The distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on creosote-contaminated soil has been examined with scanning ultraviolet two-step laser desorption/laser ionization mass spectroscopy (UV-L2MS). The instrument has been constructed in-house by modifying a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Two-dimensional chemical maps were accurately generated from model patterned PAH distributions. From examination of three-dimensional substrates, the depth of field of the experiment allows surfaces with roughness of up to 120 microm to be treated as a two-dimensional system and still achieve an accurate representation of the surface deposits. Soil was obtained from a former wood treatment facility. Individual particles of 100-1000 microm were mounted on indexed sample plates and examined by reflectance infrared microscopy, optical microscopy, and imaging UV-L2MS. The most intense PAH signals were associated with regions on the particles where clay/organic carbon deposits were found.