A simple, direct method for the collection of particles from air samples for transmission electron microscopy and digital image analysis

Abstract

SUMMARY A method is presented for the collection of small (< 1 μm) particles from air samples. Examples of its application are the monitoring of environmental pollutants in the working environment, personal monitoring of exposure to such pollutants and the characterization of particular environments such as clean rooms in the semiconductor industry. Electron microscope grids are attached to Nuclepore filters with carbon cement, the filter mounted in a standard disposable holder and air drawn through the filter with a pump. The method is simple, reproducible, allows a wide range of experimenter control, and provides specimens suitable for electron microscopy, followed by automatic image analysis.

Preparation Techniques for Transmission Electron Microscopy

“…These samples can then be investigated directly using TEM. In some cases airborne particles can also be investigated directly using TEM [26].…”

A porous carbon film for the collection of atmospheric aerosol for transmission electron microscopy

“…This study has developed the direct sampling method from that used in previous work (Farrants et al, 1988) so that an aerosol sample with a larger number of fine particles can be collected and counted while retaining structural integrity.…”

“…Direct particle TEM collection has been used previously for the sampling of welding fumes with particles mostly greater than 1 mm in aerodynamic diameter (Farrants et al, 1988;Karlsen et al, 1992). In those studies the momentum of the large, heavy metallic particles caused them to impact on a nonporous carbon film suspended over a copper 300-mesh TEM grid.…”