ICP-MS

In a competitive material analysis and laboratory service provision market, TSW Analytical provides a unique high-end applied and interpretive science service which is not available from other commercial laboratories. This service is based on the analysis of samples and interpretation of results, which are obtained from a number of analytical instruments.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)
ICP-MS technology is utilised for the determination of isotopic concentrations as low as parts per quadrillion. This multi-elemental technique facilitates the determination of most elements on the periodic table from a single sample; either in solution form (requires sample preparation) or as a solid (using laser ablation see below). More than two hundred samples may be analysed in a single overnight automated program or in manual mode, where analysis of as little as twenty microliters of solution is possible.

TSW Analytical has access to a state of the art quadrupole ICP-MS system supplied by Agilent Technologies. The 7500cs model is considered one of the best on the market and our experiences to date support this statement. The ICPMS is considered the most important instrument with the results generated providing our skilled personnel with powerful information for whatever the scientific requirement.

ICPMS off
Agilent ICP-MS Systems: 7500cs (left) and the 7700 (right)

Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)
The laser ablation unit can be coupled to either of the ICP-MS or ICP-AES instruments. This facilitates the analysis of solid samples directly with often no sample preparation. This essentially makes a qualitative multi-elemental analysis possible from any solid sample in as little as 30 seconds. The new generation New Wave UP213 Laser Ablation unit has made possible the multi-elemental analysis samples as small as twenty micrometers across. In addition it has been demonstrated that precious samples such as artworks can be sampled almost non-destructively and a robust analysis achieved with as little as four laser ablation shots - which cannot be seen by the naked eye. LA-ICP-MS is considered another service which makes TSW Analytical unique to any other local analytical chemistry service providers. The skilled team have developed a number of unique methodologies which can applied to commercial samples. The LA-ICP-MS technology forms the backbone of the precious metal fingerprinting technology developed and used by our scientists. The team will soon welcome a new Agilent HPLC-ICPMS system which will enable us to;

Analyse for target organometallics that are important for environmental chemistry and
Undertake speciation of ions to facilitate determination of their toxic and non-toxic forms. This is important from both a food forensic and environmental chemistry point of view.