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Liquid chromatography hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (LC-ICP-OES) for speciation analysis

(11.11.2024)

LC-ICP-OES, also known as LC-ICP-AES, is a powerful analytical technique used for speciation analysis—the process of identifying and quantifying different chemical forms of an element within a sample. While it shares similarities with liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS), LC-ICP-OES has its own distinct advantages and limitations.

Components and Mechanisms

Liquid Chromatography (LC):

LC separates different species of an element based on their chemical properties, such as polarity, size, or charge.
The diverse separation mechanisms available in LC techniques provide a versatile toolbox for various separation tasks.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES):

ICP-OES detects separated species by measuring the intensity of emitted light at specific wavelengths corresponding to the element of interest.
Available in both monochromator and polychromator configurations, it can handle single-element or multi-element speciation tasks.

Hyphenation and Operation

Physical Coupling:

The LC column effluent is directed to the ICP-OES sample introduction system.
A variety of nebulizers are available to accommodate flow rates from nanoliters per minute (nL/min) to milliliters per minute (mL/min).
Proper sample introduction systems and minimizing post-column dispersion by avoiding dead volumes and using appropriate tubing and connectors are crucial to maintaining chromatographic separation power.

Software and Signal Evaluation:

Special software supports transient signal evaluation for LC-ICP-OES.
The linear working range is limited compared to conventional steady-state signal evaluation, as it relies on pre-selected integration times.
A wider working range can be achieved by selecting analyte lines of different sensitivities and choosing the best signal channel for evaluation.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Detection Power:

ICP-OES detection power is generally about two orders of magnitude lower than that of ICP-MS.
However, ICP-OES can tolerate much higher matrix concentrations than ICP-MS, reducing the need for sample dilution and partly compensating for its lower sensitivity.

Matrix Tolerance:

The high matrix tolerance of ICP-OES allows for the analysis of samples with less preparation and dilution, making it suitable for complex matrices.

Multi-element Detection:

A polychromator in ICP-OES provides simultaneous multi-element detection, enhancing its efficiency for certain applications.

Comparison with LC-ICP-MS

LC-ICP-MS offers lower detection limits and isotopic analysis capabilities, leading to its increased popularity.
LC-ICP-MS is more commonly reported in scientific literature, with about ten times more publications than LC-ICP-OES.
Despite this, LC-ICP-OES remains valuable when ultra-low detection limits are not required.

Recent Applications

Industrial and Chemical Analysis:

Speciation of metals in catalysts to understand their activity and stability.
Analysis of metal species in various industrial materials and products.

Environmental Samples:

Examination of element species such as aluminium, iron, silicon, or phosphorus in environmental samples where concentrations are higher than trace levels.

In conclusion, LC-ICP-OES is a robust and versatile technique for speciation analysis, particularly useful in scenarios where high matrix tolerance and multi-element detection are advantageous. Its applications span industrial, chemical, and environmental fields, making it a significant tool in modern analytical chemistry.

Reviews of LC-ICP-OES (newest first)

Heena Rekhi, Susheela Rani, Neha Sharma & Ashok Kumar Malik, A Review on Recent Applications of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in Metal Determination and Speciation Analysis, Crit. Rev. Anal. Chem., 47/6 (2017) 524-537. DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2017.1343659

Toni Llorente-Mirandes, Roser Rubio, José Fermín López-Sánchez, Inorganic Arsenic Determination in Food: A Review of Analytical Proposals and Quality Assessment Over the Last Six Years, Applied Spectroscopy, 71/1 (2017) 25–69. DOI: 10.1177/0003702816652374

Rajmund Michalski, Sebastian Szopa, Magdalena Jabłonska, Aleksandra Łyko, Application of Hyphenated Techniques in Speciation Analysis of Arsenic, Antimony, and Thallium, The ScientificWorld Journal, 2012, Article ID 902464. DOI: 10.1100/2012/902464

José Luis Gómez-Ariza, Elham Zeini Jahromi, Macarena González-Fernández, Tamara García-Barreraa, Jürgen Gailer, Liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-based metallomic approaches to probe health-relevant interactions between xenobiotics and mammalian organisms, Metallomics, 3 (2011) 566–577. DOI: 10.1039/c1mt00037c

Fabien Chainet, Charles-Philippe Lienemann, Marion Courtiade, Jérémie Ponthus, Olivier Francois Xavier Donard, Silicon speciation by hyphenated techniques for environmental, biological and industrial issues: A review, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 26 (2011) 30-51. DOI: 10.1039/c0ja00152j

Jacek Namieśnik, Anna Rabajczyk, The Speciation of Aluminum in Environmental Samples, Crit. Rev. Anal. Chem., 40/2 (2010) 68 — 88. DOI: 10.1080/10408340903153234

Guilhem Caumette, Charles-Philippe Lienemann, Isabelle Merdrignac, Brice Bouyssiere, Ryszard Lobinski, Element speciation analysis of petroleum and related materials, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 24 (2009) 263–276. DOI: 10.1039/b817888g

Heather L. Peters, Bradley T. Jones, Determination of Non-metals by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Inductively Coupled Plasma Detection, Applied Spectroscopy Reviews,38/1 (2003) 71 — 99. DOI: 10.1081/ASR-120018182

Les Ebdon, Andy Fisher, The use of ICP-AES as a detector for elemental speciation studies, in: J.A. Caruso, K.L. Sutton and K.L. Ackley (Eds.), Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry, Vol. XXXIII (2000) 227-248. DOI: 10.1016/S0166-526X(00)80018-5