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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

A Practical Guide on Coupling a Scanning Mobility Sizer and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (SMPS-ICPMS)
Published on: July 11, 2017
Correcting sensitivity drift during long-term multi-element signal measurements by solid sampling-ETV-ICP-MS
A Martin-Esteban1, B Slowikowski, K H Grobecker
1Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Retieseweg, B-2440 Gel, Belgium.
Abstract:
Solid sampling-electrothermal vaporisation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SS-ETV-ICP-MS) is an attractive technique for the direct simultaneous determination of trace elements in solid samples and especially in long-term studies (i.e. assessment of the homogeneity of reference materials). However, during these studies a downward drift in the instrument sensitivity has been observed due likely to deposits on the sampling and skimmer cones and on the ion lens of the mass spectrometer. Accordingly, in this paper, several means of correcting and/or suppressing sensitivity drift are proposed and evaluated for the monitoring of Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Tl, U and V in different reference materials of inorganic and organic (biological) origin. From that studies, the combination of the use of the argon dimer as internal standard together with a modification in the ETV-ICP connection tube seems to be the best mean of getting stable sensitivity during at least 60 consecutive ETV runs.
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