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False-coloured SEM of an agricultural sludge sample after burning in an oxygen atmosphere. Silver oxide structures and structures rich in calcium carbonate (calcareous) can be seen. The background (blue) corresponds to the surface of a zirconia crucible (container that can withstand very high temperatures) which is used to burn the sample in. Burning the sample in the presence of oxygen allows total carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) content to be measured (elemental analysis). A wide range of organic and inorganic samples can be analysed in this way including soils, sludge, water, fuels, polymers, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This technique can also be used in environmental studies to verify the quality or contamination of fuels and soils. Horizontal image width is 155 micrometres. (Photo by Eberhardt Josué Friedrich Kernahan and Enrique Rodríguez Cañas/Wellcome Images)
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