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Enhanced quantification for 3D SEM-EDS: using the full set of available X-ray lines.

ABSTRACT: An enhanced method to quantify energy dispersive spectra recorded in 3D with a scanning electron microscope (3D SEM-EDS) has been previously demonstrated. This paper presents an extension of this method using all the available X-ray lines generated by the beam. The extended method benefits from using high energy lines, that are more accurately quantified, and from using soft X-rays that are highly absorbed and thus more surface sensitive. The data used to assess the method are acquired with a dual beam FIB/SEM investigating a multi-element Ni-based superalloy. A high accelerating voltage, needed to excite the highest energy X-ray line, results in two available X-ray lines for several elements. The method shows an improved compositional quantification as well as an improved spatial resolution.

SUBMITTER: Burdet P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4266451 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundIn Italy the incidence of malignant mesothelioma (MM) among women is remarkably high, due to the several contexts in which women had been exposed to asbestos. However, very few studies in literature focus on the inorganic lung content in women. The aim of this retrospective, observational study is to investigate the asbestos lung burden, in terms of concentration, dimensions and type of asbestos, in 42 women who died from MM and had been non-occupationally exposed to asbestos during the activity of the asbestos-cement plant located in Broni (Pavia, Northern Italy) where mainly chrysotile, crocidolite and amosite were used.MethodsLung samples taken during forensic autopsies have been digested using sodium hypochlorite and filtered through a cellulose-ester membrane. The filter was examined using a scanning electron microscope and the chemical composition of the fibers was analyzed using an electron dispersive spectroscopy. The number of detected inorganic fibers, asbestos fibers and asbestos bodies (ABs) were normalized to 1 gram of dry tissue.ResultsIn six samples no asbestos has been detected. Overall, the most represented kind of asbestos was amosite, followed by crocidolite, tremolite/actinolite asbestos and chrysotile. The concentration of all inorganic fibers was significantly higher in women with environmental and household exposures compared with those with only environmental exposure (P=0.025), as well as the concentration of asbestos fibers (P=0.019) and ABs (P=0.049). We found a significant correlation between the concentration of asbestos fibers and the duration of exposure (rho =0.413, P=0.008), as well as with the latency of MM (rho =0.427, P=0.005). The distance of the residential address from the factory and the time spent daily in contact with asbestos did not influence the lung asbestos burden.ConclusionsThese results suggest the relevance of the lung clearance of asbestos, regarding mainly chrysotile. As a consequence, although scanning electron microscopy -energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) is considered the most reliable tool for assessing previous exposure to asbestos, its results should be interpreted with caution, especially in a legal context. In addition, our data confirm the relevance of environmental and household exposure in determining asbestos concentration in lungs and highlight the importance of household exposure.

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Enhanced quantification for 3D SEM-EDS: using the full set of available X-ray lines.

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