THIS is a microplastic sample.
Researchers all over the world are looking
for efficient and reliable ways to analyze
these tiny plastic particles.
But what is the best way
to characterize microplastics?
Let me show you!
Over the last decade,
FT-IR imaging has proven
to be the best way
to analyze microplastics.
Particles are rapidly recognized,
counted, identified,
and classified by size
based on a wealth
of spectral information.
By doing so, it provides
a comprehensive analytical solution
by measuring complete filters.
And generally, detecting particles spectroscopically
is far superior to methods
using visual particle recognition.
The reason is simple.
In a purely visual search for particles,
transparent or invisible microplastics
are often missed.
In comparison, FT-IR imaging
retains all the important information
about the particles chemistry.
If microplastic is present,
it is detected.
Every time.
But enough talk,
let me show you how the
LUMOS II microplastics analyzer
deals with this microplastic sample
on an aluminum oxide filter.
These aluminum oxide filters
recently have become the standard
in microplastic sample preparation.
They have very fine pores,
deliver superior spectral characteristics,
and overall provide users
with much healthier microplastic data.
The filter mounting is in fact
the only manual step involved.
Everything else is fully automated.
The key to this is OPUS.
The control center of the LUMOS II.
Its clean interface guides
the user through the analysis
every step of the way
by setting up the experiment.
First, we take an overview image
to navigate the microplastic filter.
Then, to begin the FT-IR imaging,
we simply ...
... select a region of interest ...
… click next and type in a name ...
… and finally start the measurement.
With only three steps
we got our microplastics analyzer
up and running.
What you see here,
is the unsurpassed imaging speed
achieved by a focal-plane array detector.
It works like a digital camera
where each square simultaneously acquires
over 1000 pixels
at a spatial resolution of 5 µm.
We are collecting over 900
full MIR spectra per second,
enabling us to get a meaningful
and, most of all, reliable identification result.
This shows, why FT-IR imaging
and focal-plane arrays detectors
are the gold standard
in microplastics analysis.
But let me be frank.
If you want to spend hours
of YOUR precious time
waiting for an … inferior result
you can go for single point
mapping or Raman imaging.
But make this choice knowing,
that you are missing out
on performance,
measurement speed
and reliability.
Let us look at the facts.
The LUMOS II only needs an hour
to analyze a complete 10 by 10 mm filter.
With that, focal-plane array imaging
outperforms FT-IR single point
and Raman imaging measurements
by at least three orders of magnitude.
But keep in mind, that it is not only
the data acquisition time that counts
but also the time spent
doing data evaluation.
To benefit from automated measurements,
you need automated evaluation protocols, too.
Purency developed a powerful machine learning algorithm
that was trained with huge amounts of microplastic data
measured by LUMOS II
and analyzed by experts.
It not only distinguishes microplastics
from frequent environmental contaminations
like cellulose or proteins.
It also gives the users a comprehensive set
of smart evaluation and statistical tools.
With just one click
you get a full evaluation
of all the particles on the filter.
If you’re working in analytical service,
your customers will love your reports.
The combination of a one-button analysis tool
like purency's microplastics finder
and a true imaging solution
like the LUMOS II
is future-proof method
for everybody.
And if you are still not convinced
that Bruker offers the fastest,
most reliable microplastic analysis
go to our website,
contact us
and request a live demonstration.