CoreMiS - Multimodal Correlative Microscopy and Spectroscopy for Advanced Environmental Science Research

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Whilst the research community possesses individual tools to visually examine nanoparticles with e.g. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), detect elemental compositions with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and interrogate chemical structure via Raman Spectroscopy, these have yet to be pulled together to create a much more powerful and dedicated tool for the routine analysis of nanoparticles and nano-scale chemical reactions. Although there are traditional SEM-EDS, it is not able to extract details of the bonding of atoms, which would disclose the chemical nature of the molecules in a sample.RISE-EDS is a recent achievement in multimodal correlative microscopy and spectroscopy. It is the full integration of a (i) WITec 3D confocal Raman microscope into a (ii) ZEISS field emission Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) that is enabled with an (iii) Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) detector, as one analytical suite. RISE-EDS has the unique analytical capacity for combined/simultaneous (i) physical characterisation (size/shape), (ii) semi-quantitative multi-elemental (e.g., C, N, P, K, Ti, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hg) quantification and (iii) chemical speciation characterisation (e.g. identification of polymer compounds) of biological/organic and inorganic samples, from a microscopic to a nanoscopic resolution. Samples that ranges from plant roots, soil grains, microbial cells, and nanoparticles can be characterised in their natural (or close to natural) states.It thus has analytical applications across water science, atmospheric science, soil science, plant science, microbiology and nanotechnology. Its unique analytical capability now allows us to conduct research (across multiple research fields) that has been impossible due to analytical constraints. Some of the major applications are highlighted as follows:(a)About 15 trillion microplastics (polymers less than 1 micron) are floating in surface waters. As they age, they fragment into sizes below 1 micron, becoming nanoplastics. Nanoplastics are perceived to be more abundant and more harmful than microplastics. But this is yet to be well investigated due to a lack of analytical equipment to chemically identify and quantify 1 to 100 nm-sized plastic particles. RISE-EDS will deliver the analytical capability for accurate nanoplastics quantification in complex matrixes. (b)The biggest environmental threat to health in the UK is air pollution with up to 36,000 deaths per year. The tool for rapid and routine characterisation of fine nanoparticulate air pollutants is however not available. RISE-EDS will provide a routine but state-of-the-art approach for characterising the morphology, multi-elemental compositions, and molecular speciation of nanoparticulate hazardous material in the air.(c)To manage the impacts of toxins, assessment of contaminants toxicity to different organisms is required. However, sub-cellular toxicity assessment remains elusive due to analytical constraints. RISE-EDS will provide the high-resolution imaging of sub-cellular compositions that are needed for deciphering the process of contaminant accumulation and toxicity in diverse organisms.(d)Nanotechnology is the driving force behind a new industrial revolution. It makes materials (e.g cosmetics and pesticides) more durable and more effective. However, there are potential risks. RISE-EDS will assist in how we link nanoformulations to nanotoxicity assessment at the earliest stage of nano product design.(e)Infectious diseases are becoming harder to treat due to antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) drugs. RISE-EDS will help identify the mechanisms of AMR, through hyper-spectral characterisation of compositional changes in microorganisms.(f)Nutrient utilisation by crops must be optimised to maximise yield while mitigating greenhouse gases emission and eutrophication. RISE-EDS will help in revealing the biogeochemical processes that govern soil nutrients and carbon dynamics.