How do I know which wavelength to use when I’m determining an element by ICP?
Choice of measurement wavelength for an element depends on several factors and is often a compromise: 1. Your spectrometer must be configured to support the wavelength. 2. The working range of a line must include the range of the element’s concentrations in both your sample and standard solutions. 3. The line should be free from chemical interferences, for example varying degrees of ionization (see Pelican Tips for September, 2003). You sometimes can get around chemical interference problems by using internal standards. The line should be free from spectral interferences. If this is not possible, various correction techniques are available to minimize this problem including inter-element correction and matrix matching.
