Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of or quantification of carbon black and/or black carbon in a sample or carrier medium. The method includes providing the sample or carrier medium without labelling or pre-treatment of the carbon black and/or black carbon particles; illuminating the sample or carrier medium at a temperature below 90° C. by a pulsed light with a pulse duration below 500 femtoseconds, a repetition rate above 1 MHz with an average power below 20 mW, and a wavelength of a femtosecond laser pulse ranging from 700 to 1200 nm, to generate non-incandescence related light emission from the carbon black and/or black carbon particles; and analysis of the light emission.

Abstract: The present invention is based on non-incandescence related emission generation by carbonaceous particles (e.g. carbon black (CB) and black carbon (BC) particles) under illumination with pulsed light. The pulse duration is sufficiently short to trigger an instantaneous sample response without emission of heat-induced sample incandescence. The unique property of the described emission by carbonaceous particles upon pulsed illumination allows label-free optical detection and localization of carbonaceous particles in fluids, cells and tissues of biological and carrier media of non-biological origin. A method for analysing carbonaceous particles in fluids, cells and tissues of biological and carrier media of non-biological origin is also disclosed.