ESAS & CANAS 2018 - Programm

Significance of the Topic

Plasma-based spectrometric techniques underpin modern elemental, isotopic and molecular analyses with unparalleled sensitivity and multi-element capability. They are vital for environmental monitoring, materials characterization, bioimaging, forensic investigations and advanced industrial process control.

Overview and Objectives of the Conference

The user meeting on Plasma Spectrometry and the joint CANAS/ESAS programs (20–23 March 2018) convened experts in inductively coupled plasmas (ICP), alternative plasma sources and high-resolution spectroscopy. Objectives included:

• Presenting recent advances in plasma excitation and ionization sources.
• Exploring novel hyphenated and micro-analytical approaches for speciation, single-particle and single-cell analysis.
• Facilitating knowledge transfer between academia, industry and instrument vendors.

Methodology and Instrumentation Highlight

Sessions showcased a broad suite of analytical platforms and methodological innovations, including:

• Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS, ICP-MS/MS).
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and high-resolution continuum source optics.
• Electrothermal vaporization (ETV) interfaces for solid and trace analysis.
• Laser Ablation (LA-ICP-MS) for spatially resolved elemental and imaging studies.
• High-Resolution Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (HR-CS GF-AAS).
• Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Sources (halo-FAPA, VUV/UV-NIR broadband and narrow-band plasmas).
• Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) and capillary electrophoresis coupled to ICP-MS for nanoparticle separation and speciation.

Main Themes and Discussion

Keynote and oral presentations addressed:

• Alternative plasma sources and their applications in emission and mass spectrometry.
• Progress in multi-reaction ICP-MS/MS for environmental and biological sample analysis.
• Micro- and nano-scale speciation of metals in complex matrices, including battery materials and biological tissues.
• Single-particle and single-cell ICP-MS for nanoparticle characterization and bioanalytical studies.
• Hyphenated approaches combining AF4, HPLC and immunoassays with ICP-MS detection.
• Innovations in high-resolution absorption spectrometry for non-metal elements such as silicon and fluoride.
• Multimodal imaging integrating LA-ICP-MS with molecular imaging for medical and forensic applications.

Contributions and Practical Applications

The conference highlighted practical implementations in:

• Quality control in lithium-ion battery production and monitoring of decomposition products.
• Trace element monitoring in environmental samples—soils, waters and air particulates.
• Forensic analysis of adhesives, pigments and historical documents.
• Medical research employing elemental imaging to study disease processes and drug distribution.
• Development of reference materials and standardization strategies for high-accuracy measurements.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Anticipated developments include:

• Integration of miniaturized plasma sources and adaptive spectrometers for portable applications.
• Expanded use of single-cell and single-particle analytics for nanotoxicology and metabolomics.
• Advanced data processing and AI-driven calibration strategies to improve measurement uncertainty.
• Combined multimodal imaging platforms that correlate elemental and molecular information at high spatial resolution.
• Novel sample introduction methods such as pulsed laser ablation in liquids and automated ETV systems.

Conclusion

The 2018 Plasmaspektrometrie, CANAS and ESAS meetings fostered interdisciplinary dialogue on cutting-edge plasma spectrometry. By emphasizing methodological innovation and real-world applications, the conference advanced the analytical chemistry community’s capacity to address complex challenges across environmental, industrial and biomedical sectors.