UV-ozone ashing of cells and tissues for spatially resolved trace element analysis
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Updated: Oct 16, 2026

In Situ Detection and Single Cell Quantification of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nuclear Microprobe Analysis
Published on: February 3, 2018
B Gilbert1, L Perfetti, R Hansen
1Istitut de Physique Appliquee, Ecole Polytechnique Federale, PH-Ecublens, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. bgilbert@dpmail.epfl.ch
Abstract:
UV/ozone ashing of thin tissue sections and cell cultures is a simple technique to enhance relative elemental concentrations, while maintaining their spatial location at the sub-micron level. This approach may enhance the capability of spatially resolved analysis techniques to detect the distribution of trace elements in biological matrices. We present results from light microscopy and x-ray spectromicroscopy studies of tissues and cells demonstrating that the micro-structure is very well conserved. We show the signal enhancement resulting from the removal of carbon, which allows otherwise undetectable gadolinium to be mapped in cancer tissue for a novel neutron capture therapy.
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