Thermodynamic and parametric optimisation of collision/reaction cells in plasma-source mass spectrometry

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is an established technique for elemental analysis. Collision/reaction cell ICP-MS is a recently established variation of the technique that facilitates the determination of elements suffering from spectral interference. Two distinct collision cell ion energy effects have been identified: the ion kinetic energy effect (IKEE) and kinetic energy discrimination (KED). IKEE influences the reactivity of the cell by altering the ion energy. Slowing ions by increasing the potential difference between the hexapole pole bias and plasma increases the rate of exothermic reactions in the cell. KED excludes slow, cell-formed ions from the mass analyser by the use of an appropriate potential difference between the quadrupole and hexapole pole biases. [Continues.]