Agilent ICP-MS Journal (October 2017 – Issue 70)

Importance of the Topic

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) remains a vital tool for ultra-trace elemental analysis in diverse fields such as environmental monitoring, petrochemical quality control, food safety, pharmaceutical testing, and biomedical research. Ongoing developments in collision/reaction cell chemistry and MS/MS (triple quadrupole) configurations enhance its ability to resolve challenging spectral overlaps, deliver lower detection limits, and ensure data integrity in complex matrices.

Objectives and Overview of the Issue

This compilation presents five key contributions:

• An examination of MS/MS benefits for reactive cell gases in ICP-MS and comparison of single-quad, bandpass-filter, and triple-quad systems.
• The new ASTM D8110-17 method for trace elemental analysis of petroleum distillates by ICP-MS.
• An educational spotlight on ICP-MS applications in neurodegenerative disease research at a leading clinical proteomics laboratory.
• A rapid LC-ICP-QQQ protocol for arsenic speciation in wines, achieving sub-2-minute analysis.
• On-demand webinars and conference previews covering elemental impurity testing, nanoparticle analysis, and ICP-MS advancements.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The featured studies employ a range of Agilent ICP-MS platforms:

• Single quadrupole systems with kinetic energy discrimination for helium collision mode.
• Bandpass-filter instruments offering limited mass pre-selection ahead of the cell.
• Triple quadrupole ICP-QQQ (8800/8900) enabling MS/MS control of precursor ions and reaction chemistry.
• ORS4 collision/reaction cell with He and H₂ gases for interference removal.
• LC coupling to ICP-QQQ for rapid arsenic species separation using a short Hamilton PRP-X100 ion-exchange column and oxygen cell gas.

Main Findings and Discussion

MS/MS operation with a true mass filter before the cell achieves predictable reaction chemistry, reliably suppressing non-target product ions and delivering improved accuracy over bandpass systems. The new ASTM D8110-17 method, implemented on an Agilent 7900 ICP-MS, provided low-ppb detection for Ca, Fe, Ni, V, As, and Se in petroleum distillates, with certified reference recoveries within 10% over extended runs. In neurodegenerative disease research, coupling HPLC and LA-ICP-QQQ enabled element-specific protein imaging and quantification, facilitating therapeutic studies of Cu/Zn-binding proteins. The rapid LC-ICP-QQQ arsenic speciation method oxidizes all inorganic As to As(V) and separates five species in under two minutes, meeting or exceeding FDA method performance with minimal sample preparation.

Benefits and Practical Applications

These advances translate into:

• Enhanced interference removal and lower detection limits for semiconductor and high-purity chemicals.
• Standardized procedures for elemental impurity testing in pharmaceuticals (USP <232>/<233>, ICH Q3D).
• High-throughput QC of refinery streams and crude oil fractions.
• Accurate trace metal mapping in biological tissues for clinical proteomics.
• Efficient arsenic speciation in food and beverage safety monitoring.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Ongoing developments will likely focus on further integration of MS/MS workflows, automation of sample handling, and expanded use of ICP-MS for nanoparticle characterization via single-particle mode and hyphenated separation techniques. Standardization of methods for emerging matrices, continued reduction of analysis times, and improvements in mass-filter engineering will broaden ICP-MS applications in regulatory, industrial, and life-science arenas.

Conclusion

The contributions in this issue underscore the critical role of advanced ICP-MS technologies in meeting modern analytical challenges. By harnessing MS/MS capabilities, optimized cell chemistries, and rapid chromatography, laboratories can achieve higher confidence in trace elemental data, streamline workflows, and address emerging demands in environmental, industrial, and biomedical analysis.

References

• Balcaen L., Bolea-Fernandez E., Resano M., Vanhaecke F. Anal. Chim. Acta, 894, 7–19 (2015).
• ASTM D8110-17 Standard Test Method for Elemental Analysis of Distillate Products by ICP-MS.
• Jackson B.P. J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 30, 1405–1407 (2015).
• Hansen H.R. et al. J. Environ. Monit., 13, 32–34 (2011).
• Kubachka K.M. et al. FDA Guidance for Industry: Arsenic in Apple Juice (2013).