Application of a hexapole collision and reaction cell in ICP-MS Part I: Instrumental aspects and operational optimization

The application of an ion-guiding buffer gas-filled hexapole collision and reaction cell in ICP-MS has been studied in order to give a preliminary performance characterization of a new instrument providing this feature for increasing the ion yield and decreasing contributions from Ar induced interfering molecular ions. As buffer gas He was used while H-2 served as reaction gas. Addition of the latter can be an effective means for reduction of typical argon induced polyatomic ions (Ar+, ArO+, Ar-2(+)) by orders of magnitude owing to gas phase reactions. Molecular interferences generated in the cell can be suppressed by a retarding electric field established by a de hexapole bias potential of -2 V.