Advantages of a fast-scanning quadrupole for LA-ICP-MS analysis of fluid inclusions

International audienceFor the past 20 years, LA-ICP-MS has been the method of choice to quantify element concentrations in fluid inclusions hosted in geological samples. However, the ablation of fluid inclusions typically produces short, transient signals that are difficult to representatively sample with sequential analysis inherent to single collector ICP-MS instruments, especially considering small inclusions (<20 μm) and/or low-concentration elements (<10 μg.g-1). This issue can be overcome by significantly reducing quadrupole settling times, allowing faster cycling through a given element list at constant duty cycle and therefore, better temporal resolution of the signal. In this note, we present results from already well-characterized fluid inclusion assemblages performed with a “fast-scanning” quadrupole ICP-MS, i.e. characterized by extremely short settling times (default 0.2 ms and down to 0.065 ms). This capability, which does not impede basic instrument performance, improves the results of LA-ICP-MS fluid inclusion analyses in three ways. First, it extends the possiblity to accurately and reproducibly quantify element concentrations to fluid inclusions down to