ARGON XENON PLASMA FOR ALLEVIATING POLYATOMIC ION INTERFERENCES IN INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Xenon is added at 10 or 37 mL min-1 to the aerosol gas flow of an argon inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Addition of xenon substantially reduces polyatomic ions such as N2+, HN2+, NO+, ArH+, CIO+, ArC+, CIOH+, ArN+, and ArO+ and facilitates the measurement of Si-28, Si-29, K-39, K-41, V-51, Cr-52, Cr-53, Cr-54, Fe-54, and Fe-58. Isotope ratios are determined with relative standard deviations from 0.6% to 1.6%. Detection limits for the above elements range from 0.3 to 2-mu-g L-1.