Analytical determination of metals in industrial polymers by laser ablation ICP-MS

The feasibility of using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry LA-ICP-MS.for the analysis of two industrial polymers is investigated. Using a commercially available LA system and ICP-MS two cases studies are performed using semiquantitative analysis. For a filled polymer film, results are obtained for 10 elements of interest that compare well to solution inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry ICP-OES.results. For the analysis of platinum catalyst in a silicon-coated polyester film, results are obtained that compare well to prepared values. The conclusion that LA-ICP-MS may be used to replace traditional, time-consuming analyses within the necessary data quality objectives is made. q1998 Elsevier Science B.V.