The Hidden Problem of Analyte Loss
Elemental analysis by ICP-OES and ICP-MS is only as reliable as the sample that reaches the plasma. For the majority of analytes, properly acidified solutions remain stable for months or even years, and standard digestion protocols deliver quantitative recoveries without incident. However, a subset of elements—those that form volatile compounds, adsorb onto container surfaces, or exist in unstable oxidation states—can be partially or completely lost before the sample is ever measured. When this happens, the instrument reports a number that is precise, reproducible, and wrong.
The elements most susceptible to these los