Practical Guide to ICP-MS and Other Atomic Spectroscopy Techniques: A Tutorial for Beginners

Written by one of the very first practitioners of ICP-MS, Practical Guide to ICP-MS and Other Atomic Spectroscopy Techniques: A Tutorial for Beginners presents ICP-MS in a completely novel and refreshing way. By comparing it with other complementary atomic spectroscopy (AS) techniques, it gives the trace element analysis user community a glimpse into why the technique was first developed and how the application landscape has defined its use today, 40 years after it was first commercialized in 1983.

What’s new in the 4th edition:

• Updated chapters on the fundamental principles and applications of ICP-MS
• New chapters on complementary AS techniques including AA, AF, ICP-OES, MIP-AES, XRF, XRD, LIBS, LALI-TOFMS
• Strategies for reducing errors and contamination with plasma spectrochemical techniques
• Comparison of collision and reaction cells including triple/multi quad systems
• Novel approaches to sample digestion
• Alternative sample introduction accessories
• Comprehensive glossary of terms used in AS
• New vendor contact information

The book is not only suited to novices and beginners, but also to more experienced analytical scientists who want to know more about recent ICP-MS developments, and where the technique might be heading in the future. Furthermore, it offers much needed guidance on how best to evaluate commercial AS instrumentation and what might be the best technique, based on your lab’s specific application demands.

"I feel honored to have been asked to deliver the Foreword for this book, which is suited not only for beginners, but also for more experienced analytical scientists who want to know the advances in plasma spectrochemistry instrumentation and related future opportunities."

-Dr. Heidi Goenaga Infante, LGC Science Fellow; Chief Scientist, National Measurement Laboratory, Visiting Professor, University of Strathclyde, UK.

Robert (Rob) Thomas is the Principal Scientist at Scientific Solutions, a consulting company that serves the educational needs of the trace element analysis user community. He has worked in the field of atomic and mass spectroscopy for almost 50 years, including 24 years for a manufacturer of atomic spectroscopic instrumentation. He has served on the American Chemical Society (ACS) Committee on Analytical Reagents (CAR) for the past 20 years as leader of the plasma spectrochemistry, heavy metals task force, where he has worked very closely with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to align ACS heavy metal testing procedures with pharmaceutical guidelines. Rob has written over 100 technical publications, including a 15-part tutorial series on ICP-MS. He is also the editor of and frequent contributor to the Atomic Perspectives column in Spectroscopy magazine, as well as serving on the editorial advisory board of Analytical Cannabis. In addition, Rob has authored five textbooks on the fundamental principles and applications of ICP-MS. Prior to this new edition of Practical Guide to ICP-MS and Other Atomic Spectroscopy Techniques, his most recent book was a paperback version of Measuring Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cannabis and Hemp, published in December 2021. Rob has an advanced degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Wales, UK, and is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and a Chartered Chemist (CChem).