The purpose of this documentation is to provide background information on ICP-MS data acquisition and reduction using the Tangiers data reduction system. The Tangiers data reduction system is a proprietary stand-alone application written in Visual Basic 6.0 for Windows (9x, NT.) Tangiers is independent of the software used to collect data on the ICPMS (e.g. the FisonsÒ Plasmaview software for OS2), and imports procedure text files exported by the data collection software. Data is stored and manipulated as database files created in MicrosoftÒ Access 8, and final results are reported as MicrosoftÒ Excel 8 workbooks.

While currently configured for the reduction of data acquired on a FisonsÒ (VG) Plasmaquad 2+S ICPMS, the Tangiers data reduction system can be easily modified by the developer to access and manipulate data from other instrument platforms. The general nature of the algorithms used in the Tangiers system allows broad application to a variety of data collection protocols. Similarly, while originally developed for solution nebulization data, the internal and external drift correction algorithms, blank and interference corrections, and standard curve calibration methods are general to other introduction methods, including electrothermal vaporization, ultrasonic nebulization, and laser ablation techniques; future modifications to the Tangiers data reduction system by the developer to accommodate these other methods may be anticipated.