FlowCam - Flow Imaging Microscopy Blog

A research group with CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography in Kochi, India (https://www.nio.org/), has used the FlowCam^® to provide new evidence that temporal changes in the coastal waters of the Southeastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) cause size and structure changes in micro-plankton communities. Nutrient-rich coastal areas typically produce large-sized phytoplankton, and nutrient-depleted waters tend to produce smaller phytoplankton. These variations in plankton size can impact the food web, and therefore the economics of the area, where fishing is an important socioeconomic activity. 

What CAN'T be run through the FlowCam? The list below shows the majority of substances that have been imaged and analyzed on the FlowCam over the course of our 20 year history. Is your application on the list? If not, send us a sample, and we'll add it! Keep reading below to learn more about some of our favorite applications.

High-performance liquid chromatographyis a technique in analytical chemistry used to separate, identify, and quantify each component in a mixture. It relies on pumps that pass a pressurized liquid solvent containing the sample mixture through a column filled with a solid adsorbent material. Each component in the sample interacts slightly differently with the adsorbent material, causing different flow rates for the different components and leading to the separation of the components as they flow out of the column.

We use our Flow Imaging Microscopy blog as a platform to bring you relevant news and academic research, as well as highlighting developments and new uses of FlowCam technology. This year we published 68 blog posts on a large variety of subjects. Keep reading to see the countdown to the most popular post of 2019.

Based on proven FlowCam^® technology, the FlowCam Cyano automatically identifies cyanobacteria from other algae and particles in aquatic samples. Using a patent-pending combination of excitation wavelength, phycocyanin fluorescence measurement, and image recognition software, the system automates what was previously done using manual microscopy. After differentiating the cyanobacteria from the other algae in the sample, VisualSpreadsheet and Advanced Classifier software can be used to further characterize specific types of algae found in the sample using 40+ physical parameters. 

Keep reading to view our new video and see the inner workings of the FlowCam Cyano, as well as a detailed demonstration of VisualSpreadsheet's automated classification process.

FlowCam customers frequently ask us how to optimize analysis of Microcystis, a globally pervasive colonial cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) which is seen in source water systems and recreational lakes. The colonies can range in size from a few microns up to several thousand microns in diameter. Customers are concerned about losing part of the sample or not being able to capture a quality image due to the colony’s size and density. Dense colonies superimpose cells in the image, making it easy to underestimate cell counts, while large colonies can make it challenging to determine what objective is best used to image the sample.

Question:  What protocol does Fluid Imaging recommend to analyze colonies and scums of Microcystis?

We kicked off this holiday season with a Fluid Imaging party held at a candlepin bowling alley - candlepin bowling is unique to eastern Canada and New England - and most of us struggled to figure out the rules - but that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves! 

When considering how to characterize your subvisible particles for food and beverage production it's important to be able to see the images of different particle types.

The problem of protein aggregation and presence of extrinsic particles in biopharmaceutical formulations is not a small one. With the improvement of particle analysis technologies, developers are discovering that drug impurities and protein aggregation occur at multiple phases of formulation development, production, and quality control. The goal is to ensure the production of pure and safe biologics that can be shipped and delivered to patients, ensuring their health and safety. 

This year's AWWA Water Quality and Technology Conference in Dallas, Texas, kicked off with a pre-conference workshop focused on tracking, identifying, and predicting treatments for algae and cyanobacteria blooms. Despite the fact that the workshop was on a Sunday (and an hour from the conference location in Dallas), there was a fantastic turnout from drinking water utilities across the country and beyond.