Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry is a rapidly growing technique for multi-elemental analysis. In this review, instrumental developments, analytical performance and applications of this method achieved recently are described. Ion sampling interface, ion lens systems and various sample introduction systems are discussed. Suppression of analyte signals is usually observed in the presence of matrix salts at high concentration; this effect is generally more serious than those observed in inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The dependency of the suppression effect on the atomic weight of matrix elements is discussed. Applications to real samples for the determination of trace elements and isotope ratios are described.