Flexible software solution for rapid manual and automated data evaluation in ICP-MS

In the field of chemical analysis a high amount of data is generated especially in the scope of high-throughput measurement and automation systems. In general, analytical laboratories involve a multitude of analytical devices with different measurement principles. This results in devices from different vendors with a heterogeneous control software environment and often with different export data formats. One of the main tasks in laboratory automation is the integration of various devices to increase the applicative flexibility. This requires homogenous communication protocols and data formats. In this study, a data evaluation software is presented which enables an effective data processing of elemental analysis measurement data. The raw data are imported form the device software and the processed data are saved using Excel files. The data processing is performed using individual settings stored in filter and calculation methods. This provides a maximum in flexibility related to the raw data structure and the required statistical parameters to be calculated. The modular software concept allows the application to different analytical devices not only limited to elemental analysis also for techniques delivering structural compound information. The software Analytical Data Evaluation (ADE) presented was applied to an inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and used both in method development and in routine analysis. The integration into an existing process management system provides a maximum of automation.