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Updated: May 22, 2026

In Situ Detection and Single Cell Quantification of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nuclear Microprobe Analysis
Published on: February 3, 2018
A multi-scale approach to determine accurate elemental and isotopic ratios by nano-scale secondary ion mass
Pierre-Joseph Hatton1, Laurent Remusat, Bernd Zeller
1INRA, Laboratoire de Biogéochimie des Ecosystèmes Forestiers, UR 1138, INRA Nancy, 54280 Champenoux, France. Pierre-Joseph.Hatton@nancy.inra.fr
Rationale:
Nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) is still hampered by a lack of appropriate calibration method for the quantification of elemental and isotopic ratios in heterogeneous materials such as soil samples. The potential of (13)C-(15)N-labeled density fractions of soil to calibrate the C/N, (13)C/(12)C and (15)N/(14)N ratios provided by NanoSIMS was evaluated.
Methods:
The spatial organization of soil particles found at the macro- and micro-scales were compared. The C/N, (13)C/(12)C and (15)N/(14)N ratios measured at the macroscopic scale from different density fractions using an elemental analyzer coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (EA/IRMS) were compared with the corresponding micro-scale NanoSIMS measurements. When the macro- and micro-scales patterns were similar, macroscopic scale measurements obtained by EA/IRMS and the corresponding NanoSIMS C/N and (15)N/(14)N ratios averaged per fraction were used to obtain correction equations. The correction method using the internal calibration procedure was compared with the traditional one using a single organic standard.
Results:
It was demonstrated that the correction method using an internal calibration procedure was applicable for NanoSIMS images acquired on more than 500 µm(2) per fraction and provided more accurate C/N and (15)N/(14)N ratios than the traditional correction method.
Conclusions:
As long as the NanoSIMS sampling was representative of the macroscopic properties, the correction method using an internal calibration procedure allowed better quantification of the isotope tracers and characterization of the C/N ratios. This method not only produced qualitative images, but also accurate quantitative parameters from which ecological interpretations can be derived.
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