Agilent ICP-MS Journal (August 2014 – Issue 58)

Significance of the Topic

The August 2014 issue of the Agilent ICP-MS Journal highlights recent advances in atomic spectroscopy and hyphenated techniques that address growing demands in environmental monitoring, food authentication, geological dating, and water safety. These developments aim to enhance analytical sensitivity, streamline workflows, and expand the range of measurable targets, ensuring laboratories can meet stricter regulations and deliver reliable, high-throughput results.

Objectives and Overview

This issue gathers six research reports and instrumentation updates, focusing on:

• Seamless software integration of laser ablation and ICP-MS for efficient trace element mapping.
• Chemometric classification of honey origin via elemental profiling and ICP-MS data analysis.
• Enhancement of LA-ICP-MS sensitivity through nitrogen addition and interface pumping adjustments for U–Pb geochronology.
• Speciation of volatile bromo- and iodo-disinfection by-products by coupling GC with ICP-MS detection.
• Introduction of the Agilent 5100 ICP-OES featuring synchronous vertical dual view (SVDV) for faster, robust measurements.
• A comparative guide to choosing the optimal atomic spectroscopy technique based on sensitivity and sample throughput.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Key methodologies and hardware featured in this issue include:

• ESI NWR ActiveView plug-in for Agilent MassHunter, enabling synchronized control of laser ablation parameters (energy, frequency, pattern) and ICP-MS acquisition.
• Agilent 7700x and 7900 ICP-MS systems equipped with standard concentric nebulizers, collision/reaction cell modes, and enhanced cs lens interfaces.
• Agilent Mass Profiler Professional (MPP) software for principal component analysis (PCA), PLS-DA, and back-propagation artificial neural networks (BP-ANN) to classify honey samples from different botanical and geographic origins based on 12 elemental markers.
• Dual-pump interface configuration with nitrogen doping in the helium carrier gas to boost analyte ionization efficiency and transmission, applied to NIST 612 glass and zircon reference materials for high-precision U–Pb dating.
• An Agilent 7890A GC coupled to an Agilent 7700x ICP-MS via a GC-ICP-MS interface, using MTBE extracts and time-resolved analysis of halogen masses (m/z 79, 81, 127) to profile volatile bromo- and iodo-organic disinfection by-products.
• The new Agilent 5100 ICP-OES with Dichroic Spectral Combiner (DSC) for simultaneous axial and radial plasma viewing, plug-and-play torches, and ICP Expert software templates for rapid method development.

Main Results and Discussion

• LA-ICP-MS Integration: The ActiveView plug-in eliminated redundant method setups, automated trigger synchronization and error handling, and reduced manual data entry, resulting in a more efficient, error-resistant workflow.
• Honey Provenance: ICP-MS measurements of 12 elements in 163 honey samples, processed by MPP chemometrics, yielded 93% variance explained by four principal components. A BP-ANN model achieved 97.6% accuracy in classifying botanical origin during validation with unknown samples.
• Sensitivity Enhancement: Introducing 2–3 mL/min N2 into the He carrier gas and lowering interface pressure quadrupled uranium signal intensity (compared to standard conditions) without raising oxide levels, enabling precise dating of reference zircons (91500, GEMOC GJ-1, Mud Tank) with ages consistent with published values.
• DBP Speciation: GC-ICP-MS analysis revealed numerous volatile brominated and iodinated organics in raw wastewater and their transformation upon monochloramination. Total halogen content rose dramatically after treatment, suggesting formation of previously unmonitored by-products.
• 5100 ICP-OES Performance: The SVDV design halved analysis time, reduced argon consumption, and delivered reliable results on both high-matrix and organic-rich samples in a single run.
• Technique Selection Guide: A matrix mapping detection limits versus sample throughput guides users in choosing among FAAS, GFAAS, MP-AES, ICP-OES, and ICP-MS platforms for specific analytical needs.

Benefits and Practical Applications

These collective advances enable laboratories to:

• Increase sample throughput while minimizing setup complexity and risk of errors.
• Authenticate food products and trace geochemical origins with high confidence.
• Obtain lower detection limits for critical isotopes in geochronology and environmental monitoring.
• Profile emerging disinfection by-products to assess water treatment safety.
• Optimize instrumentation choices according to detection needs and operational constraints.

Future Trends and Possibilities

Emerging directions include:

• Further integration of chemometric and machine learning workflows with hyphenated instruments.
• Expanded use of mixed-gas plasmas and enhanced vacuum interfaces to push sensitivity limits.
• Development of multi-dimensional detectors to screen for unknown halogenated species in complex matrices.
• Broader adoption of MP-AES and triple-quadrupole ICP-MS for safer, more selective analyses.
• Continued automation and software-driven configurability to support non-expert users.

Conclusion

This issue underscores Agilent’s commitment to advancing atomic spectroscopy. By combining innovative hardware, modular software, and robust data analytics, modern ICP-MS and ICP-OES systems now deliver unparalleled sensitivity, selectivity, and ease of use—empowering laboratories across environmental, food, geological, and industrial sectors to address evolving analytical challenges.

References

1. O’Connor C. et al., Enhanced Integration of LA and ICP-MS with ESI’s LA Plug-in, Agilent ICP-MS Journal, Issue 58, 2014.
2. Chen H. et al., Determination of the Region of Origin of Chinese Honey by ICP-MS with MPP, J. Agric. Food Chem., 2014, 62, 2443–2448.
3. Paquette J.-L. et al., Sensitivity Enhancement in LA-ICP-MS by N2 Addition, Agilent ICP-MS Journal, Issue 58, 2014.
4. Durazo A. & Snyder S.A., Speciation of Volatile Bromo- and Iodo-DBPs by GC-ICP-MS, Agilent ICP-MS Journal, Issue 58, 2014.
5. Agilent Technologies, Agilent 5100 Synchronous Vertical Dual View ICP-OES, Product Introduction, 2014.
6. Agilent Technologies, Leading the Way in Atomic Spectroscopy Technology, Brochure 5990-6443EN.