Analysis of individual aerosol particles
Using the Scanning Proton Microprobe to help distinguish
between particle types gives a combination of trace element
sensitivity and spatial resolution which can give an extra
degree of refinement to the classification of the particles.
Using microbeam PIXE with the high resolution beam at Oxford
individual particles emitted from industrial plant or power stations
have been analysed and the relative environmental impact of various
classes of particles have been determined.
As an example of the obtained results elemental maps are shown below.
All of these maps show the same area of the particular sample.
The scan size in this case was 50 microns.