Objective: To establish a method for the simultaneous determination and analysis of 18 trace elements and heavy metals in Platycladi Cacumen

including Pb

TI

Hg

Dy

Ba

Sb

Sn

Cd

Ag

Mo

Se

As

Cu

Ni

Mn

Cr

Al

Be

Ge and In by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)

and provide an experimental basis for revising and improving the quality standard of the Platycladi Cacumen and improving the quality control of the Platycladi Cacumen. Method: After the samples were digested via microwave

Ge was used as the internal standard for the elements with the mass number of less than 100

and In was used as the internal standard for the elements with the mass number of more than 100 to analyze the contents of the 18 trace elements and heavy metals by using ICP-MS. Result: The detection limits of the 18 elements were in the range of 0.224-1.792 μg ·L-1. The 18 trace elements and heavy metals showed the good linearity in the selected concentration ranges (R2 ≥ 0.974 6)

with the average recovery from 81.0%-117.1%. In the determination of 63 batches of Platycladi Cacumen samples from different regions

four elements of Hg

Cu

Cd and Sb were low

As was not detected

some of Ba samples exceeded the limit

most of Pb samples was beyond the limit

Al was far beyond the limit;Ni

Cr

Mn

Al

Cu and Ba were the main inorganic elements in Platycladi Cacumen

whcih can be used as the characteristic elements; and Platycladi Cacumen samples from different regions showed some clustering characteristics. Conclusion: The established method is simple with fast analysis and high sensitivity; the internal standard method can improve the precision and accuracy of test results

and the method is suitable for determination of heavy metals and trace elements in Platycladi Cacumen.