Nondestructive, in situ, Cellular-Scale Mapping of Elemental Abundances Including Organic Carbon in Permineralized Fossils

The electron microprobe allows elemental abundances to be mapped at the µm scale, but until now high resolution mapping of light elements has been challenging. Modifications of electron microprobe procedure permit fine-scale mapping of carbon. When applied to permineralized fossils, this technique a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2001-05, Vol.98 (11), p.5970-5974
Main Authors: Boyce, C. K., Hazen, R. M., Knoll, A. H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy
Calcium
Carbon
Cell walls
Cells
Cyanobacteria - ultrastructure
Electron microscopes
Electrons
Fossils
Geology
Magnoliopsida - ultrastructure
Materials preservation
Microscopy, Electron - methods
Organic materials
Physical Sciences
Sulfur
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Summary:The electron microprobe allows elemental abundances to be mapped at the µm scale, but until now high resolution mapping of light elements has been challenging. Modifications of electron microprobe procedure permit fine-scale mapping of carbon. When applied to permineralized fossils, this technique allows simultaneous mapping of organic material, major matrix-forming elements, and trace elements with µm-scale resolution. The resulting data make it possible to test taphonomic hypotheses for the formation of anatomically preserved silicified fossils, including the role of trace elements in the initiation of silica precipitation and in the prevention of organic degradation. The technique allows one to understand the localization of preserved organic matter before undertaking destructive chemical analyses and, because it is non-destructive, offers a potentially important tool for astrobiological investigations of samples returned from Mars or other solar system bodies.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.101130598