High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry is an elemental analysis technique used to identify and measure trace metals in liquid solutions. A micro liter quantity of liquid is sprayed into an argon plasma to ionize dissolved metals. The ions are separated by a double focusing sector-field mass spectrometer and counted with an electron multiplier detector. The mass of each ion is used to identify the element and the number of ions collected is used to measure concentration. HR-ICP-MS is capable of measuring sub-ppt (less than 1 part-per-trillion) concentrations of many elements including most transition and heavy metals. It is used to measure trace contaminants in ultrapure water, process chemicals, semiconductor cleaning baths, chemical waste streams and liquid extracts of process tool parts and cleanroom products (e.g., wipers, gloves, garments, etc). Measurements are verified with NIST traceable standard material.