Sem/eds analysis and elemental mapping providers in US? Problem: A client was a manufacturer of beverages, bottled water, and other drinks. They received a customer complaint through one of their distributors, which indicated that a customer had been drinking a bottle of water, and as they neared the bottom of the bottle, found a mysterious white powder floating in the bottom. The customer returned the bottle and complained. The client hoped to identify the powder so they could both satisfy their end customer, as well as identify any potential problems in their manufacturing or bottling process.
The unique properties of birefringence allow for the differentiation of fibers, minerals, ceramics, and other biological materials. Particles can therefore be identified and comparatively quantified, resulting in the characterization of the components of a sample. Complimentary optical techniques such as Nomarski/DIC, bright field and dark field imaging add to the amount of information our Optical Analysts can obtain from your samples. Additionally we have a range of light sources and filters to outfit our stereo microscopes for fluorescent microscopy.
Do you do any animal testing? No. Do you analyze any tissue samples or blood samples? No. We do not do any blood analyses and we are not set up to prepare tissue samples. What are some of the cool samples you have looked at under the scanning electron microscope? We have seen 10,000 year old Wolly Mammoth hair, meteorites, an artificial heart valve, civil war bullets, insulin pumps, rare colonial coins, a kidney stone, and a few things we can’t talk about. But some of the more mundane samples, like wood or salt crystals, have proven to be extremely interesting subjects to image. Read a few extra info on click here for elemental mapping info.
Also, the color EDS map highlights the iron particles in the mineral filled PVC floor. These iron particles were concentrated in areas were the tile showed signs of impact which indicated some metallic object impacted the tile leaving behind small particles and over time the materials oxidized which created darker spots in the tile. The data indicated that a significant portion of the dust was from the insulation in the attic. The contractor had replaced a portion of duct work running to the master bedroom. During this replacement, fiberglass insulation was knocked into the ducting. The small glass insulation fibers were spread through the AC ducts and settling out of the air throughout the house. The client was relieved to know what was causing their skin irritation and the significant dust build up. Using the results garnered from the analysis from MicroVision Labs they were able to have the contractor clean out the duct work and act to prevent further spread of the insulation fibers and properly clean up the settled dust in the house that was the cause of the homeowner’s skin irritation.
?MicroVision Labs is owned and operated by a career microscopist, John Knowles, who understands the needs of our clients. Our emphasis on helping our clients solve problems, not just providing data, sets us apart from other labs. We have the technology and knowledge to find answers to your most difficult challenges, helping you succeed at every step. Can I come in to see my samples analyzed? Yes, our clients are always welcome to come in while their samples are being analyzed. For much of the work we do, it is mutually beneficial for our clients to be present to help direct their project since they can provide expertise about their samples. Some of the services we provide such as polished cross sections have time consuming steps making it impractical for a client to stay to watch everything. In those cases it is recommended that you come in initially to explain what you need done and come back at a later time to see the finished product.
An affected floor tile was submitted to determine if the previous mold testing had missed a source on the tile backing or mastic. Additionally, a new tile from the same manufacturing lot was submitted for comparison. The process of preparing and examining the sample and reference tile was documented. Areas with darkened surface features were imaged and then cut out and examined. While the dark spots looked very discrete when examined by eye, under top light polarized microscopy they appeared more diffuse at the outer edges. The darkest areas surrounded what appeared to be particles embedded in the surface. Read extra details on this website.