ELECTROCHEMICAL DEPOSITION OF METALS IN THE PREPARATION OF STANDARD MATERIALS FOR GLOW-DISCHARGE MASS-SPECTROMETRY

This paper reports on novel efforts to prepare standard materials for glow discharge mass spectrometric (GDMS) applications by electrolytica lly depositing trace quantities of transition metal ions onto the surf ace of a compressed silver electrode, These electrodes are then pulver ized and recompacted for use in GDMS. Preparation of suitable standard s would allow analysis by standard addition or isotopic dilution metho ds. The direct addition of aqueous standards to a silver powder was no t an effective method of standard preparation, initiating the search f or an alternative technique. Methods for the successful electrodeposit ion of copper, zinc, nickel, and lead onto silver are provided, as are the initial mass spectrometric results for copper which appear promis ing. (C) 1997 Academic Press.