Microscopy

 

 

Foreign Body Service

 

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy Microscope

 

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)

 

3D Imaging / Metrology

 

Non-contact Colour Measurement and Imaging

 

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM)

 


Foreign body service

 

The identification of foreign materials in a wide range of food, healthcare and industrial products as well as pharmaceutical raw materials, process intermediates and finished products. Ability to identify impurities (unknow materials, including foreign bodies) in/on a variety of products (tablets, suspensions, solutions, glass, metals, plastic, food). We have a team of scientists from various backgrounds to provide the best characterising service to analysis your material further, comprising of specialists in Chemistry, Biology, Metallurgy, Geology, Forensic Science, Botany and Food Science. Our foreign body service also includes investigatory analysis, comparative analysis & method development/validation/verification.

 

Equipment

 

  • Perkin Elmer Spotlight 400 Infrared Imaging Microscope and Spectrum 3 FT-IR spectrometer.
  • Thermo Fischer Scientific Nicolet iN10 MX Infrared Imaging Microscope and iZ10 FT-IR spectrometer.
  • WITec alpha 300 Confocal Microscope with Linkam Peltier PE120 Stage.
  • 532nm, 785nm, 830nm laser wavelengths available.
  • JEOL JSM-6480-LV Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope with Oxford Instruments X-Max 80 mm2 energy dispersive SDD X-ray detector and AZtecPharma software.
  • JEOL JSM-IT500 - Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope with Oxford Instruments X-Max 150 mm2 energy dispersive SDD X-ray detector and AZtecPharma software; Deben Peltier Stage (-25°C - 160°C).
  • EDAX Orbis µXRF (micro X-ray fluorescence).
  • Zeiss Sigma Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope; Gatan Alto 2500 cryo stage and cryo transfer system
  • Leica Ace 600 – Carbon and Sputter Coater.
  • Zeiss Z2m Compound Light Microscopes with transmitted and reflected light, capable of a range of illumination techniques; polarised light, DIC, phase contrast.
  • Zeiss Axio Zoom V16 On Axis Zoom Microscope with motorised XY stage.
  • A variety of stereo light microscopes.
  • IMS Image Database; secure, searchable database complete with audit trail.
  • Skyscan 1172 – Desktop Micro-CT Scanner.
  • PMS and HIAC Sub-visible Particle counters
  • Clemex and Zeiss Image analysis packages.

 

  • EDAX Orbis

    Life science capabilities and applications

    • Metal - Metal fragments, dusts and corrosion; Machinery wear debris, greases, and oils.
    • Glass - Glass or mineral fragments as foreign bodies, Defects in vials (e.g. needle strikes, voids, etc).
    • Fibres and hairs; Bone; Insect fragments, Plant matter.
    • Image Analysis - Characterisation of materials (e.g., particulate contamination) by number, shape and size.
    • Tablet discolouration.
    • Subvisible particulates – Precipitates, Hazes.
    • Packaging materials, films, laminates and foil.
    • Creating a foreign material reference library - by analysing examples of the typical materials that might come into contact with your pharmaceutical/ food/ healthcare/ industrial product or raw materials during manufacture, we create a searchable reference library. In the event of foreign body complaints, this library can be used to assist with root cause investigations.
    • Large volume samples for analysis; filter blockages; particles on filters and micro/nanoparticles.
    • Foreign matter analysis in the whole range of pharmaceutical matrices, including powders, tablets,
    • Methods and testing are performed under GMP requirements (where required) and subject to FDA and MHRA inspection.

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy Microscope

 

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy Microscope, often referred to as a confocal Raman microscope, is a analytical instrument that combines the principles of confocal microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It is used for non-destructive, label-free chemical analysis and imaging of samples at a microscopic level. The technique offers the advantage of non-destructive analysis, allowing the study of samples in their native state without the need for extensive sample preparation. This technique can provide insights into molecular composition, phase identification, and even chemical changes within a sample over time.

 

Equipment

 

  • WITec alpha 300 Confocal Microscope with Linkam Peltier PE120 Stage.
    • 532nm, 785nm, 830nm laser wavelengths available.
  • Confocal Raman

    Life science capabilities and applications

    • Ability to analyse microscopic particles (e.g., impurities, microplastics).
    • Identification of unknown materials/impurities (many materials have its unique Raman spectrum).
    • Detection of analytes (e.g., API, proteins) within liquid media (e.g., solutions, slurries).
    • Differentiation of different carbon materials (e.g., graphite, carbon black).
    • Scanning of centimetre-sized areas to locate particles (e.g., impurities, microplastics).
    • Microstructure characterisation by surface-topology-guided Raman imaging – TrueSurface.
    • Investigation of material changes with increasing temperature (-25°C to 120 °C).
    • Classify, analyse, quantify, and identify particles across filters and other substrates – ParticleScout.
    • Demonstration of the distribution of components in solid, liquid and gel samples (e.g., emulsions).

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)

 

Two powerful techniques commonly for imaging and elemental analysis of samples at a microscopic or even nanoscopic scale. SEM is a microscopy technique that uses a focused beam of electrons to scan the surface of a sample, generating high-resolution images that reveal the sample's topography and morphology. SEM images provide detailed information about the surface structure, texture, and morphology of the sample, with magnification ranging from around 10x to over 100,000x.

