ELEMENTary Environmental Analysis: How to Overcome Interferences to Simplify the ICP-OES and ICP-MS Analyses of Challenging Samples From Wastewater to Electronic Waste

Part 1.

As general industry remains a contributor of toxic elemental contamination to the environment, in this day and age of rapidly advancing technology and digital communication, the production and disposal of electronic devices are of growing concern.

Elemental analysis for environmental protection has extended globally from drinking water, wastewater, soil, etc., to electronic wastes, which are analyzed for toxic contaminants and valuable elements for re-use. This complexity of sample matrices, coupled with the comprehensive quality control protocol of environmental legislation, present challenges for analysis by ICP-OES. Furthermore, the physical, chemical, and spectral interferences due to these matrices must be resolved for accuracy and data quality. In the first part of this presentation, learn how the analysis of the most challenging environmental samples, from wastewater to electronic wastes, can be simplified through method optimization combined with recent innovations in ICP-OES hardware and software.

Part 2.

The adverse effects of increased concentrations of heavy metals in the environment are of key concern and must be continuously monitored in matrices such as ground and surface waters, drinking water, wastewater, soils, and sediments as required by environmental legislation.

To achieve cost-effective and high-throughput analysis in a laboratory requires analytical tools that can effectively address challenges such as matrix effects and interferences that cause false positive results. A single technique that can measure all environmentally relevant elements in such matrices with accuracy and robustness is desired. This presentation will highlight the use of triple quadrupole ICP-MS systems for reliable and high-throughput analysis. Commonly known interferences can be easily removed enabling labs to decrease re-runs, thereby increasing confidence in data quality and helping to realize time savings.

Presenter: Sabrina Antonio (Regional Marketing Manager, Trace Elemental Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific)

Sabrina has a diverse professional background ranging from Senior Chemical Engineer and Construction Project Manager for New York state and local power utilities, to Lead Auditor for US EPA Contract Laboratory Program Inorganic Statement of Work, to Product Specialist for elemental analysis instrumentation. She joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2015 as a Sales Specialist in the Center of Excellence and in 2018, became the Regional Marketing Manager for Trace Elemental Analysis in North America. Sabrina enjoys the challenge of moving and living in different places and has settled in Denver, CO as a happy medium.

Presenter: Daniel Kutscher (Product Marketing Specialist, Trace Elemental Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific)

Daniel graduated with a degree in Chemistry at the University of Mainz, Germany in 2007. Daniel then joined the Analytical Spectrometry Group at the University of Oviedo, Spain where he obtained a PhD in 2011. His main research interest was in the use of elemental labeling of proteins and peptides to explore new technologies based on elemental mass spectrometry for accurate quantification.

Daniel joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2011 as Product Specialist for ICP-MS. Besides working with hyphenated techniques such as IC-ICP-MS, he is also involved in finding solutions for high throughput analysis of challenging samples.

Presenter: Jeff Gross (Senior Training Instructor, Trace Elemental Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific)

Jeff graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a BS in Secondary Education and BS in Chemistry. After graduation, he was a Physical Science Instructor and then he worked in the environmental industry for 10 years as a Metals Department Analyst, Department Supervisor and Project Manager. He joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2008 as a training instructor for ICP-OES and ICP-MS. Jeff currently resides in St. Louis, MO after nearly 12 years in South Florida.