Table 1 ICP-MS operating conditions and data acquisition parameters

 Nebuliser

Quartz concentric (Micromist) 400 μL/min

 Spray chamber

Scott-type double-pass water cooled

 Cell geometry

Octopole

 Sampling cone

Nickel, 1.0 mm orifice

 Skimmer cone

Nickel, 0.4 mm orifice

 RF power

1400–1500 W

 Reflected power

<10 W

 Plasma gas flow

15 L/min

 Nebuliser gas flow

0.95–1.00 L/min

 Auxiliary gas flow

0.99 L/min

 He gas flow

3.5 mL/min

 Expansion stage

2.0 mbar

 Intermediate stage

2.0 × 10⁻⁴-3.0 × 10⁻⁴mbar

 Analyzer stage

1.0 × 10⁻⁴-2.0 × 10⁻⁴mbar

 Octopole bias

−18 V

 Quadrupole bias

−16 V

 Mass range

2-260a.m.u

 Number of channels

500

 Dwell time

300 ms

 Number of sweeps

500

 Total acquisition time

14.6400 s