Advances in trace element solid sample analysis: Laser ablation laser ionization tof mass spectrometry (lali-tof-ms)

The most widely used commercial techniques for solid sample analysis include laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), arc/spark optical emission spectrometry (OES), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and laser ablation coupled with inductively coupled plasma−mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Each technique has known limitations, including matrix suppression, diffusion and transport effects, spectral overlaps, and varying degrees of calibration challenges. Also, many laboratories determining trace impurities in solid materials are unable to reach the required limits of quantitation by direct analysis, so they must digest the samples and use a technique like ICP-MS. Recent advances in laser ablation laser ionization (LALI) have reduced many drawbacks that plague other techniques, simplifying solid sample analysis. This column examines the LALI technique coupled with time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry and compares application figures of merit with other, more traditional approaches of analyzing solid materials. © 2020 UBM. All rights reserved.