Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was utilized for spatially resolved bioimaging of the distribution of silver and gold nanoparticles in individual fibroblast cells upon different incubation experiments. High spatial resolution was achieved by optimization of scan speed, ablation frequency, and laser energy. Nanoparticles are visualized with respect to cellular substructures and are found to accumulate in the perinuclear region with increasing incubation time. On the basis of matrix-matched calibration, we developed a method for quantification of the number of metal nanoparticles at the single-cell level. The results provide insight into nanoparticle/cell interactions and have implications for the development of analytical methods in tissue diagnostics and therapeutics.
We report on the in situ characterization of tree pollen molecular composition based on Raman spectroscopy. Different from purification-based analysis, the nondestructive approach allows (i) to analyze various classes of molecules simultaneously at microscopic resolution and (ii) to acquire fingerprint-like chemical information that was used for the classification of pollen from different species. Hierarchical cluster analysis of spectra from fresh pollen samples of 15 species partly related at the genus level and family level indicates separation of species based on the complete Raman spectral signature and yields classification in accord with biological systematics. The results have implications for the further elucidation of pollen biochemistry and also for the development of chemistry-based online pollen identification methods.
During the mineralisation of metal carbonates MCO3 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Mn, Cd, Pb) liquid-like amorphous intermediates emerge. These intermediates that form via a liquid/liquid phase separation behave like a classical emulsion and are stabilized electrostatically. The occurrence of these intermediates is attributed to the formation of highly hydrated networks whose stability is mainly based on weak interactions and the variability of the metal-containing pre-critical clusters. Their existence and compositional freedom are evidenced by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Liquid intermediates in non-classical crystallisation pathways seem to be more common than assumed.
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