Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in atomic spectrometry and related techniques

Abstract

This review covers developments in ‘Atomic Spectrometry’. It covers
atomic emission, absorption, fluorescence and mass spectrometry,
but excludes material on speciation and coupled techniques which
is included in a separate review. It should be read in conjunction
with the previous review1 and the other related reviews in the
series.2–6 A critical approach to the selection of material has been
adopted, with only novel developments in instrumentation,
techniques and methodology being included. One of the major
developments which has gained traction over the past few years is
the use of elemental tagging for the relative and absolute
quantification of biological molecules using ICP-MS. This has
advanced to the stage where it is now routinely used as an assay
technique. A number of variations on this approach have also been
developed in order to improve sensitivity by amplification of the
signal, particularly for polynucleotide analysis. Single particle
analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-AES has been used to gain some
valuable insights into the atomisation and ionisation processes
occurring in the ICP, as well as providing a means of quantification
of nanoparticles. The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has
attracted interest as a compact, low-power, microplasma source
for MS and AES, following the trend for all things miniature, as well
as for direct analysis of liquids. The use of MC-ICP-MS is the driver
behind advances in the isotope ratio analysis of natural stable
isotopes of metallic elements. Double spiking is an expanding
method to neutralise instrumental and procedural mass-dependent
fractionation in both stable and radiogenic isotope systems. An
overlap is emerging between the measurement of uranium isotope
variation in natural systems and the U isotope determination for the
nuclear forensic or monitoring/safeguarding fields. Coincident
analytical techniques between these fields is likely to produce
useful advances in the analysis of nuclear materials.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Rex N Taylor: orcid.org/0000-0002-9367-0294

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