Introduction of organic/hydro-organic matrices in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry: A tutorial review. Part I. Theoretical considerations

Amélie Leclercq (1, 2) , Anthony Nonell (1, 2) , José Luis Todolí Torró (3) , Carole Bresson (1, 2) , Laurent Vio (1, 2) , Thomas Vercouter (1, 2) , Frédéric Chartier (4, 2)

1 SEARS - Service d'études analytiques et de réactivité des surfaces
2 LANIE - Laboratoire de développement Analytique Nucléaire Isotopique et Elémentaire
3 Universidad de Alicante
4 DPC - Département de Physico-Chimie

Due to their outstanding analytical performances, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) are widely used for multielemental measurements andalso for isotopic characterization in the case of ICP-MS. While most studies are carried out in aqueous matrices, applications involving organic/hydroorganic matricesbecome increasingly widespread. This kind of matrices is introduced in ICP based instruments when classical “matrix removal” approaches such as acid digestion or extraction procedures cannot be implemented. Due to the physico-chemical properties of organic/hydro-organic matrices and their associated effects on instrumentation and analytical performances, their introduction into ICP sources is particularly challengingandhas become a full topic. In this framework, numerous theoretical and phenomenological studies of these effects have been performed in the past, mainly by ICP-OES, while recent literature is more focused on applications and associated instrumental developments. This tutorial review, divided in two parts, exploresthe rich literature related to the introduction of organic/hydro-organic matrices in ICP-OES and ICP-MS. The present Part I, provides theoretical considerations in connection with the physico-chemical properties of organic/hydro-organic matrices, in order to better understand the induced phenomena. This focal point is divided in four chapters highlighting: (i) theimpact of organic/hydro-organic matricesfrom aerosol generation to atomization/excitation/ionization processes; (ii)the production of carbon molecular constituents and their spatial distribution in the plasma with respect to analytes repartition; (iii) the subsequent modifications of plasma fundamental properties; and,(iv)the resulting spectroscopic and non spectroscopic interferences.This first part of this tutorial review is addressed either to beginners or to more experiencedscientists who are interested in the analysis of organic/hydro-organic matrices by ICP sources and would like to consider the theoretical background of effects induced by such matrices. The second part of this tutorial review will be dedicated to more pratical consideration on instrumentation, such as adapted introductions devices, as well as instrumental and operating parameters optimization. The analytical strategies for elemental quantification in such matrices will also be addressed.

Domaines: Physique Nucléaire Théorique [nucl-th]; Physique Nucléaire Expérimentale [nucl-ex]

Amélie Leclercq, Anthony Nonell, José Luis Todolí Torró, Carole Bresson, Laurent Vio, et al.. Introduction of organic/hydro-organic matrices in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry: A tutorial review. Part I. Theoretical considerations. Analytica Chimica Acta, 2015, 885, pp.33-56. ⟨10.1016/j.aca.2015.03.049⟩. ⟨cea-03188933⟩