Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) analytical techniques are multi-element analysis techniques that use an inductively coupled plasma source to dissociate the sample into its constituent atoms or ions, and either exciting them to a level where they emit light of a characteristic wavelength or the ions themselves are detected in a mass analyzer.
Solid samples are generally dissolved or digested into a liquid solution.
The sample is typically introduced into the ICP plasma as an aerosol, either by aspirating a liquid or a solution sample into a nebulizer or using a laser to directly atomizing solid samples into an aerosol. Once the sample aerosol is introduced into the ICP torch, it is completely de-solvated and the elements in the aerosol are converted first into gaseous atoms and then ionized towards the end of the plasma.