Problems in obtaining precise and accurate Sr isotope analysis from geological materials using laser ablation MC-ICPMS

This paper reviews the problems encountered in eleven studies of Sr isotope analysis using laser ablation multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICPMS) in the period 1995-2006. This technique has been shown to have great potential, but the accuracy and precision are limited by: (1) large instrumental mass discrimination, (2) laser-induced isotopic and elemental fractionations and (3) molecular interferences. The most important isobaric interferences are Kr and Rb, whereas Ca dimer/argides and doubly charged rare earth elements (REE) are limited to sample materials which contain substantial amounts of these elements. With modern laser (193 nm) and MC-ICPMS equipment, minerals with > 500 ppm Sr content can be analysed with a precision of better than 100 ppm and a spatial resolution (spot size) of approximately 100 mu m. The LA MC-ICPMS analysis of Sr-87/Sr-86 of both carbonate material and plagioclase is successful in all reported studies, although the higher Sr-84/Sr-86 ratios do suggest in some cases an influence of Ca dimer and/or argides. High Rb/Sr (> 0.01) materials have been successfully analysed by carefully measuring the Rb-85/Rb-87 in standard material and by applying the standard-sample bracketing method for accurate Rb corrections. However, published LA-MC-ICPMS data on clinopyroxene, apatite and sphene records differences when compared with Sr-87/Sr-86 measured by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) and solution MC-ICPMS. This suggests that further studies are required to ensure that the most optimal correction methods are applied for all isobaric interferences.