Samples with different laser settings within the same session?

Francesco11

Hi,
Is okay to process within the same session samples obtained with different spot sizes (with corresponding standard replicates at regular intervals), or is it better to split them into two different sessions based on settings?

e.g standard 1 [110 um], sample 1 [110 um], sample 2 [110 um], standard 2 [110 um], standard 3 [50 um], sample 3 [50 um], sample 4 [50 um], standard 4 [50 um]

I have a feeling that keeping everything in the same session would give calibration problems (e.g. when correcting for machine drift). Unless the spot size is read by the system and taken into account to scale the cps accordingly throughout the session...

I am new to iolite and microchemistry data in general.

Thanks,
Francesco

Bence

Hi Francesco,

In general, people try to match the conditions of the standards with the samples, but sometimes there are advantages to using different spot sizes etc. The key is that you would need to adjust your calibration for the smaller amount of material ablated with smaller spots sizes in your example.

Kai Rankenburg from Curtin University was just asking the other day about correcting for this effect: https://forum.iolite.xyz/d/420-manipulate-data-for-a-single-group

So, it can be done, but as you suspect, you might get better calibration by keeping conditions the same for RMs and samples.

Kind regards,
Bence