ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the many different measurement protocols associated with identifying and quantifying the analyte peak in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and how they impact sample throughput and the quality of the data generated. To meet diverse applications modern ICP-MS instrumentation has to be very flexible if it is to keep up with the increasing demands of its users. Nowhere is this more important than in the area of peak integration and measurement protocol. There are many variables that affect the quality of the analytical signal in ICP-MS. Also, there is the peak-hopping approach, in which the quadrupole power supply is driven to a discrete position on the peak and allowed to settle, and a measurement is taken for a fixed amount of time. When the best possible detection limits are required, the peak-hopping approach is best.
