[en] We have used an electron microprobe or scanning electron microscope to analyze the Ag produced by exposure of Ilford nuclear emulsions to ¹⁵¹Sm beta particles. The low beam currents of the SEM yielded satisfactory results while the higher current density of the microprobe produced variable amounts of volatilization of the organic constituents of the emulsion. Nonlinearities in Ag counting rate vs. exposure time curves were found at both high and low Ag concentrations. Two different types (mechanisms) of emulsion fading were observed, one operating on an hour, the other on a day, time scale. The low-Ag nonlinearities are perhaps explained by either dose-dependent short time scale fading or by the requirement of multiple hits to render some AgBr grains developable. (orig.)