Precise Measurement of Isotope Ratios with a Double-Focusing Magnetic Sector ICP Mass Spectrometer

Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 1996 papers

Abstract

The potential of a commercially available double-focusing magnetic sector ICP mass spectrometer (Element, Finnigan MAT, Bremen, Germany) for precise isotope ratio measurement at the low-resolution setting (R = 300) was evaluated. Optimization of scanning conditions led to a relative standard deviation for a set of 10 consecutive 2 min measurements of ∼0.1% ((206)Pb(+)/(207)Pb(+)) at signal intensities of ∼200 000 counts/s (peak height). This compares favorably with the best values ever reported for quadrupole ICPMS and barely exceeds the theoretical value (counting statistics). Increasing the signal intensity to values ≥500 000 counts/s (peak height) resulted in a further reduction of the RSDs obtained (for both (25)Mg(+)/(26)Mg(+) and (206)Pb(+)/(207)Pb(+)) to typically 0.04%. These figures are remarkably better than those reported for commercially available quadrupole ICPMS systems. This improvement significantly reduces the difference between isotope ratio precision of ICPMS on one hand and those of thermal ionization mass spectrometry and plasma source multiple collector mass spectrometry on the other.

Related Papers

• → Electric quadrupole moment of the 9/2− isomer in171Ta(1995)12 cited
• → Quadrupole moments of isomeric states in 213Fr and 212Fr(1990)12 cited
• → Quadrupole moments of 20,21Na(2004)3 cited
• → The quadrupole moments of the 11- isomers in 194, 196Pb revisited(2004)5 cited
• → Quadrupole Moments of Na Isotopes(2008)