This disclosure relates to a method for detecting at least one analyte in a tetrachloride sample comprising titanium, tin or silicon tetrachloride; comprising, (a) adding a mixture of water and acid, typically hydrochloric acid, to the sample under conditions effective for forming an aqueous solution of the sample; (b) introducing the aqueous solution of the sample into an inductively coupled mass spectrometer having a cell selected from the group of a reactive cell and a collision cell or both and producing an analyte ion comprising an interfering species; (c) contacting the analyte ion with a gas to produce a product which is substantially free from the interfering species; and (d) detecting and measuring at least one signal from the analyte in the solution. This disclosure further relates to a method for making an aqueous titanium, tin or silicon tetrachloride sample suitable for analysis in using inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy.