Microscopy lab providers with MicroVision Laboratories, Inc. 2021? Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive xray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) was used to identify the particles. The SEM showed an elevated concentration of iron and iron oxide in the impacted areas. The backscatter electron (BSE) image which correlates brightness in the image with atomic density, highlighted the iron particles that were embedded in the tile and the EDS spectrum confirms the PLM Image chemical composition of these higher density particles.
Approach: MicroVision Labs’ staff consulted with the client, and determined that, unfortunately, there could be a number of potential sources of a white material. Even before the bottle with the suspended material arrived, it was determined that there was less than 50 mL of water remaining, and likely less than a gram of material suspended in the water. The client was aware that this material could represent precipitated minerals from the source water, a polymer residue from the bottles, some form of biological tissue that might have formed despite sterilization procedures, or could very well represent some completely unforeseen foreign material. The issue facing the client is how to have the material tested, as most tests that they might request for one or the other of these known potential sources would destroy or alter the sample. Choosing a test was therefore something of a gamble, because if they tested for calcium (mineral precipitate) and it came up negative – that didn’t actually tell them what the powder was, just that it didn’t have any calcium. Based on this conversation, the non-destructive, specialized testing at MicroVision Laboratories was chosen as the best choice.
?We partner with companies in all phases of product development and sales, including R&D, manufacturing, QC, advertising and failure analysis. Our laboratory offers a highly-trained and experienced staff utilizing a powerful set of analytical tools (SEM with EDS and backscatter detectors, Bruker X-Flash elemental mapping, X-Ray imaging, Micro-FTIR spectroscopy, Micro-XRF, light microscopy, cross sectioning/precision polishing and microhardness testing). Read extra details on top eds analysis.
A client responsible for maintaining the facilities in a public school district called with concerns of a possible mold problem. Areas with high foot traffic, especially those where students tracked water in, were showing dark black spots in the floor tiles. Aggressive cleaning and buffing of the floor would remove the problem for a while, but after several few weeks, the problem resurfaced. The facilities management staff was convinced it was mold related, but sending samples, swabs, and air grabs to a mold lab for culturing showed no sign of fungal structures on the tiles.
What if I want a service not listed in your services list? At MicroVision Labs the list of services which we provide to our clients is constantly growing. So if you don’t see what you are looking for give us a call or use the Contact Us tab. Also don’t forget to check our Additional Services Page to see if it might be listed there. Can you identify a contamination or unknown for us? Yes, we call that an Unknown Material ID and we routinely work on that kind of project. We have a number of individual tests designed to classify unknown materials. When combined with our extensive suite of equipment, these tests allow us to identify virtually any material. Give us a call and talk to one of our knowledgeable staff for more information.
Using light microscopes to examine the optical and structural properties of samples is one of the oldest and most useful analytical techniques. MicroVision Labs has several high magnification microscopes, including a powerful Zeiss Axiotech microscope capable of 1800x optical magnification, with additional digital magnification, allowing for visualization of sub-micron structures. PLM allows for the identification of a wide range of particles through the examination of the internal birefringence, or variation in optical indices, within a sample. Find a few extra info at this website.