Standards study for quantitative analysis of trace elements in biological tissue using secondary ion mass spectrometry

Trials have been carried out to establish appropriate standards for quantitative biological microanalysis using SIMS. This feasibility study has demonstrated that gelatin and ion exchange resin microbeads embedded in epoxy resin could be homogenously loaded with Al in a large range of concentrations (up to 2000 ppm). We have obtained good linear correlations between trace element / internal reference element ratio and trace element concentrations verified by chemical analysis techniques. Furthermore, it has been possible to determine unknown concentrations with precision within one standard deviation of the chemically determined concentrations.