Sem/edx and elemental mapping services in the USA
Ftir analysis and elemental mapping services by MicroVision Laboratories, Inc.? Analysis and Results: The submitted bottle was examined for signs of interior distress, and the water from the bottle was removed and maintained. Some of the suspended particulate was filtered and examined non-destructively by light microscopy first, to characterize the material. A low magnification stereo microscope image of the filtered white particulate is shown in the image above. From this image, biological tissues were ruled out, and the material was observed to be crystalline. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) was used to analyze the sample next. From this examination, the material showed birefringence as shown in the PLM image on the right. The PLM Image Stereo Microscope image suspect material showed optical properties and morphology dissimilar to common carbonates and sulfates. It was determined to be a birefringent crystalline material, but it could not be identified using only PLM methods. Therefore, analysis using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) would have to be performed to obtain further information about the suspect material.
In Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy samples are subjected to a broad frequency spectrum of infrared light which spans the energies of intramolecular vibrations, especially in organic compounds. The pattern and intensity of frequencies absorbed by a sample are plotted, which gives structural information about the chemical bonding state of the material. Organic compounds, which are generally very similar from an elemental standpoint, can be separated and identified using these structural fingerprints.
Do you give lab tours? Yes, we routinely give lab tours to our clients and potential clients. Please call and we would be happy to schedule a tour for you and your co-workers. Do you have other locations around the country? We do work for companies all across the United States, with one laboratory which is located in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Did MicroVision Labs ever operate under a different company name? No, we have always been MicroVision Laboratories, Inc. Our founder, John Knowles, used to work for another laboratory that underwent several name changes (Eastern Analytical Laboratories, Industrial Environmental Analysts, American Environmental Network, Severn Trent Laboratories, and EMLab P&K Billeria) and was located nearby in Billerica. When that laboratory was closed in 2008, John hired a few of the remaining analysts and acquired its equipment, client list and phone number. Explore a few extra info on click to their website.
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.
We are proud to announce that MicroVision Labs is now accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard. This represents over a year of diligent effort from all of our staff to verify and validate our in house SOP’s and transform our quality management system to one that is compliant to this international standard. This certification requires that accredited labs demonstrate that they are competent and can produce technically valid data and results unlike other certifications such as ISO 9001:2015. This represents an obvious value to our clients.
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. Discover extra info at https://microvisionlabs.com/.