul>Even trace amounts of these metals can lead to neurological damage, developmental delays, and other long-term health issues. Regulatory bodies like the FDA and the European Union have established maximum permissible levels for these toxic elements. For example, the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021 in the U.S. mandates maximum limits such as 10 µg/kg for inorganic arsenic and 5 µg/kg for lead in baby food products.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Ensuring_Baby_Food_Safety_Tackling_Toxic_Metals_with_Advanced_Technology_275fac6f68.jpg" alt="Thermo Fisher Scientific: Ensuring Baby Food Safety - Tackling Toxic Metals with Advanced Technology" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Ensuring_Baby_Food_Safety_Tackling_Toxic_Metals_with_Advanced_Technology_275fac6f68.jpg 239w," sizes="100vw" width="1536" height="1006"><h4>The role of ICP-MS in baby food safety</h4>To comply with these regulations, manufacturers require robust analytical methods that offer high sensitivity, precision, and reproducibility. ICP-MS, particularly when paired with advanced sample preparation techniques, has become the gold standard for detecting and quantifying both toxic and essential trace elements in baby food.<h4>A streamlined workflow</h4>A recent study showcased a comprehensive workflow using the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1488">Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ MTX ICP-MS</a> system:<ul><li>Sample preparation: Baby food samples, ranging from dry powders to high-fat and high-moisture items, were processed using microwave-assisted acid digestion. This method ensures uniform preparation and minimizes manual handling.</li><li>Automated dilution: The system’s argon gas dilution (AGD) capability allowed for a consistent five-fold dilution of all samples, accommodating a wide variety of matrices without compromising detection sensitivity.</li><li>Interference management: By leveraging triple quadrupole modes with reactive gases, the ICP-MS effectively suppressed polyatomic and isobaric interferences, ensuring accurate results even for challenging elements like arsenic and mercury.</li><li>Quality control: Calibration curves and internal standard checks maintained accuracy throughout the analysis, with all results aligning within regulatory limits.</li></ul><h4>Key findings</h4>The study analyzed six baby food products, including fruit purees, cereal, yogurt, and fish-based meals. While most samples adhered to safety standards, certain findings highlighted areas for further attention:<ul><li>Arsenic: Elevated levels were detected in salmon-based purees, attributed to organic arsenic compounds naturally present in fish.</li><li>Cadmium and lead: Slightly elevated levels in carrot-based products underscore the need for rigorous soil testing and monitoring.</li></ul><h4>Benefits of advanced ICP-MS analysis</h4>Beyond regulatory compliance, ICP-MS offers additional advantages:<ul><li>Nutritional assessment: Simultaneous analysis of essential nutrients like calcium, iron, and zinc ensures baby food supports healthy growth.</li><li>Efficiency and productivity: The automated workflow minimizes operator intervention, making it suitable for high-throughput laboratories.</li><li>Reliability: Consistent results across diverse sample types build confidence in food safety and quality.</li></ul><h4>Conclusion</h4>Ensuring the safety of baby food is not just a regulatory requirement—it’s a responsibility to protect the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society. By harnessing the power of ICP-MS, manufacturers can confidently address both safety concerns and nutritional needs, delivering products that parents can trust. As technology continues to evolve, such advancements promise a future where baby food safety is guaranteed, one analysis at a time.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/cz/en/home/industrial/mass-spectrometry/inductively-coupled-plasma-mass-spectrometry-icp-ms/quadrupole-icp-ms-systems.html">Explore more</a>: Learn how the Thermo Scientific iCAP MTX ICP-MS system is setting new standards in trace metals analysis for food safety.

