Inductively Coupled, Plasma Source Mass Spectrometry - A New Element/Isotope Specific Mass Spectrometry Detector for Chromatography

A new mass spectrometry detector for chromatography is described. It is element/isotope specific. The interfacing of GC with the detector is very simple, consisting of a short (0. 5m) stainless steel tube. Oxygen gas (about 20% of total sample gas flow) must be injected, into the GC effluent entering the torch, to prevent carbon buildup on the torch. Three pentylated tin compounds (Me3SnPe, Me2SnPe2 and MeSnPe3) were separated and determined using the system. Although detection limits (ng's) achieved in this preliminary work were worse by over 2 orders of magnitude compared to state-of-the-art electrothermal atomic absorption detection, the approach holds much promise for the future in environmental/clinical metal organic species investigations.