CALIBRATION STUDIES ON DRIED AEROSOLS FOR LASER-ABLATION INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY

A simultaneous dried solution aerosol (Mistral nebulizer/aerosol dryer ) and laser-induced aerosol introduction system was used to investigat e the calibration capabilities of dried solutions for LA-ICP-MS. Gas R ow rates for the simultaneous systems were optimized and gave the best results with 0.5 l min(-1) for the laser gas flow rate and 0.51 min(- 1) for the solution gas flow rate, at,which a sensitivity of 65-80% fo r LA compared with 1.051 min(-1) single gas flow LA-ICP-MS was maintai ned, The optimum temperatures for the Mistral nebulizer were 143 degre es C (heating) and -3 degrees C (cooling). Oxide formation (CeO+/Ce+) under these conditions is less than 0.3%. Introduction of enriched Pb- 207 (as a solution) and natural lead (tia LA) allows the optimization of both sample introduction systems separately, Analyses were performe d on synthetic polyethylene materials, IAEA Soil-7 and CSB-1 reference standards, The RSDs on two sample pellets with five replicates each w ere better than 10%. Quantitative analyses for all REEs were based on In as the internal standard and Rh as the reference element, Fractiona tion effects of the internal standard relative to the REE were not obs erved.