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Instrumentation, Fundamentals, and Application of Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

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Recent Advances in Laser Ablation ICP-MS for Archaeology

Part of the book series: Natural Science in Archaeology ((ARCHAEOLOGY))

Abstract

Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is becoming a versatile and mature analytical technique for quantitative major, minor, and trace element analysis and isotope ratio determinations. A wide variety of solid and liquid samples can be analyzed. Besides the fast growing application of this method as an imaging technique, geology still is and has been the major driving force for the development of LA-ICP-MS. In this review, the method, instrumentation, fundamental observations and quantification procedures are explained. In addition, pros and cons of the technique are discussed and some trends and new sampling strategies, with special focus on archaeological applications, are summarized.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Henry Longerich for fruitful discussion and comments on this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Mattias B. Fricker & Detlef Günther

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  1. Mattias B. Fricker
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  2. Detlef Günther
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Correspondence to Detlef Günther .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Integrative Research Center, Elemental Analysis Facility, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Laure Dussubieux

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA

    Mark Golitko

  3. Institut de Recherche sur les Archéomatériaux Centre Ernest Babelon, CNRS/Université d’Orléans, Orléans, France

    Bernard Gratuze

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Fricker, M.B., Günther, D. (2016). Instrumentation, Fundamentals, and Application of Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. In: Dussubieux, L., Golitko, M., Gratuze, B. (eds) Recent Advances in Laser Ablation ICP-MS for Archaeology. Natural Science in Archaeology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49894-1_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49894-1_1

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