Agilent ICP-MS Journal (October 2017 – Issue 70)

Importance of Topic

The latest Agilent ICP-MS Journal issue highlights advances in triple quadrupole and collision/reaction cell ICP-MS, novel ASTM methods, rapid speciation workflows, and emerging applications in petrochemicals, food and beverage safety, pharmaceuticals, and clinical research. These developments address critical needs for lower detection limits, interference control, high throughput, and reliable quantification in complex matrices.

Study Objectives and Overview

• Demonstrate the benefits of MS/MS (ICP-QQQ) for reactive cell gas interference removal.
• Describe the new ASTM D8110-17 ICP-MS method for trace elements in petroleum distillates.
• Illustrate ICP-MS’s role in neurodegenerative disease research through nano-bioimaging and proteomics.
• Present a fast LC-ICP-QQQ method for arsenic speciation in wines.
• Announce on-demand webinars on nanoparticle analysis and pharmaceutical elemental impurity testing.

Methods and Instrumentation

Advanced quadrupole configurations (Agilent 8800/8900) enable true MS/MS by placing Q1 before the collision/reaction cell (CRC) and Q3 after. The ORS4 cell on the 7900 allows rapid He/H2 gas switching. Key instrumentation:

• Agilent 8800/8900 ICP-QQQ with dual mass filters and CRC.
• Agilent 7900 ICP-MS with ORS4 for ASTM D8110-17 crude oil analysis.
• Agilent 1260 HPLC coupled to 8800 ICP-QQQ for arsenic speciation.
• Laser ablation ICP-QQQ and HPLC-ICP-MS at The Florey Institute for metalloproteomics.

Main Results and Discussion

• MS/MS offers predictable reactive gas chemistry, fully rejecting non-target precursors, while single quad bandpass filters are limited by variable product-ion overlaps.
• The ASTM D8110-17 method on the 7900 ICP-MS achieved recoveries within 10 % of certified values for Ni and V in NIST SRM 1634c and detection limits of 0.01–0.1 µg/kg, quantifying Ca, Fe, Ni, and V across 18 crude oil samples.
• At The Florey Institute, LC-ICP-MS and LA-ICP-QQQ enabled the study of Cu/Zn metalloproteins in neurodegenerative disease models, leading to new therapeutic approaches.
• The LC-ICP-QQQ arsenic speciation method oxidized As(III) to As(V) and separated DMA and iAs in under 2 min with LOQs ~1 µg/kg, validated across ten California wines.
• On-demand webinars cover single-particle versus hyphenated ICP-MS for nanoparticle characterization, and USP <232>/<233> elemental impurity testing workflows.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Advanced ICP-MS/MS delivers superior interference removal, consistent reactive chemistry, and lower detection limits. The new ASTM and arsenic speciation methods reduce analysis time and sample preparation complexity. Hybrid workflows integrate elemental analysis with proteomics and nanoimaging, expanding capabilities in environmental monitoring, food safety, petrochemical QA/QC, pharmaceutical compliance, and biomedical research.

Future Trends and Possibilities

• Broader adoption of triple quadrupole ICP-MS for challenging matrices and trace-level analysis.
• Standardization of nanoparticle characterization methods combining single-particle and separation-based ICP-MS.
• Integration of ICP-MS with advanced separation and spectroscopic techniques for multi-omics applications.
• Expansion of regulatory methods for elemental impurities and speciation in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical products.
• Development of AI-driven data processing for high-throughput ICP-MS/MS workflows.

Conclusion

The Agilent ICP-MS technology portfolio, featuring MS/MS, ORS4 collision/reaction cells, and hyphenated systems, addresses evolving analytical challenges. These platforms offer robust interference control, rapid analyses, and versatile applications across industries, supporting regulatory compliance and cutting-edge research.

References

• Balcaen L. et al. Anal. Chim. Acta, 894, 7–19 (2015).
• Nelson J., McCurdy E. Agilent application note 5991-7826EN (2017).
• ASTM D8110-17 Standard Test Method for Elemental Analysis of Distillate Products by ICP-MS.
• Tanabe C.K. et al. J. Agric. Food Chem., 65(20), 4193–4199 (2017).
• Jackson B.P. J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 30, 1405–1407 (2015).
• U.S. FDA Guidance for Industry: Arsenic in Apple Juice (2013).