Paracelsus Award Lecture 2026: New Capabilities in Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Laser Ablation
Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is one of the most widely applied techniques for trace element analysis and routinely applied in geology, environmental and materials sciences and is entering the biomedical research, especially imaging of various tissue samples. This has become possible by using the latest generation of time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOFMS) in combination with low dispersion laser ablation systems. The benefits of low-disperson ablation cells will be highlightes on some imaging applications. Especially the transport efficiency of laser aerosols has become accessible and indicates that some non-stoichiometric effects occur.
Latest developments have focused on substituting the well-known argon plasma source by a nitrogen plasma, which substantially reduces Argon interferences and opens new opportunities of operation. Some experiments and their outcomes on such plasma sources in combination with laser ablation will be presented and compared to the conventional argon plasma.
Paracelsus Prize 2026
Prof. Detlef Günther, is awarded the Paracelsus Prize 2026 for his pioneering contributions to the field of analytical chemistry, particularly in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
The Paracelsus Prize is endowed with CHF 20'000 and a gold medal.