TY - JOUR

T1 - Direct Quantification of Major and Trace Elements in Geological Samples by Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry with a Pulsed Glow Discharge

AU - Ganeev, A.

AU - Titova, A.

AU - Korotetski, B.

AU - Gubal, A.

AU - Solovyev, N.

AU - Vyacheslavov, Alexandr V.

AU - Iakovleva, E.

AU - Sillanpää, Mika

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - A method has been developed for the determination of 24 elements (As, B, Ce, Co, Dy, Fe, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Nd, P, Pr, Rb, S, Sb, Si, Sm, Th, Ti, and U) in ore samples by pulsed direct current glow discharge time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PGD-TOF-MS). Sample treatment consisted of pressing the powdered samples into 10 mm diameter aluminum tablets. Quantification was performed using relative sensitivity factors with iron as the normalization element. PGD-TOFMS has low spectral interferences and low limits of detection and provides the quantification of the wide range of elements with a single method instead of a combination of several techniques. The limits of detection of the designed method were in the range 2–4 × 10 −6 mass %, depending on the element. The designed procedure was validated by the analysis of standard reference materials. The obtained results showed adequate repeatability (6–9% relative standard deviation), demonstrating high efficiency of the glow discharge mass spectrometry for the direct analysis of geological samples. The designed method requires a minimal sample pretreatment and is applicable for the determination of wide range of elements of the periodic table (e.g., metals, nonmetals, and rare earth elements) in a single analytical procedure without sample dissolution with adequate accuracy, sensitivity, and repeatability. The designed approach may replace the complex techniques that are normally required for this task.

AB - A method has been developed for the determination of 24 elements (As, B, Ce, Co, Dy, Fe, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Nd, P, Pr, Rb, S, Sb, Si, Sm, Th, Ti, and U) in ore samples by pulsed direct current glow discharge time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PGD-TOF-MS). Sample treatment consisted of pressing the powdered samples into 10 mm diameter aluminum tablets. Quantification was performed using relative sensitivity factors with iron as the normalization element. PGD-TOFMS has low spectral interferences and low limits of detection and provides the quantification of the wide range of elements with a single method instead of a combination of several techniques. The limits of detection of the designed method were in the range 2–4 × 10 −6 mass %, depending on the element. The designed procedure was validated by the analysis of standard reference materials. The obtained results showed adequate repeatability (6–9% relative standard deviation), demonstrating high efficiency of the glow discharge mass spectrometry for the direct analysis of geological samples. The designed method requires a minimal sample pretreatment and is applicable for the determination of wide range of elements of the periodic table (e.g., metals, nonmetals, and rare earth elements) in a single analytical procedure without sample dissolution with adequate accuracy, sensitivity, and repeatability. The designed approach may replace the complex techniques that are normally required for this task.

KW - Geological samples

KW - mass spectrometry

KW - multielement analysis

KW - pulsed glow discharge

KW - rare earth elements

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052105524&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/direct-quantification-major-trace-elements-geological-samples-timeofflight-mass-spectrometry-pulsed

U2 - 10.1080/00032719.2018.1485025

DO - 10.1080/00032719.2018.1485025

M3 - Article

SP - 671

EP - 684

JO - Analytical Letters

JF - Analytical Letters

SN - 0003-2719

ER -