Imaging Artifacts in Continuous Scanning 2D LA-ICPMS Imaging Due to Nonsynchronization Issues

Abstract

Pulsed laser ablation (LA) devices in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) imaging have become very advanced, delivering laser pulses with high temporal accuracy and stable energy density. However, unintentional imaging artifacts may be generated in 2D element maps when the LA repetition rate and the data acquisition parameters of ICPMS instruments with a sequential mass spectrometer (i.e., quadrupole filter or sector-field mass spectrometer) are desynchronized. This may potentially lead to interference patterns, visible as ripples in elemental images, and thus, compromised image quality. This paper describes the background of aliasing in continuous scanning mode through simulation experiments and ways to modulate the effect. The existence of this image degradation source is demonstrated experimentally via real-life imaging of a homogeneous glass standard.

Quantification of metals in single cells by LA-ICP-MS: comparison of single spot analysis and imaging

“…70 Recently, spectral skewing was subject to extensive studies and it was found that unsynchronized LA and MS data acquisition frequency leads to significant image distortions. 71 However, the herein observed differences are most likely a consequence of the low number of analyzed cells in the multi-element data acquisition, while the Ir-DNAintercalator content was analyzed with a slightly higher number of cells with single-element data acquisition.…”

The distribution of toxic metals in the human retina and optic nerve head: Implications for age-related macular degeneration

“…The exact cellular location of multiple toxic levels in the eye could be determined in future x-ray microanalysis studies (which have shown, eg, iron in RPE melanosomes) when fresh frozen sections of eyes are available [ 3 ]. ( 4 ) We limited the number of metals analysed with LA-ICP-MS to eleven so as to ensure image fidelity and to maintain detection at low concentrations [ 62 ]. Other toxic metals suspected to play a role in AMD, such as arsenic, could be analysed in future LA-ICP-MS studies to look for a wider range of toxic metals in the human eye.…”

Imaging the impurity distribution in glacier ice cores with LA-ICP-MS

“…In case of sequential scanning mass spectrometers such as quadrupoles, this adjustment between the laser and ICP-MS sampling frequency is crucial to avoid imaging artifacts related to aliasing effects. 27 Accordingly, it was chosen to select AT Â f LA ¼ 10. Table 2 summarizes the improved settings for data acquisition.…”