Method Development
Method Development Services
Adapting existing elemental analysis strategies to analyse your sample may be difficult due to the specific requirements of your sample, such as the need for special environmental conditions, difficult sample preparation, or extremly low concentration levels. We try to help you in developing methods for these special elemental analysis strategies by offering expert advice and insights, based on our experience in the field of elemental analysis.
Case Studies
Strontium from Sputter-Deposited Coatings at Implants
AtomScopy consultant Dr. Van Malderen worked with Dr. Christensen et al. in this study on visualizing the release of Sr from a Ti-Sr-0 coating into bone surrounding the Ti implant. The sample was analysed using synchrotron XRF with a resolution of 5 μm.
Globally distributed iridium layer preserved within the Chicxulub impact structure
AtomScopy consultant Dr. Van Malderen worked with the team of Goderis et al. to visualize the distribution of key geochemical tracers in a drill core. The study used a combination of μXRF (Bruker Tornado M4) and LA-ICP-MS (Teledyne Analyte G2 and Thermo Element XR), and EPMA.
Sub-micrometer LA-ICP-MS Imaging at Pixel Acquisition Rates above 250 Hz
AtomScopy consultant Dr. Van Malderen authored this article on state-of-the-art LA-ICP-MS, demonstrating the possibility of imaging at a resolution of 0.6 μm at speeds of 300 pixels/s. This is significantly better than what can be achieved at most laboratories around the world.
Selective LA-ICP-MS imaging of biological tissue using 193 nm laser
AtomScopy consultant Dr. Van Malderen authored this article in which a method was developed to selectively ablate tissue and cells from a microscope slide using a 193 nm laser.
3D LA-ICP-MS imaging of elemental tags in single cells/tissue
AtomScopy consultant Dr. Van Malderen authored this article in which a method was developed to visualize the distribution of metal tags in 3D inside a collection of single cells fixed in a Spurr’s resin block via LA-ICP-MS. This was the first time distinguishable cells were visualized in 3D using LA-ICP-MS.
3D visualization of metals in ceriodaphnia
AtomScopy consultant Dr. Van Malderen authored this article in which a method was developed to image metals in a small waterflee with a resolution of 2 μm in 3D using LA-ICP-MS. This was the first time such small organisms were visualized in 3D using LA-ICP-MS.