LA-ICP-MS
Definition
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; a technique that fires a laser pulse at a sample surface, vaporises a tiny amount, and measures the isotopic and elemental composition of the resulting plasma with very low detection limits; standard for trace-element profiling of gemstones and minerals without dissolving the sample.
- Elements detected
- 27 to 40 simultaneously
- Sensitivity range
- Parts-per-million to parts-per-billion
- Sample preparation
- No dissolution needed; direct solid analysis
- Minimum sample size
- About 30 micrometres
- Glass comparison standard
- ASTM E2927
Common questions
What does LA-ICP-MS actually measure?+
LA-ICP-MS fires a pulsed laser at a sample surface to vaporise a tiny spot, then measures 27 to 40 elements in the resulting plasma at parts-per-billion sensitivity. It works on glass, minerals, gemstones, and other solids without needing to dissolve them first, producing an elemental fingerprint that can distinguish between samples.
Why use LA-ICP-MS instead of dissolving a sample?+
Laser ablation skips wet-chemistry dissolution entirely. You can analyse a solid sample in-situ, which means no contamination risk from chemicals and minimal sample loss. For glass fragments and gemstones, this approach is a significant advantage in forensics because only a microscopic crater is left behind.
How small a sample can LA-ICP-MS test?+
The laser can ablate samples as small as about 30 micrometres. That means even a tiny glass fragment or a speck of mineral in a gemstone can yield a complete elemental profile. The microscopic crater left behind is so small it barely damages the evidence.
Related terms
- ASTM E2927
- Standard test method for the determination of trace elements in glass samples using LA-ICP-MS; specifies the element suite, calibration standards (NIST SRM...
- ENFSI ENG3-2013
- The ENFSI Glass Expert Working Group guideline for glass comparison casework; specifies the examination sequence, within-source variation requirements, statistical comparison framework, and...
- PVB Interlayer
- Polyvinyl butyral film bonding the two glass layers in a laminated automotive windshield; retains broken glass in place after fracture, preserving the...
- Within-Source Variation
- The natural variation observed among multiple samples collected from a single source location. Used to estimate the probability of the observed difference...
- ASTM E1967
- The ASTM International standard for forensic glass RI measurement; specifies three acceptable methods (automated, semi-automated, manual), minimum precision of ±0.0001 RI units,...
- Bayesian Likelihood Ratio (LR)
- The statistical framework that evaluates glass-fragment evidence by comparing the probability of the observed fragment population assuming contact with the source glass...
- BNS 2023 § 106
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 provision criminalising causing death by negligence; the primary charging provision for fatal hit-and-run cases in India, with enhanced...
- Chondrite Normalisation
- The practice of dividing each REE concentration by the concentration of that element in a chondritic meteorite (or another reference material such...
- Cold Filament Failure
- Fracture of a tungsten bulb filament below operational temperature; characterised by a clean, brittle transverse fracture with no deformation and no oxide...
- EUCAP
- European Collection of Automotive Paints, maintained at the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) in Wiesbaden; the European counterpart to PDQ for automotive hit-and-run paint comparison.
- FCIN
- Forensic Collision Investigation Network (UK); provides standardised protocols for fatal and serious-injury collision forensic examination, including paint, glass, tyre and filament examination.
- Float Process
- The Pilkington 1959 manufacturing method in which molten glass is poured onto a bath of molten tin, producing a ribbon with two...
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