Particulate pollution case studies which illustrate uses of individual particle analysis by scanning electron microscopy

Individual particle analysis by scanning electron microscopy is a high resolution analytical technique which can provide the detail necessary to solve many particulate pollution problems. In an electron microscope a beam of electrons is focused on a specimen resulting in a number of signals which are used to collect chemical and morphological information from individual features either manually or automatically. Case studies are presented which illustrate the applications of the technique to three paniculate pollution problems of differing complexity.