ISO 17294-1:2024

Overview

ISO 17294-1:2024 - "Water quality - Application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‑MS) - Part 1: General requirements" defines the principles and general requirements for using ICP‑MS to determine elements in water and in digests of sludges and sediments. It applies to aqueous solution analysis (including water digests prepared according to ISO 15587‑1/2) and complements element‑specific guidance provided in other parts of the ISO 17294 series.

Key topics and technical requirements

This standard covers the practical and technical aspects laboratories need to operate ICP‑MS reliably:

• Principle of ICP‑MS: overview of ion generation and mass spectrometric detection for elemental analysis.
• Apparatus and sample introduction: requirements for pumps, nebulizers, spray chambers, torches, plasma, gas supplies and control systems.
• Mass spectrometer components: lens systems, ion transfer, collision/reaction cell (CRC) technology, analysers and detectors; notes on alternative instrument types.
• Interferences and mitigation:
  • Spectral interferences (polyatomic ions) and strategies to reduce them.
  • Non‑spectral (matrix) effects affecting nebulization, plasma stability and ion transmission, with mitigation approaches.
• Instrument adjustment and performance: tuning, plasma alignment, mass calibration, resolution, detector checks and verification of performance criteria.
• Method development and preparatory steps: isotope selection, instrumental settings, integration times, choice of internal standards and calibration solution composition.
• Analytical performance: instrument and method detection limits, method precision and linearity considerations.
• Procedure essentials: calibration practice, necessary solutions and routine measurement steps.
• Annexes: includes guidance on spectral interferences, isotope choice and detection limits for quadrupole ICP‑MS; correction formulae have been moved to Annex A to reflect current instrument use.

Applications and target users

ISO 17294‑1:2024 is intended for:

• Environmental and water testing laboratories (drinking, surface, groundwater, wastewater).
• Laboratories analyzing digests from sludges and sediments.
• Quality assurance and method developers implementing ICP‑MS workflows.
• Regulators, accreditation bodies and instrument manufacturers seeking harmonized, up‑to‑date operational requirements.

Practical benefits include improved measurement reliability, standardization of tuning and calibration practices, and guidance for handling interferences with modern CRC and quadrupole instruments.

Related standards

• ISO 17294 series (element‑specific parts for final determinations)
• ISO 15587‑1 / ISO 15587‑2 (sample digestion methods for water matrices)

Keywords: ISO 17294-1:2024, ICP‑MS, water quality, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, collision reaction cell, quadrupole ICP‑MS, spectral interferences, calibration, detection limit.