Issue 19, 2023

Precise determination of major and trace elements in micrometer-scale ilmenite lamellae in titanomagnetite using LA-ICP-MS technique: application of regression analysis to time-resolved signals

Abstract

Laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS) is a powerful microbeam technique capable of rapid and precise determination for a large spectrum of trace elements at ppm or sub-ppm levels. Micrometer-scale minerals and inclusions are very common in geological materials, for which direct measurement is restricted by the spot size using LA-ICP-MS (generally 20–50 μm). In this study, ilmenite lamellae intergrown with magnetite were selected as an example to describe a practical algorithm that applies regression analysis to extract the chemical compositions of binary phases from mixed LA-ICP-MS signals. The method accuracy is confirmed by the agreement between the regressed value for various trace elements in ilmenite exsolutions and their reference values (direct analyses using EPMA and LA-ICP-MS). Results were obtained for most detectable components (Mg, Mn, V, Nb, Ta, Sc, Zr, Hf, Sn, et c.) and their relative deviations are within ±10%, even for those <10 ppm (such as Hf and W). Relative standard errors on the regressed value were calculated to evaluate the precision of the method, which is mostly within 10%, and the worst up to 25%. Therefore, the algorithm described in this contribution provides a solution for precise determination of trace element compositions for micrometer-scale ilmenite lamellae in titanomagnetite using LA-ICP-MS, and is potentially practical for other geological materials.

Graphical abstract: Precise determination of major and trace elements in micrometer-scale ilmenite lamellae in titanomagnetite using LA-ICP-MS technique: application of regression analysis to time-resolved signals

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
13 Apr 2023
Accepted
24 Apr 2023
First published
02 May 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Adv., 2023,13, 13303-13313

Precise determination of major and trace elements in micrometer-scale ilmenite lamellae in titanomagnetite using LA-ICP-MS technique: application of regression analysis to time-resolved signals

S. Liu, S. Jiang, W. Chen, C. Y. Wang, H. Su, Y. Cao, H. Zhang and W. Li, RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 13303 DOI: 10.1039/D3RA02472E

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