Optimization of Sample Preparation Methods and SEM Imaging Conditions Enables High Resolution X-ray Mapping of Essential Elements in Biological Specimens

Biological sample preparation is a major challenge for any type of electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) detects the characteristic X-rays produced as a result of specimenbeam interactions in an electron microscope and identifies elements present in a sample. Scanning electron microscopy-EDS (SEM-EDS) is typically applied to hard materials using relatively high accelerating voltages and beam currents to produce accurate and quantitative data about sample composition. The application of SEM-EDS to biological samples has been limited in the past due to the fundamental nature of biological samples; they are extremely sensitive to the environment within an electron microscope and they are typically composed of lighter elements that can be difficult to analyze. Recent key developments in EDS technology