In Situ Elemental and Isotopic Analyses of Heavy Metals in Environmental Water Solutions

Abstract

Presented are results of applicability tests of a miniature and portable time-of-flight laser mass-analyzer with water solutions. Discussed are the analytical possibilities of the laser time-of-flight mass spectrometry to produce express and stable elemental and isotopic mass spectra of environmental aqueous samples directly in-situ of the places of sample collection and several related problems as sample preparation, multielement chemical analysis and reliability of analytical results. A description of a simple methodic for preparation of laser targets from water solutions with different concentrations of the metals Na, Mg, Fe, Ni, Cd and Hg is presented. In a descending row from 1,000 to 62.5 ppb and in quantities of a 0.25 ml each, the solutions were carefully evaporated on glass holders and the produced sedimentation residues were investigated with the laser mass analyzer. The data presented below showed a deviation within 16% from the expected values, which is a proof of quite satisfactory sample homogeneity. The possible areas and cases of the proposed methodic for express target preparation are also discussed.