Preparation of Biological Material For X‐Ray Microanalysis of Diffusible Elements

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Abstract
Any method [EM X-ray microanalysis] used for the analysis of diffusible elements within a cell should involve conditions which eliminate the redistribution of those elements. Redistribution of diffusible substances is caused by ice damage during freezing, thawing during sectioning and thawing during handling of sections. To eliminate this, sections were cut in the 5-8 .mu.m ice crystal free surface layer obtained by freezing in melting N, at a specimen temperature of 133.degree. K and a knife temperature of 173.degree. K to 153.degree. K, and the temperature of the chamber was kept low by evaporating N from an extra reservoir inside the chamber, by regulating the output of a foil heater. A grid carrier was designed to simplify the section collection and the sections were affixed on to the grid in a press assembly. The sections were hard and translucent, and showed faint interference colors.