Reduction of water loading effects in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry by a Nafion membrane dryer device

A multi-strand Nafion(R) dryer, located between the spray chamber and torch of a plasma source mass spectrometer, removed about 97% of the total mass of mater leaving the spray chamber. A significant reduction in the ratio of the oxide signal to that of the metal for cerium and barium mas observed. The argon oxide and hydroxide signals at m/z 56 and 57, respectively, mere also decreased by about a factor of 10 for m/z 56. In turn, an improvement in the detection limit for iron at this milt by about a factor of 5 was obtained. The use of the dryer did not require re-optimization of the instrument operating conditions and, for the relatively clean solutions introduced by flow injection used in this study, did not cause any significant memory effect or peak broadening.