Speciating contaminants in everyday products, from food and beverages to crime scenes, from building materials to aviation fuel, understanding the composition of errant particles is key to determining the source and solving the reason they ended up in places they weren’t meant to be! Microanalysis Australia is keen to announce the addition of an FTIR microscope to it’s line of investigative equipment.
Our PerkinElmer Spectrum2 now has an accessory which allows enhanced spatial resolution to discriminate particles down to 20 µm in size against backgrounds which would otherwise swamp a typical ATR measurement. Multi-layer specimens such as paint films can now be analysed to determine polymer composition differences between coatings – matching paint flecks to potential sources and confirming proper application etc, to name a few. Microanalysis is routinely requested to filter solutions, from potable waters, to agrochemicals to look at known contaminants and determine possible sources. Whilst SEM/EDS has been an enormous help with these unknowns in the past, FTIR microscopy adds another string to the bow of being more absolute in pin-pointing the ultimate source of the tinniest of particles.
