Field-Flow Fractionation (FFF) is now recognised as a versatile pool of techniques allowing particle size or molar mass to be obtained in a wide variety of samples covering numerous applications in the fields of environment, materials or biology. In the same time, Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) has an indisputable place in the field of elemental detectors and the coupling between FFF and ICP-MS can be considered as an emerging technique capable to reach relevant physico-chemical information at sub-micrometre scale and trace element concentration level. This paper gives some key elements of FFF-based fractionation linking theory and practical analytical aspects, from injection and preconcentration to analysis. The different components of the coupling are described. Summary tables of the main operating conditions of FFF-ICP-MS coupling are presented and operating conditions such as carrier composition, flow and nebulizers are discussed. Special attention is given to the FFF-ICP-MS interface. Qualitative and quantitative analysis is also discussed. Applications in the fields of environment, bioanalysis and nanoparticles are presented in order to illustrate the potentialities of such coupling.

Nano-sized particles are important components of the Earth biogeochemical system. However, in the Anthropocene, the human activities disturbed their natural cycle and increased their abundance by (i) affecting their emissions and releases; (ii) altering the environmental processes involving nanoparticles; and (iii) introducing anthropogenic nanoparticles (ANPs). Intentionally or unintentionally released, the occurrence of the anthropogenic particles in the environment is continuously rising. Both natural and anthropogenic nanoparticles are recognized as important carriers for trace elements and organic micropollutants and key modifiers of their transport, speciation, bioavailability, and effects in the environment. Nevertheless, currently they are considered separately, despite the necessity of more integrated, broader, and non-sectorial perspective taking together particles of different origins and various processes likely to generate and involve them. The present paper provides a perspective on the environmental processes involving anthropogenic and natural nanoparticles (NNPs) and discusses the role of human activities in nanoparticle cycling, as well as the necessity to bridge the divide between the NNPs and ANPs. The discussion will be supported by the examples of our own research to ask, if there is still a frontier between NNPs and ANPs?

The performances of four specific detectors used for the speciation of butyl- and phenyltin compounds after solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography (GC) separation are evaluated. A flame photometric detector (FPD), a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD), a microwave induced plasma atomic emission spectrometer (MIP-AES) and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) were used. The principle of PFPD, a new generation of FPD, is presented. The original transfer line used between GC and ICP-MS is detailed. The high SPME preconcentration allows very low limits of detection (LOD) to be reached (less than 500 pg l⁻¹ Sn for all the detectors). Sensitivity, linearity and selectivity of the different detectors are also discussed. As expected, ICP-MS is the most sensitive (LOD ranged from 0.6 to 20 pg l⁻¹ Sn) but the cheapest PFPD is also of significant interest. The analytical procedure is applied to the determination of organotins in two different reference materials: a sediment (PACS 2) and a fish tissue (NIES 11). These different examples show that the detection of ultra-trace tin species is now possible in natural samples using a combination of SPME and GC with a specific detector.