Agilent ICP-MS Journal (May 2016 – Issue 65)

Significance of the Topic

The accurate quantification of trace elements in solid materials and the selective speciation of toxic elements in aqueous matrices are key to ensuring product quality, environmental safety and compliance with health regulations.

Objectives and Overview of the Studies

• Quantitative determination of trace elements in high purity copper by LA-ICP-MS using matrix-matched and non-matrix-matched calibration strategies.
• Simultaneous separation and detection of inorganic and organic arsenic and selenium species in water, fish and urine via CE-ICP-MS.
• Evaluation of inorganic arsenic levels in infant rice cereals relative to the FDA’s proposed 100 ppb action level and development of routine HPLC-ICP-MS methods.
• Presentation of Agilent’s Software Maintenance Agreement for ICP-MS MassHunter and release of an open platform SDK enabling seamless integration of third-party sample introduction devices.

Methodology and Instrumentation Used

• LA-ICP-MS: 213 nm Nd:YAG laser coupled to Agilent 7900 ICP-MS; helium carrier gas; internal standardization with 65Cu; matrix-matched copper CRMs (BAM-M383b, BAM-M385) and NIST 612 glass for calibration.
• CE-ICP-MS: Agilent HP3D CE interfaced to 7500ce with low-flow spray chamber; fused-silica capillary; NaH2PO4/H3BO3 buffer (pH 9); time-resolved analysis of m/z 75 and 82 for As and Se species.
• HPLC-ICP-MS: Agilent 1260 Infinity LC coupled to 7900 ICP-MS for routine iAs analysis in food matrices, employing hydride generation and collision/reaction cell technology.
• Software: Agilent ICP-MS MassHunter (v4.2+), SubscribeNet portal for SMA activation, Agilent Software Developer’s Kit for custom plug-in development.

Main Results and Discussion

• LA-ICP-MS achieved quantification of 11 elements in copper CRMs with recoveries within ±10% of certified values and excellent reproducibility across multiple days.
• CE-ICP-MS enabled baseline separation of six arsenic and five selenium species within 10 minutes, with detection limits of 0.11–0.37 µg/L for As and 1.27–2.31 µg/L for Se, and spike recoveries of 94.9%–110.2%.
• FDA testing of 76 infant rice cereals showed that 47% met the proposed 100 ppb iAs limit, with 78% at or below 110 ppb; multigrain and non-rice products contained <70 ppb.
• SMA ensures up-to-date MassHunter software compatible with current Windows revisions, while the open SDK simplifies integration of laser ablation, autosamplers and other devices into a single MassHunter interface.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Direct solid analysis by LA-ICP-MS reduces sample preparation time for metals and geological materials.
• CE-ICP-MS provides rapid speciation with minimal buffer use, ideal for limited-volume biological samples.
• Routine HPLC-ICP-MS methods support regulatory monitoring of arsenic in food and environmental samples.
• Robust software maintenance and open platform integration enhance laboratory productivity and flexibility.

Future Trends and Opportunities

• Advancement of MS/MS technology in ICP-QQQ for ultra-trace isotope ratio analysis and improved interference removal.
• Expansion of speciation studies to emerging organic and metallobiomolecules using tandem separation techniques.
• Increased adoption of open platform software to drive innovation in custom sample introduction and process monitoring.
• Implementation of automated data workflows and AI-assisted spectral interpretation for higher throughput and decision support.

Conclusion

The integration of laser ablation, capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography with ICP-MS, supported by comprehensive software maintenance and open integration platforms, delivers high accuracy, sensitivity and operational efficiency across a wide range of industrial, environmental and food-safety applications.

References

• Lenz M et al. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 11988–11994.
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• Gailer J et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 4637–4639.