Sysmex FPIA-3000 automated particle shape and size analyzer

The Sysmex FPIA-3000 automated particle shape and size analyzer now has the capability to measure particles suspended in nonaqueous solvents, as well as those in water-based materials. This is especially important in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, where there is often a requirement to measure the shape and size of particles that are soluble in water. The Sysmex FPIA-3000 can now accommodate all common solvents, including acetone, methylethylketone, ethyl acetone, xylene and toluene. This instrument can measure particles in the range of 0.8–300 µm and, using a CCD camera, produces images of each particle as well as a scattergram of shape index versus particle size in just 2.5 min. Samples pass through a sheath flowcell that transforms the particle suspension into a narrow or flat flow, ensuring that the largest area of the particle is oriented towards the camera, and that all particles are in focus. The CCD camera captures 60 images/s; these images are analyzed in realtime.