Ensuring Baby Food Safety: Tackling Toxic Metals with Advanced Technology

Thorium (Th) isotope analysis is important across various scientific fields, including geology, archaeometry, life sciences, and nuclear applications. The precision of Th isotope measurements is particularly significant in geosciences for determining erosion rates, climate studies, and dating geological samples. However, traditional methods face limitations in accuracy and precision due to challenges like tailing corrections and spectral interferences. Researchers at the Joint Research Centre (JRC), Karlsruhe, Germany, explored the capabilities of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1675">Thermo Scientific Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS</a> to overcome these limitations and developed a reliable method for the precise and accurate measurement of the 230Th/232Th isotope ratio. Their findings have been published in the International <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039914025003868?via%3Dihub">Journal of Pure and Applied Analytical Chemistry Talanta</a>.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Advancements_in_Thorium_Isotope_Analysis_The_Role_of_Neoma_MS_MS_MC_ICP_MS_6d7cac28e0.jpg" alt="Thermo Fisher Scientific: Advancements in Thorium Isotope Analysis - The Role of Neoma MS-MS MC-ICP-MS" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Advancements_in_Thorium_Isotope_Analysis_The_Role_of_Neoma_MS_MS_MC_ICP_MS_6d7cac28e0.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="600">As reported by Varga et al. (2025) the novel method using <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1675">Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS</a> shows a tenfold improvement in precision relative to previously published MC-ICP-MS values. This enhancement is attributed to the instrument’s advanced design, including a pre-cell mass filter, which enables a clean spectrum entering the mass spectrometer, leading to improved signal-to-noise ratios.The ability of Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS to eliminate the need for tailing corrections is particularly noteworthy. This feature significantly reduces measurement uncertainty, allowing for more precise Th isotope ratio determinations. The instrument’s high sensitivity and low background noise further contribute to the quality of the data produced, making it a valuable tool for high-precision isotope analysis in various applications, including geological and nuclear forensic studies. The validation of Neoma’s performance through the measurement of certified Th isotope reference materials (IRMM-035 and IRMM-036) demonstrated its capability to produce results with much-improved uncertainty, reported by Varga et al. (2025).<h5>Curious to learn more about Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS technology?</h5>Check out our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/TFS_Assets_CMD_brochures_in_001937_neoma_MS_MS_in001937_en_8633bff66b.pdf">infographic</a> explaining the pre-cell mass filters for multicollector ICP-MS and see why Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS technology is unique and what benefits it offers over other approaches for the removal of the sample matrix and prevention of molecular interferences. This is not the only way to clean your mass spectra – Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS can separate out isobaric interferences through reaction with gases within a dedicated collision/reaction cell. Up to four different collision and reaction gases can be connected for highly effective interference removal.<blockquote><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/cz/en/home/industrial/mass-spectrometry/isotope-ratio-mass-spectrometry-irms/multicollector-mc-icp-ms.html">Learn more about our Multicollector ICP-MS technology.</a></blockquote>

Advancements in Thorium Isotope Analysis: The Role of Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS

“Garbage in, garbage out.” It’s the computer science concept that if you input nonsense data to a system/computer, then what you get is nonsense output. The same concept applies to collision reaction cells in mass spectrometry.Collision cells are useful tools for allowing us to separate out the isotope/element of interest from isobaric interferences. However, they work because we can control the reaction chemistry in the cell. In other words, we know what we put in and what reactions are occurring.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Magnetic_Sector_Pre_Cell_Mass_Filters_The_Cure_for_Garbage_In_Garbage_Out_cfb72e4a2f.jpg" alt="Thermo Fisher Scientific: Magnetic Sector Pre-Cell Mass Filters: The Cure for Garbage In, Garbage Out" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Fisher_Scientific_Magnetic_Sector_Pre_Cell_Mass_Filters_The_Cure_for_Garbage_In_Garbage_Out_cfb72e4a2f.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="925" height="448">But let’s take sample input from a laser … Suddenly there are loads of trace and matrix elements swirling around in the plasma and the reaction chemistry gets messy. Ultimately, that means that the output from the collision cell is nonsense. Garbage in, garbage out.Pre-cell mass filters are used to remove a lot of the nonsense going in. By allowing only a specific mass window to enter the cell, the reaction chemistry becomes much more predictable.But there are pre-cell mass filters and then there are pre-cell mass filters. Traditionally, pre-cell mass filters have been based on quadrupole technology (think Thermo Scientific&nbsp;iCAP&nbsp;TQ or Thermo Scientific Proteus&nbsp;MC-ICP-MS). However, these quadrupole-based pre-cell mass filters have shortcomings in terms of precision and accuracy when you are interested in high-precision <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/industrial/mass-spectrometry/isotope-ratio-mass-spectrometry-irms.html">isotope ratios</a>. In terms of accuracy, they suffer from the issue of non-exponential mass bias, which fluctuates wildly between analytical sessions, and when we try to use an exponential law correction, our isotope ratios are off by 1000s of ppm. In terms of precision, quadrupole-based pre-cell mass filters are lower energy, so they extract fewer ions — resulting in decreases of sensitivity of 25-50 percent.Magnetic sector pre-cell mass filters do not suffer from these problems. They have stable exponential mass bias, producing accurate isotope ratios. The high ion extraction coupled with a reduction of space-charge effects (from filtering matrix elements) actually increases sensitivity by up to 25 percent, meaning even better precision.The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1675">Thermo Scientific Neoma&nbsp;MS/MS MC-ICP-MS</a> utilizes this patented magnetic sector pre-cell mass filter, guaranteeing you the best accuracy and precision for your isotopic analysis. To find out more, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.thermofisher.com/ms-ms">www.thermofisher.com/ms-ms</a>.&nbsp;<blockquote>For a summary of this blog post, see our&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/CMD/brochures/in-001937-neoma-MS_MS-in001937-en.pdf">infographic</a>.&nbsp;</blockquote>

