What is the preferred analytical method for detecting most metals?

The preferred analytical method for detecting most metals is inductively coupled plasma (ICP). This technique is renowned for its sensitivity and ability to detect trace levels of metals in various samples, making it a powerful tool in industrial hygiene, environmental monitoring, and laboratory analysis. ICP works by ionizing the sample with an inductively coupled plasma and then using mass spectrometry or optical emission spectrometry to quantify the metal ions.

Unlike other methods, ICP can analyze multiple elements simultaneously and is capable of achieving very low detection limits, which is critical for ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. Its broad applicability across many types of matrices, including liquids and solids, also contributes to its status as a preferred method for metal analysis. Given these advantages, ICP is particularly valuable in settings where precise quantification of metals is required.

Other techniques, while useful in their own right, do not match the efficiency and sensitivity of ICP for the determination of metals. For instance, flame ionization detectors and gas chromatography are not typically used for metal detection, as they are designed for gaseous compounds. X-Ray fluorescence, although useful for some metal analysis, may not offer the same sensitivity and accuracy as ICP for trace metal detection in a variety of sample types.