000168610 001__ 168610
000168610 005__ 20260211123813.0
000168610 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.1016/j.sab.2025.107384
000168610 0248_ $$2sideral$$a147970
000168610 037__ $$aART-2026-147970
000168610 041__ $$aeng
000168610 100__ $$aDejonghe, Rinus
000168610 245__ $$aFrom pitfalls to progress in quantitative single-cell elemental analysis by time-of-flight ICP-mass spectrometry
000168610 260__ $$c2026
000168610 5203_ $$aThe aim of this study was to evaluate the capabilities and limitations of single-cell elemental analysis of tandem and time-of-flight ICP-mass spectrometry (SC-ICP-MS/MS and SC-ICP-ToF-MS). As partial detection of elemental distributions remains underexplored in the context of single-cell analysis, event detection, data completeness, and the reliability of derived quantitative results were investigated. The effects of detection thresholds, instrumentation type, and transient signal characteristics on the integrity of single-cell datasets and their interpretation were addressed. Red blood cells (RBCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated, fixed with glutaraldehyde, and analyzed using both ICP-MS/MS and ICP-ToF-MS, while average contents (fg per cell) were additionally determined by bulk analysis. One key finding was that although ICP-MS/MS offers higher sensitivity, it is incompatible with multi-elemental profiling, while the sequential data acquisition for different target elements leads to inconsistent cell counts (observed cell events) during consecutive runs. In contrast, ICP-ToF-MS provides (quasi-)simultaneous detection, allowing comprehensive and consistent characterization when using an endogenous (e.g., Fe in RBCs) or exogenous (e.g., Ir from a DNA intercalator in PBMCs) cell marker. The use of such a cell marker reveals how many cells remain undetected for each element under real experimental conditions. Second, by varying signal thresholds during data processing, the influence on (partially) detected mass distributions and the impact on mean signal intensities were evaluated. This confirmed that when detection thresholds exclude low-intensity events, the resulting distributions are biased. This study underscores the need for improved instrumental sensitivity for biologically relevant low-mass elements, especially for ToF-based ICP-mass spectrometers, as well as for careful interpretation of (partially) detected datasets to avoid misleading conclusions.
000168610 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/RYC2021-031093-I
000168610 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess$$aAll rights reserved$$uhttp://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/
000168610 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000168610 700__ $$aLores-Padin, Ana
000168610 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-1856-2058$$aBolea-Fernandez, Eduardo$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000168610 700__ $$aVan Acker, Thibaut
000168610 700__ $$aDe Wever, Olivier
000168610 700__ $$aVanhaecke, Frank
000168610 7102_ $$12009$$2750$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Química Analítica$$cÁrea Química Analítica
000168610 773__ $$g236 (2026), 107384 [15 pp.]$$pSpectrochim. acta, Part B: Atom. spectrosc.$$tSpectrochimica Acta - Part B Atomic Spectroscopy$$x0584-8547
000168610 8564_ $$s5304308$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/168610/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada$$zinfo:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2027-12-24
000168610 8564_ $$s2412483$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/168610/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada$$zinfo:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2027-12-24
000168610 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:168610$$particulos$$pdriver
000168610 951__ $$a2026-02-11-10:28:13
000168610 980__ $$aARTICLE