Soot Analysis

One of the most obvious forms of particle buildup in a home or business is caused by the deposition of dark, or black particles.  These dark deposits are often a cause of concern.  Dark deposits can contain soot or other combustion products that have built up in a home. Soot can come from several sources.  Industrial soot such as those from power plants or large buildings may be infiltrating the environment.  Alternately, soot created by a building’s heating system might be recirculated.  MicroVision Laboratories’ comprehensive soot analysis allows for the detection of soot particulate via a combination of microscopy techniques including light microscopyScanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS).

Advantages:

  • Fine soot from gas fires can be imaged and detected in clusters under a half micron in size
  • Oil soot, fly ash, and coal ash particles can be identified and differentiated from typical home heating soot
  • Wood or vegetative char from accidental fire, wood stoves or biomass combustion can be identified easily
  • A comprehensive analysis of other particles in the sample can show other sources of particles
  • Other dark particles, such as metallic oxides, paints, mold, and other fine particles can be differentiated from soot, and allow for other problems to be identified

Application Fields: