Heavy metals in the soil are constantly accumulating, making them a long-term problem on every continent of the world. Martina Vítková, Associate Professor, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, discusses her work using TESCAN electron microscopes to study micrometer pollution particles in soil in this Labcompare magazine article, “Electron Microscopy Helps Get to the Root of Soil Pollution.”
Martina discusses how she images the samples in an SEM using a BSE detector and chemical contrast mode. Using the SEM, she is able to study soil chemical reactions and create active sorbents, which are incorporated into the soil at the site of contamination to capture metals and thus prevent their migration through the subsoil. Read more about her fascinating work here.