The paper deals with the interpretation of the results obtained from the depth profile measurements based on sputter analytical techniques for samples that were previously subjected by ion bombardment. It is shown that the changes in the kinetics of surface composition observed at the initial stages of depth profiling may not correspond to the real composition distribution for the near-surface region, but may be initiated by unbalanced fluxes between the sputtered atoms from the surface and mass transport in the near-surface layer taking place under concentration gradients formed by preferential sputtering. The influence of temperature that affects the process of segregation is considered and a possible segregation mechanism based on radiation induced phonons is investigated.