Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass sample preparation

Several other microanalytical methods in common use potentially have application on soil and sediments section samples. Laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometery (LA-ICP-MS) has been used on soil thin-sections from a controlled field experiment (21) but required special resins in the preparation. There is presently (May 2006) no reported use of this method on archaeological soil samples. Likewise, for extremely fine-resolution studies (i.e. <10 pm) with low minimum detection limits and despite difficult calibration, secondary ion microscopy (SIMS) has a potential role in examining archaeological soil thin sections. At even higher lateral resolutions ( 100 nm) Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) could also be considered for surface (<5 nm deep) analyses. At present however, the use of these methods in soil systems is limited. SIMS has been focused on biochemical applications (22), whereas AES... 

A wish list of the main requisites that a technique should fulfill for its use in elemental archaeological research would certainly include the following aspects (1) nondestructive or minimally destructive nature (2) minimal sample preparation, regardless of the type of sample targeted (3) potential to achieve simultaneous multielemental data for major, minor, and trace elements in a straightforward way (4) capabilities for isotopic analysis and (5) potential to provide spatially resolved information, laterally, and in depth. Nowadays, the technique that complies with all of these requirements to the largest extent is laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). 

Klemm, W. and Bombach, G. (2001) A simple method of target preparation for the bulk analysis of powder samples by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Fresenius J. Anal. Chem., 370(5), 641-6. 

Automotive accidents are investigated by analyzing glass and paints. One way to match the glass from a broken windshield found at a hit-and-run accident scene is to compare elemental profiles. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry is an ideal method for this purpose [67]. Acid digestion is used for sample preparation. The use of laser ablation, coupled with ICP-MS, obviates the need for the laborious and time-consuming acid-digestion step [68]. 

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