Removal of interfering elements in ICP-QMS for the determination of Pt, Rh, and Pd by chemically modified sample introduction capillaries

New on-line methods developed for the determination of Pt, Rh, and Pd by in ductively coupled plasma-quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) include sep aration of elements which might lead to spectral interference in the quadru pole instrument. The fused-silica capillaries generally used for transport of the sample to mu -flow nebulizers have been chemically modified with ion -exchanger compounds to remove interfering elements such as Cu, Pb, or HE C haracterization of the modification procedures by atomic-force microscopy s howed that the quality of the quartz material and the kind of modification had a decisive influence on the yield of surface modification, and thus the exchange capacity of the capillaries.