Applications of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) in biological research: a review

Abstract

ion mass spectrometry, microanalysis, elemental localization, trace elements, alkaline earths. SUMMARY Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a potentially valuable but not fully exploited technique for problems in biological research. It is valuable because of: (1) detection of all elements and isotopes from mass 1, hydrogen; (2) high sensitivity for physiologically important elements, Na, K, Mg, Ca; (3) ion imaging of elements in areas as large as 250 pm in diameter with a lateral resolution of 0.5 pm; (4) promising efforts at quantitation at levels as low as 0.1 mmollkg; (5) ability to analyse sequential layers to form a three-dimensional analysis. The problems which complicate its use are primarily variations in ion emission, presence of polyatomic interferences and tissue preparation. Examples are cited of SIMS analysis of biomineralization, botany, toxicology and physiology, mostly by ion imaging techniques. SIMS has not yet been fully exploited for any single biological problem. In particular, studies using isotope discrimination, quantitative analysis and depth profiling will enhance the usefulness of SIMS as a technique for biological research. I N T R O D U C T I O NAdvances in biological research have been rapid in the past 30 years due, in part, to our altered conception of the cell. Application of new scientific instrumentation, the electron microscope, to biological research made possible this fundamental conceptual change, opening the way to rapid and revolutionary progress (Kuhn, 1970). We had a view of the variegated intracellular structures and could verify the interfaces between cells. Now the crucial questions of biological research are concerned with the specific sites and extent of cellular interactions. These questions require instrumentation which can identify, measure and localize events at a cellular level.Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is widely used for study of elemental localization problems in geochemistry, metallurgy and electronics , and has technical specifications which make it potentially useful in solving problems of physiological importance. The point of this review is to acquaint the reader with SIMS technique, to review the applications of SIMS analysis to biological problems, and to give a considered viewpoint of how SIMS may be useful in future applications. This is not meant to be a comprehensive review, which would be difficult because SIMS is not an indexed key word in biological indexing services. My apologies to authors whose material has not been included. In addition to the references cited in the text, a list

Elemental imaging at the nanoscale: NanoSIMS and complementary techniques for element localisation in plants

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High-Resolution Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Reveals the Contrasting Subcellular Distribution of Arsenic and Silicon in Rice Roots

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Autoradiography, MALDI-MS, and SIMS-MS Imaging in Pharmaceutical Discovery and Development

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