Analysis of α-alumina samples by mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma and laser ablation

A procedure for analysis of a-alumina (sapphire, corundum, etc.) samples by mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma and laser ablation (LA-ICP-MS) is described. This procedure allows one to determine up to 60 impurity elements with detection limits of 10–7–10–4 wt %. The validity of the results of LA-ICP-MS determination is verified by comparing them to the results obtained using an independent technique that is based on dissolving the samples in a mixture of H2SO4 and H3PO4 with subsequent determination of impurity elements by atomic emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma.