The feasibility of determining metallic mordants or dyes with inorganic constituents was tested using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, an elemental analytical technique of analysis with very low limits of detection, in the range of parts per billion or below, for comparison with other well-established analytical methods. Modern, historic and archaeological samples were investigated. Mordants containing copper, iron, tin, aluminium or uranium were successfully tested as well as an organic dye with a bromine substituent. -- MCI