In some instances, an apparatus can include a light sensitive imaging sensor having a surface to receive a fluid sample, a body to be moved relative to the light sensitive imaging sensor and having a surface to touch a portion of the fluid sample, and a carrier to move the body toward the surface of the light sensitive imaging sensor to cause the surface of the body to touch the portion of the fluid sample, so that as the surface of the body touches the portion of the fluid, the surface of the body (i) is parallel to the surface of the light sensitive imaging sensor, and (ii) settles on top of the fluid sample independently of motion of the carrier.

Described here are meters and methods for sampling, transporting, and/or analyzing a fluid sample. The meters may include a meter housing and a cartridge. In some instances, the meter may include a tower which may engage one or more portions of a cartridge. The meter housing may include an imaging system, which may or may not be included in the tower. The cartridge may include one or more sampling arrangements, which may be configured to collect a fluid sample from a sampling site. A sampling arrangement may include a skin-penetration member, a hub, and a quantification member.

Methods and apparatus for detecting, quantifying, enriching, and/or separating bacterial species in fluid sample are provided. The fluid sample is provided as input to a microfluidic passage of a microfluidic device, wherein the microfluidic device comprises at least one electrode disposed adjacent to the microfluidic passage. The at least one electrode is activated to capture bacteria in the sample using dielectrophoresis, wherein the capture efficiency of bacteria is at least 99%.

A method and apparatus for determining cleanliness of a sample is provided. The method includes taking a first reading of particles count of a sample placed into a chamber. The method further includes directing a stream of air over the sample, and taking a second reading of particles count of the sample. The method further includes calculating a difference between the first reading and the second reading, and determining a cleanliness of the sample based upon the difference. The method further includes option of taking an additional reading while a stream of ionized air is directed towards the sample. The method further includes trapping the impurities particles released from the sample by applying a vacuum through the filter, and analyzing the trapped particles to determine nature and chemical composition of the impurities particles.

A method and system to determine one or more proportional particle group shares in flue gas of a recovery boiler (110) based on optical information gained from a flue gas sample. A processor (202) is used to read (301) a digital frame comprising the area under consideration, which represents at least a part of the surface of a sampler (120) kept in the flue gas flow of a recovery boiler. Particle group areas matching a color characteristic of the particle group comprised in the flue gas is determined (302) from the area under consideration. The joint area of the identified particle group areas is determined (304), and the share of the joint area from the total area is determined (305) as the proportional particle group share of the particle group.

Provided herein is a dust measuring apparatus. The dust measuring apparatus includes: a body; a window unit exposed to the outside through an opening part of the body, such that dust present in the outside is gathered on the window unit; a light emitting unit emitting light to the window unit; a light receiving unit receiving light reflected from the window unit; and a controlling unit measuring an amount of dust gathered on the window unit on the basis of strength of the emitted light and strength of the received light.

A substance determining apparatus determines a substance within a fluid where particles, which have attached the substance, are bound to a binding surface. A sensing unit is configured to generate a sensing signal being indicative of at least one of i) a distance between the particles bound on the binding surface and the binding surface, and ii) an in-plane position of the particles bound on the binding surface. A binding discrimination unit is configured to discriminate between different kinds of binding of the particles bound on the binding surface depending on the generated sensing signal. The binding discrimination unit may be a unit for determining the part of the sensing signal being caused by specifically bound particles and for determining the substance based on this determined part of the sensing signal.

A system for measuring air quality, including a housing having an inlet, and outlet, and defining an air pathway therebetween, an air pump operationally connected in fluidic communication with air inlet and outlet for urging along the air flow pathway, a particle collector having an adhesive side positioned in the air flow pathway, and an electronic controller operationally connected to the optical sensor assembly for sending control signals to the optical sensor assembly and for receiving data from the optical sensor assembly. The system also includes an optical sensor assembly positioned for optical interrogate the particle collector, and further including a light source positioned to shine on the particle collector and an optical sensor positioned to receive light travelling from the particle collector.

A system and method for the detection of one or more analytes in a collected sample employs capillary action in a sample card containing a sample substrate, at least one test capsule and an absorbent pad. The absorbent pad absorbs the contents of the test capsule and delivers the same to the sample substrate, with the contents of the test capsule chemically reacting with at least one detection reagent to establish an optical indicator for the analyte(s). The sample card can be automatically tested within a reader device, which records and processes an optical signal produced by the chemical reaction and outputs a test result. The collected sample can then be further analyzed using a second device. Additionally, an adhesive component can be provided so that a sample can be collected thereon. Furthermore, the at least one detection reagent can include a surfactant.

A device, system and method for the detection and screening of plastic microparticles in a sample is disclosed. A nanoporous silicon nitride membrane is used to entrap plastic microparticles contained in the sample. The sample may be a water sample, an air sample, or other liquid or gas sample. The entrapped plastic microparticles are then heated or otherwise processed on the nanoporous silicon nitride membrane. An imaging system observes the nanoporous silicon nitride membrane with tic entrapped plastic microparticles to determine the type and quantity of the various plastic microparticles that are entrapped on the membrane.