It is important to detail which MS methods you use to heavy metal analysis, because of if you use soft ionization MS methods, then the corresponding heavy metal ions stabilize different inorganic and metal-organic complexes in both the condensed phases. Furthermore, there can be observed a ligand exchange of inorganic ligands in solution. In such cases, there should be carried out a parallel speciation of solid-state samples and those in solution.
I would like to mention that currently exact speciation and quantification of analytes in both aforementioned condensed phases can be carried out only by our own-authored (mine and my co-author's according to the shown authorship) innovative stochastic dynamic mass spectrometric method and corresponding formulas. The method has been tested at analyte concentrations of pg-(mL)-1 and ng.(L)-1 levels, showing a linear correlation between theory and experiment /r/ = 0.99997-1.
Please, consider the following references dealing with application of our method to analysis of different phases and type of analytes.
MS analysis according to our theory in solution:
[1] Stochastic Dynamic Mass Spectrometric Approach to Quantify Reserpine in Solution; Bojidarka Ivanova, Michael Spiteller
Analytical Chemistry Letters, 10 (2020) 703-721; Received 13 Oct 2020, Accepted 16 Dec 2020, Published online: 28 Jan 2021
Stochastic dynamic mass spectrometric quantification of steroids in mixture — Part II; Bojidarka Ivanova, Michael Spiteller
MS analysis according to our theory in the solid-state:
[3] Quantification by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry Using An Approach Based On Stochastic Dynamics. Experimental And Theoretical Correspondences
MS analysis according to our theory of metal-organics and inorganics:
[4] Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric solvate cluster and multiply charged ions: a stochastic dynamic approach to 3D structural analysis
Bojidarka Ivanova, Michael Spiteller
SN Applied Sciences; volume 2, Article number: 731 (2020)
[5] Bojidarka Ivanova, Michael Spiteller, Electrospray ionization stochastic dynamic mass spectrometric 3D structural analysis of ZnII–ion containing complexes in solution, (2021) submitted.
[6] Journal of Molecular Liquids, 292 (2019) 111307
Stochastic dynamic electrospray ionization mass spectrometric diffusion parameters and 3D structural determination of complexes of AgI–ion – Experimental and theoretical treatment
from ashed samples you would not expect to get any reasonable data from GC-MS analysis as all compounds You can analyse by GC-MS would be burned or volatised.