ICP -MS Single Quadrupole

External users: registration to be carried out only through I-STEM portal
Additional information about sample and analysis details should be filled in the pdf form provided in the I-STEM portal under “DOWNLOAD CSRF”

Internal users (IITB): registration to be carried out only through DRONA portal
Additional information about sample and analysis details should be filled in the pdf form provided here.

Make
M/S Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA
Model
iCAP-RQ Single Quadrupole
Facility Status
Working
Date of Installation
Facility Management Division
Centre for Sophisticated Instruments and Facilities (CSIF)-IoE Funded

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Category

  • Spectroscopy and Spectrometry » Mass Spectrometry

Booking Details

Booking available for
Internal and External Both
Available Equipment/ Mode of use
Qualitative and Quantitative analysis

Facility Management Team and Location

Facility In Charge
Prof. Prabhakar Naraga
Prof. Bivin George
Prof. Sameer Ranjan
Co-convenors
Prof. Bivin Geo George for ICP-MS
Prof. Sameer Ranjan For LA -ICPMS
Facility Manager
Prof. Prabhakar Naraga
Facility Operator
Dr. Trupti Chandrashekhar
Mr. Premkumar Verma
Facility Management Members
Prof. S. C. Patel
Prof. Prabhakar Naraga
Prof. Bivin Geo George
Prof. Sameer Ranjan
Department
Earth Science
Lab Email ID
premverma@iitb.ac.in
Facility Location
Room no.15, Ground floor, Department of Earth Sciences
Lab Phone No
02225764274/72

Facility Features, Working Principle and Specifications

Facility Description

Facility Description

 1. This an analytical instrument which combines an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer.

2. It can detect and measure the concentration of trace elements including rare-earth elements (REE) in different materials.

3. The plasma atomises and then ionises the elements present in the sample. These ions are then sequentially separated and detected by the mass spectrometer.

4. The instrument covers the mass range of 2–290 amu.

5. It has high sensitivity and can detect up to 10 ppt of many of the trace elements.

6. Materials can be introduced into the plasma in either of the two ways: (a) Weakly acidic or neutral aqueous solution; and (b) Ablated particles produced by laser ablation.

 

Features Working Principle

1. Plasma is generated by a plasma torch. An RF (Radio-Frequency) generator creates oscillating magnetic field inside the torch, through which argon gas flows.

2. A high voltage spark supplied through Tesla coil ionizes the argon gas. The argon ions travel in closed annular paths within the oscillating magnetic field and collide with other argon atoms. This causes Ohmic heating of the gas to 6,000–10,000 K in different parts of the plasma.

3. Sample solution is introduced into the plasma as an aerosol by aspirating by a nebulizer. The solution gets desolvated in the plasma.

4. Ablated particles of solid sample is introduced into the plasma by a carrier gas.

5. The ions formed in the plasma are typically positive ions (M+, M+2). Negative ions, such as F–, Cl–, I–, etc. difficult to analyse by ICP-MS. 

6. Detection and analysis capabilities will vary with the sample matrix, which may affect the degree of ionization in the plasma or allow the formation of species that may isobarically interfere with the analyte.

7. Ions from the plasma are brought into the mass spectrometer as an ion beam via Ni or Pt interface cones. The ion extraction interface comprises sample cone, skimmer cone and electrostatic ion extraction lens. Sample cone has a hole of ~1 mm dia and skimmer cone has a hole of ~ 0.45 mm at the centre.

8. The interface transfers the ions from atmospheric pressure (1–2 torr) into the vacuum region of the mass spectrometer (<1 x 10-5 torr).

9. The ion beam coming from the interface enters a Collison–Reaction Cell (CRC), where isobaric interferences are removed. Collision gas is helium and reaction gas (optional) can be hydrogen, ammonia, etc.

10. The ion beam then enters the quadrupole mass filter, where ions are separated based on their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio.

11. The quadrupole comprise two pairs of cylindrical rods (~ 1 cm dia; 15–20 cm long). AC and DC voltages are applied to the opposite pairs of rods. By varying the voltages, only the ions with a particular m/z ratio are allowed to pass through the quadrupole at a time.

12. The quadrupole is a sequential mass filter that can separate up to 2400 amu (atomic mass units) per second! Because of this high speed, the quadrupole ICP-MS can be considered as a pseudo-simultaneous instrument.

13.The ability to filter ions on their mass-to-charge ratio allows ICP-MS to supply isotopic information, since different isotopes of the same element have different masses.

14. Ions transmitted through the quadrupole are finally directed to the detector. The detector is a secondary ion multiplier comprising a series of dynodes that enable secondary emission of electrons exponentially at each step along the way and amplify the signal.

15. An internal standard is used to monitor signal drift and signal suppression due to matrix effect.

Body Specification

95 cm long, 80 cm wide, 110 cm high

Sample Preparation, User Instructions and Precautionary Measures

Instruction for Sample Preparation

1. Sample should be submitted in solution form.

2. The concentration of analyte in sample solutions should be less than 100 ppb.

3. HF must have been evaporated completely or neutralized by boric acid.

4.The TDS in sample solutions should not be more than 200 ppm. Dilute accordingly.

5. Sample solutions must have been filtered through 0.22 µ filter prior to the day of analysis.

6. Final acid concentration in the sample solution must be less than 1%.

7. Blank solution should be provided with sample solutions.

User Instructions and Precautionary Measures

1. Generally 10 ml of solution is sufficient for estimation.

2. For specific samples like rocks/ores, appropriate standards along with the samples should be submitted by user.

3. Explosive, poisonous, and organic samples will not be accepted.

4. Internal standard should be put in sample solutions, blank solution and standard solution.

Charges for Analytical Services in Different Categories

Usage Charges

⦁     Charges For ICP -MS

User

Standardization & Estimation (per element / sample)

Subsequent Sample per element (per element / sample)

Sample preparation by the user in our lab (per sample)

IITB (TAs)

 

150

50

300

IITB Students

 

300

100

600

IITB-Monash Students

 

300

100

600

Academic Institutes

 

600

200

1200

National Labs

 

1500

500

3000

Sine (Letter from SINE reqd.)

 

1500

500

3000

Research Park (MSME) (Letter from RP reqd.)

1500

500

3000

Research Park (Big Industry partners) (Letter from RP reqd.) and MSME not associated with RP (appropriate certificate required)

2250

750

4500

Industries

 

3000

1000

6000

NOTE:

  1. 18% GST will be charged for the above-mentioned charges for external users and IITB-Monash students.

  2. Sample preparation should be done by the users

  3. The charges provided are for analysis only and do not include interpretation.

  4. Final cost estimation will depend on the number of elements and the number of samples

  5. * For analyses involving fewer than five elements, a minimum of 20 samples will be considered

⦁    Charges for  LA-ICP -MS
 

Type of testing/experiment

U-Pb dating accessory minerals (e.g., zircon, monazite, titanite, rutile and apatite)*

In situ trace element analysis

IITB (TAs)

 

250

150

IITB Students

 

500

300

IITB-Monash Students

 

500

300

Academic Institutes

 

1000

600

National Labs

 

2500

1500

Sine (Letter from SINE reqd.)

 

2500

1500

Research Park (MSME) (Letter from RP reqd.)

2500

1500

Research Park (Big Industry partners) (Letter from RP reqd.) and MSME not associated with RP (appropriate certificate required)

3750

2250

Industries

 

5000

3000

Important: All analysis are per spot basis

 

Note: 18% GST will be charged for the above-mentioned charges for external users and IITB-Monash students.

*Sample preparation and CL images should be provided by users

 

#Minimum number of spots required to be analysed: 10 

 

The charges provided are for analysis only and do not include interpretation.

 

Applications

1. Detection and quantification of elements including REE, precious metals, and heavy metals at low levels.

2. Materials for analysis can be:

(a) Water; (b) Rock, soil, fly ash; (c) Environmental samples including particulate matter from air; (d) Polymers, drugs and drug bases; (e) Biological samples like urine, tooth, bone, etc.

Sample Details

Chemical allowed

Less than 1% acid in the final concentration. No organic chemicals.

Allowed Substrate

NO

Gases allowed

NO

Substrate Dimension

Not applicable

Target dimension

Not applicable

Contamination remarks

Sample solution must be prepared in clean lab to avoid contamination.

Precursors/ Targets allowed

NO

SOP, Lab Policies and Other Details

Publications