Microplastic Imaging with QCL-Based IR Microscopy
https://daylightsolutions.com/home/applications/microplastic-research
Microplastics analysis is a rapidly evolving field of research that aims to identify and quantify microplastics particles (MPPs)–and their effects on the ecosystem–in a wide range of environments including soil, waterways, and the human body. Given the strong interest in MPPs, several spectroscopic tools are being used to study MPPs, including IR spectroscopic and IR microspectroscopic (imaging) techniques. Daylight Solutions designs and manufactures a range of advanced infrared quantum cascade (QCL-IR)-based laser sources and instrumentation ideally suited to MPP research, which typically requires rapid analysis of large sample volumes. The Spero® QCL-IR microscope, for example, uses the high brightness of its QCL-IR light engine to enable real-time, wide-field IR imaging (up to 2mm x 2mm FOV), and collect full IR hyperspectral data cubes in tens of seconds. A recently published paper by Alfred Wegener Institute (Helgoland, Germany) demonstrates how this performance is bringing new, powerful analytical capabilities to MPP analysis. Please contact us to learn more about how Spero and Daylight’s other QCL-IR based systems can benefit MPP research, and a myriad of other applications.
Spero® Features
- Transmission, visible and reflection modes
- Diffraction limited, high-sensitivity imaging with Focal Plane Array (FPA) detector
- Multiple, high-NA, large FOV imaging optics (0.7 NA and 0.3 NA)
- Live, real-time infrared imaging
- High-throughput hyperspectral imaging enabled by ultra-high brightness QCL technology (>7 M spectral points per second)
- Large, flexible sample compartment
- Multiple configuration options including extended wavelength coverage and automated polarization control
- No cryogenic cooling needed
- Quick setup means more time for analysis