Magnetic Sector Pre-Cell Mass Filters: The Cure for Garbage In, Garbage Out

Our Library never stops expanding. What are the most recent contributions to LabRulezICPMS Library in the week of 10th November 2025? Check out new documents from the field of spectroscopy/spectrometry and related techniques!<blockquote>👉 <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library">SEARCH THE LARGEST REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS ABOUT SPECTROSCOPY/SPECTROMETRY RELATED TECHNIQUES</a></blockquote><blockquote>👉 Need info about different analytical techniques? Peek into <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezLCMS</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/library">LabRulezGCMS</a> libraries.</blockquote>This week we bring you application notes by LECO and Shimadzu and poster by Thermo Fisher Scientific!<h3>1. LECO: Compositional Depth Profile Analysis of Galvanized Steel</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/GDS_950_CDP_GALVANIZED_STEEL_203_821_675_1778f1c8f1.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>&nbsp;<ul><li>Thickness and Coating Weight of Galvanized Steel&nbsp;</li><li>Elemental Composition of the Coating and Substrate&nbsp;</li><li>Compositional Analysis of Surface Treatments</li></ul>The application of zinc and zinc-alloy coatings to steel provides protection against galvanic and barrier corrosion. Galvanized coatings can be applied by either continuous hot-dip coating or electroplating. Hot-dip coatings include galvanized (zinc), galvannealed, and 55% aluminum-zinc. Electroplated coatings include zinc and zinc-nickel. The choice of coating depends on the application. Thin coatings provide sufficient corrosion resistance where the corrosion rate is low, such as interior panels and painted parts. Thick coatings are needed where corrosion rate is high and long service life is required, such as marine or underground applications.Compositional Depth Profile (CDP) using the LECO GDS950 rapidly provides analysis of various galvanized coatings on steel. The analyses shown in this Application Note conforms to and is in accordance with ISO 16962.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>As demonstrated in this application note, CDP analysis on the LECO GDS950 provides coating composition as a function of depth for a variety of galvanized coatings, including both conductive and non-conductive coatings. Most zinc coatings can be analyzed in 60-300 s. The 55% aluminum-zinc alloy sputters more slowly and can be analyzed in 600-900 s. CDP using the LECO GDS950 provides a single flexible method to analyze multiple zinc and zinc-alloy coating types.<h3>2. Shimadzu: Determination of Water-Extractable Total Organic Carbon Content in Recycled Black Mass</h3><ul><li>Application note</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/an_01_00919_en_4983319ee6.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul><h4>User Benefits</h4><ul><li>&nbsp;Measurement of the water-extractable TOC content in recycled black mass is possible.</li><li>Using the NPOC method, TOC measurement can be simplified thanks to reduced preprocessing.</li><li>Utilizing the ASI-L auto sampler enables multiple samples to be measured automatically</li></ul>Black mass is a concentrated powder created during the recycling of lithium-ion batteries. It contains valuable metals such as cobalt and nickel, which are cathode active materials, as well as graphite, which is an anode active material. Since black mass contains these valuable metals, its recycling and reuse significantly contribute to reducing environmental impact and promoting the efficient utilization of resources.&nbsp;Black mass may contain organic substances derived from used batteriesthat serve asraw materials, as well as organic substances from the environmental sources introduced during storage and transportation. These organic substances can leach into water or acidic solutions, which may adversely affect the refining process. This not only results in poor-quality recycled materials but also leavesresidual organic substancesin the waste liquids, potentially causing environmental pollution. Therefore, it is essential to quantify the total amount of organic substances contained in black mass. The amount of these organic substances can be evaluated astotal organic carbon (TOC).&nbsp;In China, one of the major importing countries of black mass, the evaluation of water-extractable TOC in black mass is regulated under the Chinese National Standard GB/T 45203- 2024. 1) According to this standard, TOC is measured using a total organic carbon analyzer based on the combustion oxidation method with non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) detection. This article provides an example of measuring water-extractable TOC in black mass using the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/library?mainauthorItems=1&amp;search=+TOC-L+analyzer">Shimadzu TOC-L analyzer</a>, a total organic carbon analyzer that uses the combustion oxidation method with NDIR detection.