Microscope with image analysis system (Olympus)

As the light microscope is equipped with a camera and image analysis software, qualitative or semi-quantitative information about particle size and shape can be determined, i.e. by numerically counting the amount of particles within predetermined size fractions.

The microscope has lenses which will enlarge the particles images maximally 1000 times, enabling to individually determine sizes of particles of minimally 1 µm diameter.

For the determination of the particle size distribution completely based on light microscopy, a large numbers of pictures (each containing a large number of particles) have to be processed, which requires a system with automatic image analysis software. As an automatic image analysis system is not available, the analysis has to be done manually, which works fine for limited numbers of particles. For large amounts of particles we suggest to use alternative methods like laser diffraction or electrical sensing zone (have a look at our other equipment’s).

The microscope remains one of the tools which will give the most accurate result of the size distribution as there is the ability to count the particles of interest without including artifacts. It is also the main tool in research to verify (dubious) results obtained with other techniques, not only regarding particle size results.