Study on distribution of elements in deep-sea Pacific polymetallic nodules via two-dimensional mapping laser ionization orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometry

• LI-O-TOFMS was applied for the elemental mapping of polymetallic nodules.
• The contents and distributions of elements of a polymetallic nodule were revealed.
• 2 groups of elements, Mn–Ni–Cu–Fe and Co–Si–Al, show inter-element relationships.
• Physico-chemical conditions during the nodule formation could be reflected.
• LI-O-TOFMS is proven to be a powerful tool for the analysis of polymetallic nodules.

A newly developed two-dimensional mapping high irradiance laser ionization orthogonal time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LI-O-TOFMS) has been applied for the elemental mapping of polymetallic nodules. Two polymetallic nodule standards were used to demonstrate the efficacy of LI-O-TOFMS for the standardless semiquantitative analysis and the spatial distribution of elements in a deep-sea Pacific polymetallic nodule was mapped. It was found that the two groups of elements, Mn–Ni–Cu–Fe and Co–Si–Al, show clear element-dependent spatial relationships. It is hypothesized that these spatial distributions reflect the environmental and physico-chemical conditions during the nodule formation. LI-O-TOFMS is shown to be a powerful tool in elemental analysis of polymetallic nodules, with the detection limits down to 10− 7 g/g and a dynamic range of 7 orders of magnitude. Based on the images acquired, the contents of elements and their relationships can be revealed visually.