<h4>TOC Analysis Using the NPOC Method&nbsp;</h4>In the NPOC method, the sample is acidified by adding acid, and IC is removed through aeration treatment. The measurement is then performed under the assumption that “TC = TOC.” In the NPOC method, the instrument automatically performed acidification and aeration. This method is expected to reduce measurement time compared to the TC-IC method, and only a single calibration curve isrequired.&nbsp;Fig. 4 illustrates the pretreatment flow when using the NPOC method. Here, IC in the solution can be efficiently removed through automatic acidification and aeration by the instrument. As a result, Step 3, “Acidification and Aeration Treatment,” in the pretreatment procedure can be omitted. A 5 mL aliquot of the filtrate obtained in Step 2, “Filtration,” was directly diluted to 100 mL in a volumetric flask, and the resulting solution was used as the measurement solution.&nbsp;When no acidification is performed during pretreatment, the measurement solution becomes alkaline. Therefore, in the NPOC measurement, the acid addition rate was set to a relatively high value of 2.5 %.&nbsp;The NPOC method is not described in GB/T 45203-2024; however, it is expected to improve processing efficiency by simplifying manual procedures.<h4>Conclusion&nbsp;</h4>In this study, the water-extractable TOC in recycled black mass was determined using the Shimadzu TOC-L total organic carbon analyzer that uses the combustion oxidation method with NDIR detection. Pretreatment was performed with reference to GB/T 45203- 2024, and it was confirmed that the water-extractable TOC in black mass could be measured using the TC-IC method.&nbsp;On the other hand, by using the NPOC method, certain pretreatment steps could be omitted, enabling a more simplified quantification of TOC. This method is effective for improving measurement efficiency in applications such as screening. In both measurement methods, satisfactory results were obtained in the spiked recovery tests, confirming the validity of the analysis. Furthermore, by utilizing the ASI-L auto-sampler, multiple samples can be measured automatically, contributing to improved analytical efficiency.<h3>3. Thermo Fisher Scientific: Do we have a choice of reaction gas for measuring Ca? Investigations using the Thermo Scientific Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS</h3><ul><li>Poster</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/po_003544_choice_reaction_gas_measuring_ca_investigations_neoma_ms_icp_po003544_en_48ed6a2064.pdf">Full PDF for download</a></li></ul>Calcium isotope measurements have long been limited by isobaric interferences, particularly from 40Ar+ on 40Ca+, when using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The reintroduction of collision/reaction cell technology to MC-ICP-MS systems, such as the Thermo Scientific Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS, has allowed more precise δ44/40Ca determinations using hydrogen (H₂) as a reaction gas. However, researchers investigated whether sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) could offer an alternative, forming CaF⁺ and removing both 40Ar+ and 88Sr²⁺ interferences, thereby simplifying sample preparation and enabling in-situ Ca isotope analysis by laser ablation.<h4>Experimental</h4>Measurements were performed on the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1675">Thermo Scientific Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS</a> equipped with three 10¹³ Ω amplifiers and an axial secondary electron multiplier. The Jet interface with X-skimmer and Jet sampler cones, and an ESI Apex Omega Q desolvating nebulizer, were used to maximize sensitivity. Reaction gases—helium and SF₆—were introduced into the collision/reaction cell. Both solution and solid samples (analyzed by coupling the Neoma MS/MS to an ESL NWR imageGEO 193 nm excimer laser ablation system) were tested. Solid samples included reference glasses (SRM 614, BHVO-2G) and apatites (Durango, Madagascar, SUME, iPiRA). Data reduction was done using Iolite 4 software with a custom CaF⁺ reduction scheme.<h4>Results</h4>Using SF₆ as the reaction gas effectively formed CaF⁺ ions, reducing argon and strontium interferences. However, sensitivity decreased about five-fold compared to the H₂/He setup, and molecular interferences—likely ³²S¹⁹F¹⁴N⁺ and ³²S¹⁹F¹⁶O⁺—affected minor isotopes (46Ca, 48Ca). Reproducibility of 40Ca/44Ca was poorer than that of 42Ca/44Ca and 43Ca/44Ca despite higher 40Ca sensitivity. For most solution and solid standards, δ42Ca and δ43Ca values matched expected ranges. Solid-state tests via laser ablation showed generally consistent isotopic ratios, with slightly higher uncertainty for low-Ca materials.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The study demonstrated that SF₆ can be used as a viable reaction gas for interference-free measurement of Ca isotopes on the Neoma MS/MS MC-ICP-MS, offering potential for in-situ analysis and reduced sample preparation. However, H₂ remains the superior choice for solution-based analyses due to its higher sensitivity, better precision, and fewer molecular interferences. SF₆, on the other hand, provides a promising alternative for direct solid-sample applications, such as laser ablation Ca isotope ratio studies.

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