The Effect of Isotopic Composition on the Uncertainty of Routine Metal Mass Concentration Measurements in Ambient Air

The main sources of uncertainty encountered during the analysis of the mass concentration of metals in ambient air as part of the operation of the UK Heavy Metals Monitoring Network are presented. It is observed that the uncertainty contribution from possible variation in the isotopic composition of the sample depends on the element in question, but can be significant (e.g., for Pb, Cd, and Hg). The working curve method for the ICP-MS analysis of metals in solution, with a low resolution, high throughput instrument measuring at one m/z ratio per element, relies on the relative abundance of the isotopes under consideration being the same in both the sample and the calibration solution. Calculation of the uncertainty in this analysis assumes that the isotopic composition variation within the sample and calibration solution is limited to a defined range. Therefore, in order to confirm the validity of this quantification methodology and its uncertainty budget, the isotopic composition of the calibration standards used for quantification has been determined. The results of this analysis are presented here.