Electrospray Mass Spectrometry with Controlled in-Source Atomization as a Promising Elemental Method: Evaluation of Analytical Features

Electrospray ionization with controlled in-source fragmentation and atomization (ERIAD) is promising method for mass-spectrometric elemental analysis. This paper concerns the main analytical features and necessary instrumentation for ERIAD. The method is shown to be effective for more than 70 elements of the periodic table: those that present as cations in a water solution. It shows a high absolute sensitivity with a low spread from Li to U, and a detection limit of tens of parts per trillion. The soft ionization used results in the absence of plasma chemical reaction products, typical for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the spectra are nearly free from interferences. The method does not require a high resolution and can be used for samples with an artificial isotopic content. The method is essentially valid for radiochemistry and metallomics, as it has the possibility to combine measurements of chemical, elemental, and even isotopic content simultaneously.