[Qazzian]

Hey, I just finished up a lab (university) learning how to use ICP for analysis, and was wondering how much it's used in "the real world". Not looking for specifics, just more of a "it's dying, you wasted some time learning about it you crazy dinosaur lover" or "new and exciting developments all the time!"

Thanks

[Mitch]

Its a common instrument that all universities and industry will have.

[Donaldson Tan]

what's ICP?

[Qazzian]

Inductively Coupled Plasma. It atomizes a sample, and can be used with a variety of detectors (usually emission detection or mass spect), and detects down to very small trace amounts.

[thdbird83]

ICP is an instrument that atomize a element and excites it. then the element will emitt radiation of a certain wavelenght which will quantitively computed by the ICP electronics and software into concetration levels. (ie mg/L etc.)

It is very accurate and could dectect very low concetrations.  

The problem with ICP is smapling! The assayer/chemist must be very profeceint in the sampling technique if not the readings will be out of control / inaccurate.

[Borek]

The problem with ICP is smapling! The assayer/chemist must be very profeceint in the sampling technique if not the readings will be out of control / inaccurate.

Do you know of any method where incorrect sampling produces correct results?

[Qazzian]

Hey, if you find one, let us all in on it. Would make things MUCH easier on us  


Hmm, add a little of this, little of that, pinch of this stuff, et, voila! 87.4345632% copper by mass.  

[icpoes]

Where I work we have 2 icp's One older OES, and a newer MS. They are workhorses in QC and produce good trace impurities on many samples.

But yes true from an earlier post, sampling is key--> getting into aqueous solutions sometimes tough and dilutions...

[Garneck]

I've worked with ICP-MS in determining PGM's (platinum group metals) in plant material. The damn thing is so sensitive that we have to dilute samples that are barely in the linear range in AdSV.

The problem with ICP is smapling! The assayer/chemist must be very profeceint in the sampling technique if not the readings will be out of control / inaccurate.

I don't know why you have problems with sampling - the whole process is automatic - you just stick the tube into the solution. I think you ment to say that you have to be very well oriented in dillutions so you don't damage the apparatus with excess concentration of metals (or exactly their salts) - at least that's what concerns me when it comes to ICP-MS.. well, that and isobaric interferences..