In this work, a novel method was developed for the simultaneous determination of different volatile elements (refractory Cr, medium volatile Cu, and easily volatile Cd) in high purity zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) by in situ matrix removal and electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ETV-ICP-MS). A polytetrafluoroethylene slurry (PTFE) as a chemical modifier not only enhanced the difference in the volatility between the analytes and the matrix for in situ matrix removal, but also results in their similar vaporization behaviors of the different volatile elements (Cr,...