Why Is Gold Added When Measuring Mercury with ICP-MS?
When using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for mercury (Hg) analysis, gold (Au) is commonly added to mitigate the memory effect, which refers to residual sample retention in the instrument’s introduction system, potentially causing cross-contamination in subsequent analyses. The addition of gold serves the following key purposes:
Preventing Adsorption and Volatility Loss
Mercury tends to adsorb onto the surfaces of the sample introduction tubing and instrument components, which can lead to inaccurate quantification. Additionally, mercury is highly volatile, and gold effectively stabilizes it by forming Au-Hg complexes, reducing loss and improving detection sensitivity.
Enhancing Signal Stability
The signal of mercury in ICP-MS can fluctuate due to matrix effects. The presence of gold helps stabilize mercury signals, ensuring consistent and reproducible measurements.
Acting as an Internal Standard
In some analytical protocols, gold is used as an internal standard to correct for instrumental drift, enhancing the accuracy of the measured concentrations.
By incorporating gold into the ICP-MS analysis of mercury, researchers can achieve more reliable and precise quantification, minimizing potential analytical biases caused by adsorption, volatility, or signal instability.
MtoZ Biolabs, an integrated chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) services provider.
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