LA-ICP-MS line scan and element imaging analyses for the investigation of metal uptake and diffusion on scallop shells from aqueous solutions

Intensive shellfish production leads to the formation of large amounts of pre-consumer and post-consumer residues, mainly composed of shells. The improper disposal of this particular material results in a waste of natural resources, but also can raise environmental issues. The reuse of this material as adsorbent could potentially be a cost-effective approach for the removal of metals in water remediation technologies. In this study we investigated the adsorption and diffusion of metals through the shell layers using laser ablation (LA-ICP-MS), a well-established technique that provides flexibility to perform spatially resolved analyses at the µm scale and also bulk analyses in short time with minimal sample preparation needed.