PERSPECTIVES OF MASS-SPECTROMETRIC ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS WITHOUT REFERENCE MATERIALS

A new procedure for multielement analysis by SSMS, GDMS, LPMS and LA-I CP-MS without reference materials has been developed. Five to six inte rnal standards are used. Isotope dilution is an optimal routine for th e internal standardisation. Relative sensitivity coefficients for othe r analytes are calculated by a quasi-equilibrium model of ion formatio n. The accuracy obtained is better than with known procedures based on one or several internal standards. It is possible to take into accoun t experimental conditions, as well as physical and chemical properties of the analytes and of the matrix. The procedure is much simpler and less time-consuming than multielement (up to 20) isotope dilution. Fur ther development of the procedure is based on the investigation of the ion creation processes in the plasma ion sources. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience B.V.