Copper determination using ICP-MS with hexapole collision cell

Determination of copper using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) suffers from polyatomic overlays originating from Na(+) and Mg(2+) matrix elements due to the formation of (40)Ar(23)Na(+) and (40)Ar(25)Mg(+) in the mass-to-charge ratios of 63 and 65, respectively. The collision/reaction cell technology belongs to the most modern methods used to overcome polyatomic interferences. Gas-filled collision/reaction cell can cause an additional mass bias effect influencing analytical precision of the method. In this study, the additional mass bias effect of the hexapole collision/reaction cell ICP-MS was studied on an example of n((65)Cu)/n((63)Cu) isotope ratio. As a result, a method for suppressing polyatomic interference on the mass-to-charge ratio of 63 and 65 was introduced and additional mass bias of the collision/reaction cell was lowered to an acceptable level.