ABSTRACT
The fundamental principle of ICP-MS, which gives the technique its unequalled isotopic selectivity and sensitivity, also unfortunately contributes to some of its weaknesses. The fact that the sample “flows into” the spectrometer and is not “passed by it” at right angles, such as flame atomic absorption (AA) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), means that the potential for thermal problems, corrosion, chemical attack, blockage, matrix deposits, and drift is much higher than with the other atomic spectrometry (AS) techniques. However, being fully aware of this fact and carrying out regular inspections of instrumental components can reduce and sometimes eliminate many of these potential problem areas. There is no question that a laboratory that initiates a routine maintenance schedule stands a much better chance of having an instrument ready and available for analysis whenever it is needed, compared to a laboratory that basically ignores these issues and assumes the instrument will look after itself.
