ABSTRACT
There are a number of different ICP-MS designs available today that share many similar components, such as nebulizer, spray chamber, plasma torch, interface cones, vacuum chamber, ion optics, mass analyzer, and detector. However, the engineering design and implementation of these components can vary significantly from one instrument to another. Instrument-specific hardware is described in greater detail in the subsequent Chapters 3-11 on the basic principles of the technique. So let us begin here by giving an overview of the principles of operation of ICP-MS. Figure 1.2 shows the basic components that make up an ICP-MS system. The sample, which usually must be in a liquid form, is pumped at 1 mL/min, usually with a peristaltic pump, into a nebulizer where it is converted into a fine aerosol with argon gas at about 1 L/min. The fine droplets of the aerosol, which represent only 1-2% of the sample, are separated from larger droplets by means of a spray chamber. The fine
aerosol then emerges from the exit tube of the spray chamber and is transported into the plasma torch via a sample injector.
