McCrone Associates to Present Options to Swab Sampling Techniques for Improved Microanalysis at Pittcon
Westmont, IL (March 3, 2014) – A scientist with McCrone Associates, Inc. will present a technical poster on microscopy sampling techniques that improve on traditional swab techniques for thin film residues at the Pittcon Conference & Expo in Chicago on March 5. McCrone Associates is the analytical service division of The McCrone Group (TMG).
Mary Stellmack, senior research scientist at McCrone Associates |
Many industries use process tanks that require routine cleaning. After cleaning, small amounts of residue appearing as faint stains sometimes remain on the surface, and are hard to remove. The residue material needs to be identified in order to be removed without causing damage to the surface. Traditional techniques, such as using cotton or polyester swabs to obtain a residue sample, have their drawbacks, including not yielding enough sample for analysis or being difficult to extract from the sample.
Mary Stellmack, one of McCrone Associates’ senior research scientists, will discuss new techniques for obtaining residue samples without damaging the tank surface or contaminating the sample. The sampling methods can also be applied to remove a thin film from most solid surfaces.
“These simple, practical sampling methods allow us to collect concentrated residue samples that are much easier to analyze than traditional swab samples,” said Stellmack. “When clients provide us with a quality sample, it facilitates our analysis, and we are able to provide better data to the client.”
Stellmack, along with McCrone Associates senior research microscopists Anna Teetsov and Heidi Ullberg, developed the techniques featured in the poster, titled “Comparison of Sampling Methods for Identification of Process Tank Residues.” Stellmack will present their findings on Wednesday, March 5, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Session 2030, #12-P).
McCrone’s instrument and education divisions will also be at Pittcon
The McCrone Group’s technical personnel will demonstrate advanced microscopy and microanalysis equipment at booth 2109.
Among the highlights, McCrone Microscopes & Accessories, TMG’s instrument sales division, will demonstrate the NeoScope II, the industry’s most powerful benchtop SEM with a magnification range of 10X to 60,000X and resolution greater than 25nm. The high resolution, large depth of field and increased surface sensitivity give users the ability to image micrometer to submicrometer specimens. Visitors can also participate in demonstrations of the Olympus BX53 polarized light microscope.
Charles Zona, vice president and dean of TMG’s Hooke College of Applied Sciences, will be available to discuss course offerings for professionals interested in learning the latest techniques from industry experts, including popular courses such as electron microscopy, light microscopy, micro-spectroscopy and sample preparation. Hooke College is a pioneer in “blended learning,” an approach that combines hands-on classroom instruction with online training for a superior educational experience.
Pittcon will be held March 2-6, 2014 at McCormick Place.