PMID- 32854079
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20210826
LR  - 20210826
IS  - 1878-4291 (Electronic)
IS  - 0968-4328 (Linking)
VI  - 138
DP  - 2020 Nov
TI  - The cono-dos and cono-dont's of phosphatic microfossil preparation and 
      microanalysis.
PG  - 102924
LID - S0968-4328(20)30173-6 [pii]
LID - 10.1016/j.micron.2020.102924 [doi]
AB  - Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging of fossils allows unlocking 
      ultrastructural information about their skeletal tissues, but sample preparation 
      of biominerals forming their skeletons requires time, patience, and knowledge. 
      SEM and associated analytical methods allow the observation of internal 
      microstructure, shedding light on function, growth and chemistry. Sample 
      preparation is the process by which material is fixed within a medium (e.g. epoxy 
      resin), a transect created and surface defects removed. This step is arguably the 
      most important in any SEM-based analysis, allowing for the acquisition of 
      reliable, high quality data sets. When conducting any SEM-based technique, the 
      presence of a flat surface is needed to collect consistent and reliable data. 
      Surfaces with topography will both induce charging effects but will also 
      compromise the reliability of data acquired. Techniques from material science are 
      continuously adapted to palaeontological applications, in particular with respect 
      to calcareous microfossils. However, similar studies have not been extensively 
      conducted on bioapatite, owing in part to the difficulties faced in sample 
      preparation alongside its susceptibility to electron beam damage. This case study 
      focuses on conodonts, a marine vertebrate group ranging from the late Cambrian to 
      the Late Triassic. They have been chosen as a model due to the abundance of 
      material, complexity of internal tissues and previous work focused on 
      histological features. With these phosphatic microfossils, we attempt to outline 
      the process of sample preparation and provide information on how to avoid and 
      overcome common pitfalls.
CI  - Copyright (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
FAU - Shirley, Bryan
AU  - Shirley B
AD  - Fachgruppe Palaoumwelt, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander Universitat 
      Erlangen-Nurnberg, Loewenichstr. 28, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: 
      bryan.o.shirley@fau.de.
FAU - Bestmann, Michel
AU  - Bestmann M
AD  - Fachgruppe Strukturgeologie, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander 
      Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, Schlossgarten 5, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. 
      Electronic address: michel.bestmann@fau.de.
FAU - Jarochowska, Emilia
AU  - Jarochowska E
AD  - Fachgruppe Palaoumwelt, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander Universitat 
      Erlangen-Nurnberg, Loewenichstr. 28, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: 
      emilia.jarochowska@fau.de.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20200816
PL  - England
TA  - Micron
JT  - Micron (Oxford, England : 1993)
JID - 9312850
RN  - 0 (Epoxy Resins)
RN  - 0 (Phosphates)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Epoxy Resins/chemistry
MH  - Fossils/anatomy & histology/*ultrastructure
MH  - Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods
MH  - Microscopy, Electron, Scanning/*methods
MH  - Phosphates
MH  - Reproducibility of Results
MH  - Specimen Handling/*methods/*standards
MH  - Vertebrates/anatomy & histology
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Conodont
OT  - Microanalysis
OT  - Preparation
OT  - Scanning electron microscopy
OT  - Ultrastructure
EDAT- 2020/08/28 06:00
MHDA- 2021/08/27 06:00
CRDT- 2020/08/28 06:00
PHST- 2020/06/22 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2020/07/27 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2020/08/07 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2020/08/28 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2021/08/27 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2020/08/28 06:00 [entrez]
AID - S0968-4328(20)30173-6 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.micron.2020.102924 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Micron. 2020 Nov;138:102924. doi: 10.1016/j.micron.2020.102924. Epub 2020 Aug 16.