 

SEM can reveal features at nanometer scales and is especially useful for examining the microstructure of materials, studying biological samples, and analysing particle morphology. EDS is an analytical technique that is often integrated with SEM to provide elemental composition information about the sample's surface. It works by detecting X-rays emitted when electrons from the SEM beam interact with the sample's atoms. EDS provides qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of the sample, allowing researchers to determine the presence and relative abundance of different elements. This information can be superimposed onto SEM images to create elemental maps, which show the spatial distribution of elements within the sample.

 

Combining SEM and EDS allows researchers to gain comprehensive information about a sample's morphology, structure, and elemental composition, making these techniques invaluable tools in various scientific and industrial applications, such as materials characterization, failure analysis, and quality control.

 

Equipment

 

  • JEOL JSM-6480-LV Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope with Oxford Instruments X-Max 80 mm2 energy dispersive SDD X-ray detector and AZtecPharma software.
  • JEOL JSM-IT500 - Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope with Oxford Instruments X-Max 150 mm2 energy dispersive SDD X-ray detector and AZtecPharma software; Deben Peltier Stage (-25°C - 160°C).
  • JSM IT500

    Life science capabilities and applications

    • Identification of the elemental compositional of unknown materials using EDS (e.g., particulates, metals, glass, ceramics, tooth/bone).
    • Simultaneous imaging and elemental compositional analysis of materials.
    • Imaging capability of nano-size particles (down to one millionth of a millimetre).
    • Imaging of solutions and slurries at low temperature (Cryo & Peltier stage).

     

    Micro Computed Tomography (see 3D Imaging / Metrology section)

     

    • Non-destructive 3-dimensional examination and characterisation of materials and their internal structures.
    • Determine the presence, location, and orientation of foreign materials inside of intact products.
    • Qualitative and quantitative structural characterisation of 3D structures or components within intact products, e.g. glass defects, faulty medical devices, etc.

3D Imaging / Metrology

 

3D imaging and metrology refer to techniques and methods used to capture and analyse three-dimensional (3D) information about objects or surfaces. These techniques provide insights into the shape, structure, and dimensions of products with high precision.

 

Equipment

 

  • Skyscan 1172 – Desktop Micro-CT Scanner.
  • Artec Space Spider 3D scanner can be combined with Photogrammetry.
  • Einscan HD Pro 3D Scanner with motorised turntable.
  • Advanced Image Analysis Software:
  • Access to advanced Micro-CT solutions.
  • Zeiss Metrotom 800 and 1500.
  • Skyscan

    Life science capabilities and applications

    • Industrial Metrology.
    • Quality Control and Inspection
    • Wall Thickness Analysis / Surface Determination.
    • STL / CAD file generation.
    • Porosity / Inclusion Analysis.
    • Nominal (CAD)/ Actual Comparison.
    • 3D Colour capture / texture wrapping to 3D objects.
    • Advanced Image Analysis Solutions.

Non-contact Colour Measurement and Imaging

 

This technique assesses colour without physically touching the object being measured. These methods are valuable for maintaining colour consistency, analysing surface properties, and ensuring product quality in a wide range of industries, particularly in manufacturing and quality control. Non-contact colour measurement and imaging methods are important, enabling precise colour matching, material identification, and the detection of defects contributing to better product design and manufacturing processes.

 

Equipment

 

  • DigiEye Imaging System - 700mm cube.
    • D65 illuminant and additional LEDs to produce a calibrated D65 source against ISO 23603:2005.
    • Nikon Z6II Mirrorless Digital Camera.
    • Nikon Nikkor Z VR Magnification Lens.
  • Digieye Imaging System

    Life science capabilities and applications

    • Colorimetric data from samples with an ultra-small area, irregular or curved surfaces.
    • Detecting Counterfeit and Substandard Medications
    • Colour Space (CIELAB LCH, XYZ)
    • Colour Difference (CIE L*a*b*, CMC, DE2000)
    • Four lighting options: D65 -UV, D65 Including UV (CIE D65), D65 + extra UV, UV only
    • Calibration charts and uniformity board.
    • Angled and diffused lighting.
    • Stability and Shelf-Life Studies
    • Measure material colour non-invasively.
    • Generation of high-quality repeatable images which are suitable for image analysis.

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM)

 

The CLSM is a technique which builds on standard wide field optics found in standard fluorescent microscopes where the whole field of view is illuminated and can be visualised. The confocal microscope incorporates the use of a pin hole aperture to block out, out of focus light, specific points of the material can then be imaged across a defined focal plane. This confocal aspect allows for improved resolution and imaging at a specific section of a material. This also eliminates the need to cut thin sections of materials.

 

Equipment

 

  • Upright Zeiss LSM 700
  • A full range of high numerical aperture lenses: 5x (air), 10x (air), 20x (air), 40x (oil), 63x (oil)
  • Automated X,Y,Z stage
  • Reflected mode
  • Four excitation lines
  • Two photomultiplier tubes (PMTs)
  • Zen Black software
  • Confomap – Profilometry software 
  • Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Upright Zeiss LSM 700

    Life science capabilities and applications

    • Experience with investigatory analysis, comparative analysis & method development/validation/verification.
    • Imaging can be performed using the natural auto-fluorescence of certain materials or specific components can be localised using fluorophores (fluorescent stains).
    • Profilometry (Pharmaceutical Coating Analysis) - Using surface topography software roughness parameters can then be extracted. The most typical is the RA value although other values can be provided.
    • Drug Delivery and Formulation Studies
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