Geological Samples:

The analysis of geological samples constitutes a main area of the application of atomic emission spectrometry. A huge proportion of the elements of the periodic table present within the geological samples could be conveniently determined through ICP-AES spectrometry. Those are now routinely being measured well inside the limits of the methods. In past, a number of analytical methods have been described for the determination of a particular element in a given sample type. These methods could not be used in a generalised way for samples with analytically different matrices. It became difficult to determine the other elements present in the matrix. More so, the elements that are readily detected in mineralised rock samples may not be detectable in non-mineralised samples such as water. However, when ICP-AES is used for analysis of normal silicate rocks, the range of elements that can be measured is large. Onl y a few of the elements present at concentration above the 10 µg g-1 level is not readily determined by routine ICP analysis.

You might know that in the context of rock analysis, there are ten elements that are conventionally quoted as oxide equivalents. These are Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Ti, Mn, P; these can be determined without difficulty. In addition, many of the trace elements like as Sr, Ba, Li, Sc, Y, Zr, La, V, Nb, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu and Zn that are determined in a routine trace analysis programme can also be conveniently measured by ICP analysis.