Guide to Particle Identification
This is part of a guide to the identification of particles seen in samples of free particles. It is designed to allow access to files using
any significant feature noticed by the microscopist rather than requiring a specific set of measured parameters. Often the most significant
feature of a particle is unique to that particle type and so is not a useful diagnostic element for a broader Key for particles in general.
This guide will lead to the same particle through a number of different paths depending on features and the order of significance placed on
those features by the microscopist/analyst. When a particle is found that appears to be similar to the one being identified it may be useful
to go to the file of particles of that type. For instance, if it looks like a starch grain then it may be useful to go to the "Starch" file in
this gallery and see a larger variety of starch grains for comparison. The photographs of the particles shown here are both from standard sets
and from environmental samples collected over many years by this laboratory.
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