Agilent ICP-MS Journal (August 2014 – Issue 58)

Significance of the Topic

Advanced elemental and speciation analysis using LA-ICP-MS, GC-ICP-MS, and ICP-OES is critical for modern research and quality control across geosciences, food authentication, water treatment, and industrial analytics.

Objectives and Overview

• Streamline the integration of laser ablation with ICP-MS through ESI’s LA Plug-in for Agilent MassHunter.
• Establish a chemometric model for determining the botanical and geographical origin of Chinese honey via ICP-MS and MPP software.
• Enhance LA-ICP-MS sensitivity for U-Th zircon dating by adding N₂ to the carrier gas and improving interface pumping.
• Develop a GC-ICP-MS method to speciate volatile bromo- and iodo-disinfection by-products in wastewater.
• Introduce Agilent’s new 5100 Synchronous Vertical Dual View ICP-OES and guide selection of atomic spectroscopy techniques.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• LA Plug-in: ESI NWR ActiveView integrated with Agilent ICP-MS MassHunter allows synchronized control of laser parameters, pattern design, trigger handling, and error management.
• Honey Profiling: Agilent 7700x ICP-MS with glass nebulizer, double-pass spray chamber, Ni cones; Agilent MPP for PCA, PLS-DA, and BP-ANN modeling of 12 elements.
• Zircon Dating: 7500 series ICP-MS with dual rotary pumps, 193 nm excimer laser (NWR), He–N₂ carrier gas, optimized tuning for max U signal; typical conditions: 33 µm spot, 6 J/cm², 3 Hz.
• DBP Speciation: Agilent 7890A GC–7700x ICP-MS with HP-5 column, MTBE extraction of wastewater, time-resolved monitoring of m/z 79, 81, 127; external calibration using dihaloaromatic standards.
• 5100 ICP-OES: New DSC optics enable synchronous axial/radial plasma views in one reading; plug-and-play torch, ICP Expert software with method templates.

Main Results and Discussion

• The LA plug-in eliminated repetitive method setups, reduced manual data entry, and improved workflow efficiency by synchronizing LA and ICP-MS operations.
• Honey origin classification achieved 100% accuracy in training and 97.6% in external validation using a BP-ANN model on elemental profiles.
• Adding ~2.5 mL/min N₂ to the LA carrier gas and enhancing interface pumping increased ²³⁸U signal by over 350%, retaining low oxide levels and precise zircon ages (±4 Ma).
• GC-ICP-MS revealed that chloramination of wastewater significantly increases concentrations of volatile brominated and iodinated by-products; element-selective detection simplifies speciation.
• The Agilent 5100 ICP-OES delivers faster analysis times, lower argon consumption, and robust performance for high‐matrix and volatile solvent samples.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Integrated LA-ICP-MS software accelerates data acquisition and minimizes user errors.
• Reliable elemental fingerprinting supports food provenance, QA/QC, and regulatory compliance.
• Enhanced sensitivity in U-Th-Pb dating expands the applicability to fine-scale geological samples and very young zircons.
• Comprehensive DBP speciation informs water treatment strategies and public health monitoring.
• 5100 ICP-OES versatility meets the needs of environmental, pharmaceutical, and industrial labs requiring high throughput.

Future Trends and Opportunities

• Deeper integration of software and hardware for end-to-end automated workflows in elemental analysis.
• Broader adoption of chemometric and machine learning approaches to handle complex environmental and food matrices.
• Further optimization of plasma gas mixtures and interface pumping to push detection limits in LA-ICP-MS.
• Real-time speciation of emerging contaminants using advanced GC-ICP-MS and novel sampling techniques.
• Continued innovation in dual-view ICP-OES optics and smart acquisition algorithms for next-generation productivity gains.

Conclusion

The Agilent ICP-MS Journal Issue 58 (August 2014) highlights significant advances in ICP-MS, LA-ICP-MS, GC-ICP-MS, and ICP-OES, delivering streamlined workflows, higher sensitivity, and robust methods across diverse analytical challenges. These developments enhance laboratory efficiency, data quality, and expand application horizons in analytical chemistry.

References

1. Agilent ICP-MS Journal August 2014 – Issue 58 contents.
2. Chemometric Determination of the Botanical Origin for Chinese Honeys on the Basis of Mineral Elements Determined by ICP-MS; Hui Chen et al.; J. Agric. Food Chem. 2014, 62, 2443–2448.
3. Hirata T. and Nesbitt R.W.; Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 1995, 59, 2491–2500.
4. Richardson S.D. et al.; Environmental Science & Technology 2008, 42(22): 8330–8338.