Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES)

Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), is an analytical technique used for the detection of trace metals (ppb). It is a type of emission spectroscopy that uses the inductively coupled plasma to produce excited atoms and ions that emit electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths characteristic of a particular element. The intensity of this emission is indicative of the concentration of the element within the sample. Unlike atomic absorption spectroscopy, which can only measure a single element at a time ICP-OES has the capability to scan for all elements simultaneously. This allows rapid sample processing.