MC-ICP-MS (Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry)
Definition
An instrument that ionises a liquid or laser-ablated sample in an argon plasma at about 8,000 K and simultaneously collects multiple ion beams. Faster throughput than TIMS and capable of measuring a wide range of elements, including those difficult to ionise on a filament.
- Plasma temperature
- About 8,000 K, argon plasma
- Detector design
- Multiple ion beams collected simultaneously
- Sample introduction
- Liquid or laser-ablated
- Compared to TIMS
- Faster throughput, wider element range
Common questions
Why choose MC-ICP-MS over TIMS for a forensic provenance case?+
TIMS requires elements that ionise readily on a heated filament, which excludes many elements of interest, while the plasma source in MC-ICP-MS ionises a much broader range of elements and processes samples faster, at some cost in precision for certain isotope systems.
What does laser-ablation sample introduction add?+
It allows isotope measurement directly from a solid sample surface, such as a small fragment of glass, metal, or bone, avoiding the dissolution step needed for liquid introduction and preserving spatial information within the sample.
Related terms
- Delta Notation (δ)
- A notation expressing the isotope ratio of a sample relative to an international standard in parts per thousand (per mil, ‰). Positive...
- Epsilon Notation (ε)
- Similar to delta but expressed in parts per ten thousand, used for radiogenic systems where variation is very small. Epsilon Nd and...
- Radiogenic Isotope
- An isotope produced by radioactive decay of a parent nuclide over geological time. Its abundance in a rock or mineral increases predictably...
- Stable Isotope
- An isotope that does not undergo radioactive decay. Ratios of stable isotopes change only through physical or biological fractionation, such as evaporation...
- TIMS (Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry)
- An instrument that ionises a sample deposited on a metal filament and measures ion beam intensities with Faraday collectors. The gold standard...