What Is Particle Size Analysis And When Is It Used

July 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Particle size analysers have been in use since the 1940's, to aid in the determination of particulate matter in air, powders, and solutions.  The process is seemingly simple:  An electrically charged aperture of microscopic size is used to evaluate particles due to their interference of the electrical field generated through the aperture.  The aperture is very small, usually around 15-2000 microns, or micrometers.

Particles can be sized and counted in this manner, and depending on the method - air, solution, or emulsified solid - the instrument can be adjusted for what type of materials being analysed.  Particle size analysis has been used in many industries, from dye making to powder manufacturing.  Its use is so important that many industries depend solely on it for quality control.

In the medical field, particle size analysers hold a very vital position in the clinical laboratory.  The instruments that utilize this method of analysis are very complex machines, and since it has been used for decades, the instruments involved have been improving in many ways.  The sensitivity of the instruments used in areas such as haematology are so trusted for their particle size analysis accuracy that the results provided by the instrument are regarded as the final result.

The methodology used in particle size measurement can be explained as an interference of an electrical field.  To better visualize this, think of a small opening that has a magnetic field around it, or flowing through it.  When a particle moves through the aperture, or hole, and the particle is of a non-conductive material, or possible charged opposite of the field, then an interference of that field is made.  The interference can then be measured by particle size analysers designed to analyze the changes in the milliampere range.

The size of the particle can be measured in different parameters, as in length, width, depth, rotation, or even center mass.  When these parameters are applied to specific software in the computer analysis process, the exact size, shape, and other vital characteristics of the particle or displayed.  This can aid in the resolution of what the particle is, such as the type of white blood cell or even red cell morphology.

These and many more questions should be on the forefront of your queries in this field of science.  Finding the right particle-sizing instrument may be the most important quality control solution you can decide on.  

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