Laser-assisted SIMS of metal-contaminated minerals

A laser assisted secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) of metal contaminated soils was described. The samples were generated by exposing 10 g of soil to 100 ml of aqueous CsCl solution, which spanned a range of exposure concentrations from environmental to waste type exposures. The spectra was found to be dominated by abundant ions which arose from the prevalent exchangable and mineralized cations in the samples. Since Cs and K have the lowest vapor pressures and melting points of the metals present, the observations suggested a thermal effect that resulted in redistribution of the metals from the interlayer sites on the clays to the surface.