Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the Bug Eye and Sand Coral

Sayid Ali Sayid ,Daniel Elaigwu Enenche,Aliyu Dadan-Garba ,Barnabas A Ikyo

doi:10.4236/mr.2020.81001

Abstract

We present a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique for the characterisation of biological and non-biological samples at nano-scale level. Scanning Electron Microscopy has been around for a long while especially in material science laboratories in developed countries. The SEM has enabled scientist to have a better understanding of microstructure by providing unsurpassed optical magnifications of samples. In this introductory paper, we introduce the techniques of using SEM to capture highly magnified microstructure of a fly found on an African soybean (Glycine max) seed. We are able to estimate the number of lenses in each eye and zoom into features that could describe its life characteristics. Hexagonal lenses are estimated to have sizes ranging from 14 um to 19 um. This paper also presents a finding of a sea coral “pie like structure” on a single grain of sand used for water filtration.

Highlights

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a device that uses a beam of electrons possessing high energy to examine objects at a nano scale [1]
We introduce the techniques of using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to capture highly magnified microstructure of a fly found on an African soybean (Glycine max) seed
This paper presents a finding of a sea coral “pie like structure” on a single grain of sand used for water filtration

Summary

Introduction

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a device that uses a beam of electrons possessing high energy to examine objects at a nano scale [1]. In 1933, the first electron microscopy was constructed based on the works that were conducted by two physicists, Max Knoll and Enrst Ruska in Germany They developed a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) which had the same structure as the existing optical microscope except that a focused beam of electrons was used in place of light to illuminate the sample [5]. For surface topology of the sample, SE is used as it slightly penetrates the sample to give an image for many types of samples (plastics, metals, ceramic, wood and organic matter such as insects as one described in this paper) This technique can be used for chemical composition analysis of the sample surface as the image contrast is dependent upon the atomic number (z-number) of the material’s elemental composition. This paper introduces a technique used in characterization of organic structure of a soy-bean fly and a sea coral structure on the single grain of sand

Sample Preparation of Soy-Bean Fly

Sand Particles and Brita Water Filter

Conclusions