Determination of trace elements in polymers is necessary for environmental research and compliance. The conventional solution-based inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique is time-consuming because it requires sample decomposition; thus, a faster technique such as laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is highly desired. LA-ICP-MS allows the direct analysis of polymers, which is faster than using solution nebulization ICP-MS. In previous studies, LA-ICP-MS has been applied for the elemental analysis of polymers by calibrating with matrix-matched standard or/and internal standardization. However, the quantitative analysis of polymers containing oxygen and internal standardization using carbon have not been achieved due to the matrix effect. In this study, we report the analysis of 5 different polymers with carbon concentration ranging from 45.620 to 85.543% and containing heteroatoms such as oxygen and chlorine using a femtosecond (fs) LA-ICP-MS with internal standardization by carbon. By the optimization of laser fluence, elemental fractionation between trace elements and carbon was minimized. Trace elements (Cr, Br, Cd, Hg and Pb) in polymer reference materials including, polyethylene, polyester, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene, were determined. The coefficients of determination (R²) of the calibration curves were improved from 0.8067–0.9880 without internal standardization to 0.9556–0.9993 with internal standardization by ¹³C. The determined concentrations agreed with the certified value with deviation within 30% via internal standardization by ¹³C. It was observed that internal standardization with ¹³C is effective regardless of the concentration of carbon and heteroatoms in the polymers. These results show that the polymer matrix effect was compensated. Therefore, fsLA-ICP-MS and internal standardization by ¹³C can be used for the determination of Cr, Br, Cd, Hg and Pb in polymers.

中文翻译：

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使用碳内标的 fsLA-ICP-MS 测定聚合物中的痕量元素

聚合物中痕量元素的测定对于环境研究和合规性是必要的。传统的基于溶液的电感耦合等离子体质谱 (ICP-MS) 技术非常耗时，因为它需要样品分解；因此，非常需要更快的技术，例如激光烧蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱法 (LA-ICP-MS)。LA-ICP-MS 允许直接分析聚合物，这比使用溶液雾化 ICP-MS 更快。在之前的研究中，LA-ICP-MS 已通过使用基质匹配标准或/和内标进行校准，用于聚合物的元素分析。然而，由于基质效应，含氧聚合物的定量分析和使用碳的内标尚未实现。在这项研究中，我们报告了使用飞秒 (fs) LA-ICP-MS 分析碳浓度范围从 45.620 到 85.543% 并含有杂原子（如氧和氯）的 5 种不同聚合物，并通过碳进行内部标准化。通过优化激光能量密度，微量元素和碳之间的元素分馏被最小化。测定了聚合物参考材料（包括聚乙烯、聚酯、丙烯腈丁二烯苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯和聚丙烯）中的痕量元素（Cr、Br、Cd、Hg 和 Pb）。决定系数（微量元素和碳之间的元素分馏被最小化。测定了聚合物参考材料（包括聚乙烯、聚酯、丙烯腈丁二烯苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯和聚丙烯）中的痕量元素（Cr、Br、Cd、Hg 和 Pb）。决定系数（微量元素和碳之间的元素分馏被最小化。测定了聚合物参考材料（包括聚乙烯、聚酯、丙烯腈丁二烯苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯和聚丙烯）中的痕量元素（Cr、Br、Cd、Hg 和 Pb）。决定系数（[R ²的校准曲线的）通过从0.8067-0.9880没有内部标准化提高到0.9556-0.9993与内部标准化¹³ C.所确定的与偏差标准值30％以内的同意浓度通过由内部标准化¹³ C.观察到无论聚合物中碳和杂原子的浓度如何，用¹³ C 进行内部标准化都是有效的。这些结果表明聚合物基体效应得到了补偿。因此，fsLA-ICP-MS 和¹³ C内标可用于测定聚合物中的 Cr、Br、Cd、Hg 和 Pb。