Accurate whole-rock geochemistry analysis by combined ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS instruments

Abstract

ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS instruments routinely used to assess the geochemical properties of the various natural and synthetic materials. In this contribution, the analytical routines and method development procedures of the ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS facilities installed at the Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa Geological Engineering Department, Geochronology and Geochemistry Laboratory have been evaluated using well-known international rock standards. Sample preparation techniques, method development, experimental setup and measurement conditions for the both ICP-OES and LA-ICP-MS instruments were discussed and specific analyze results of NIST SRM 614, BCR-2, AGV-2, BCR-2G and AGV-2G were evaluated. Flux-free USGS glass standards were produced by in-house techniques and flux-bearing glasses were produced by fusion of sample with the mixture of ultra-pure lithium-tetraborate, lithium metaborate and lithiumbromide were evaluated and compared with the well-known reference values in the literature. Relative standard deviation (RSD) values for the major oxide measurements for standards given range of 0.0 wt. % to 1.5 wt. %. RSD values for the trace and rare-earth-elements values were mainly lower than 10 wt. %. The results confirm that the both flux-bearing and flux-free glasses reasonably match with the worldwide inter-laboratory values for international standards samples. The combination of these two instruments can be used to conduct geochemistry of various solid earth materials.