Simultaneous determination of trace elements in minute samples by electrothermal-vaporization/low-pressure helium-ICP-MS.

Electrothermal vaporization with two filaments was studied for low-pressure helium-ICP-MS. A 10-microl volume of sample was dried and vaporized, and then introduced to the ICP. With this technique, four elements were simultaneously determined with the acceptable precisions (RSD ca. 10%). The detection limit based on 3sigma of background signals approached the fractional ppb range. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of the certified reference material for human hair.