GD-MS enables the elemental analysis of solid samples by sputtering in a low-pressure DC argon discharge. The sputtered atoms are ionized in this plasma and extracted into the mass spectrometer for separation and detection. When the spectrometer is operated in high resolution mode, this provides a powerful technique for the analysis of all trace and ultra-trace elemental constituents of inorganic materials. Because samples are analyzed in solid form, laborious and error prone dissolution procedures inherent to such techniques as Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry are avoided. Additionally, GD-MS is free from the matrix dependence response plaguing most other elemental analysis techniques, minimizing the need for matrix matched standards.

Advantages of GD-MS

• direct solid sample analysis with minimal sample preparation
• full element coverage of over 9 decades of concentration
• high detection power enabling determinations at ppb levels in a single analysis
• rapid analysis time (approx 1 to 1.5 hours including sample prep)