Hill S.J. (Ed.) Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry and its Applications

Singapore: Blackwell Publishing . - 2007. - 444 p. To undertake to update and revise a book that has been well received is rather a daunting task. Clearly any editor, and indeed all of the authors who contribute, would like the second edition to be even better than the first. The difficulty however is how to achieve that. The first edition of this book was perceived as a handbook for users of inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) who wanted a better understanding of the theory, yet also wanted a practical insight of how best to approach a range of applications. These key objectives have been retained in the second edition but the focus of the book has changed so that the overall perspective is more forward looking. Much of the historical development behind the use of the techniques described in some detail in the first edition has been minimised and the emphasis is now on state-of-the-art developments and potential developments for the future. The book has been structured into 11 chapters, each utilising the authors' expertise and experience, and providing enough detail to be useful to both the new and experienced users. The first chapter of the previous edition presented the first full account by Stan Greenfield of the early development of the ICP. This second edition starts at the other end of the spectrum and sets the scene for the rest of the book by providing a thought provoking account of both the strengths and weaknesses of ICP-AES and ICP-MS and how the impact of technology transfer is starting to effect current trends and may impact on future developments. I was delighted when Gary Hieftje accepted the challenge to write this chapter.Introduction - A Forward-Looking Perspective
Fundamental Principles of Inductively Coupled Plasmas
Basic Concepts and Instrumentation for Plasma Spectrometry
Aerosol Generation and Sample Transport
Fundamental Aspects of Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Use of ICP-MS for Isotope Ratio Measurements
Alternative and Mixed Gas Plasmas
Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry: A Complementary Source for Trace Element Speciation Analysis
Geological Applications of Plasma Spectrometry
Environmental and Clinical Applications of Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry
Applications of Plasma Spectrometry in Food Science