It's the Environment, Stupid

It was the year of the Copenhagen conference and the "climategate" affair, but there was more to 2009 than these political brouhahas: here are 10 to remember.

1. How to survive the coming century Alligators basking off the English coast; a vast Brazilian desert; the mythical lost cities of Saigon, New Orleans, Venice and Mumbai; and 90 per cent of humanity vanished. Welcome to a world warmed by 4 °C.

2. 1709 : The year that Europe froze One winter in the early 18th century, it was so cold animals died in their barns, travellers froze to death, and even the Mediterranean iced over. It was Europe's coldest spell for the past 500 years.

3. One last chance to save mankind James Lovelock, originator of the Gaia theory, thinks climate change will wipe out most of us this century – but there may be one way to save ourselves.

4. Meet the amphibian only its mother could love A bug-eyed salamander that looks like ET and a see-through frog were among the weirder species discovered by biologists in a far-flung corner of Ecuador.

5. Supervolcano may be brewing beneath Mount St Helens A sneak peek beneath Washington state's simmering volcano suggests it may be connected to an extraordinarily large zone of semi-molten rock, which could feed a giant eruption.

6. Sea level rise: It's worse than we thought In its 2007 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecast a sea-level rise of between 19 and 59 centimetres by 2100. Even before it was released, the report was outdated, and the bad news is that there is a growing consensus that its estimates were wildly optimistic. So just how high will the ocean go?

7. Post-human Earth: How the planet will recover from us If our civilisation collapses, what will happen to the Earth itself? The best way to work that out is to look back at its past.

8. Giant crack in Africa formed in just days A split in the Earth's crust ripped open in a matter of days in 2005, a new study suggested. It could be the forerunner to a new ocean.

9. Ice on fire: The next fossil fuel Methane trapped in ice under the ocean and permafrost on land could fuel the world for hundreds of years – but there's an explosive snag.

10. Earth's coastlines after sea-level rise, 4000 AD Even if we could keep the atmosphere as it is today, sea levels would still rise by 25 metres. The good news is that there's a limit on how fast that rise can take place.

by Michael Marshall

Source : here

New Mixer the Vortex WX by Velp Scientifica

New Mixer improves comfort and convenience in the laboratory. Velp Scientifica (Italy) introduces the Vortex WX with orbital movement that doesn't need any pressure to maintain vibration. Thanks to the revolutionary "Sensor" mode, an infrared system (IR) detects the presence of the test-tube and the instrument automatically starts vibrating!

The vortex WX has adjustable vibration frequency and can reach up to 3000 rpm, according to need. The VORTEX WX features a low profile and ergonomic design for increased lab bench stability.

XRF Analyzer with Large Area Drift Detector

Thermo Fisher Scientific (USA) introduce Thermo Scientific Niton XL3t Series with geometrically optimized large area drift detector (GOLDD) technology. The Niton analyzer's ground breaking GOLDD technology delivers improvements in light element detection, overall sensitivity and measurement times - as much as 10 times faster than conventional Si-PIN detectors, and up to three times more precise than conventional smaller, silicon drift detectors.

Thermo Fisher Scientific was able to surpass the performance of conventional Si-PIN and SDD detectors by combining the award-winning Niton XL3t 50 kV, 2-watt X-ray tube, closely optimized geometry and patented signal processing hardware and software. When combined with the company's proprietary large area drift detector, it creates GOLDD technology, delivering superior performance in the form of faster analysis and lower detection limits. Furthermore, this innovation allows light element detection of magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus and sulphur without helium or vacuum purging, a significant productivity and user benefit.

" The Niton XL3t with GOLDD technology brings true lab-quality performance to a hand held XRF analyzer," said Bob Wopperer, director of business development for portable analyzer products within Thermo Fisher Scientific. " The product is easy to use, delivers fast analysis, is extremely accurate, and can measure light elements without helium or vacuum assistance. These features make it the ideal, multi-purpose tool for analyzing metal alloys, carrying out mining exploration and mapping, detection soil contaminants, or screening toys, electronics and other consumer goods for prohibited substances."

For example, the Niton XL3t GOLDD is the definitive tool for scrap metal recycling, making it easier to sort aluminum, titanium and bronze alloys, as well as achieving superior performance for tramp and trace element analysis. And in mining exploration, the instruments low detection limits are designed to allow geologist to identify anomalies at or below the averages naturally found in the earth's crust, something previously not possible with hand held XRF

Next Generation Capillary Electrophoresis System Featuring 10x Superior Sensitivity

Agilent Technologies (Asia) introduced its next generation Agilent 7100 Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) System, providing at least 10 times more sensitivity than any other commercial CE instrument.

"We consider electrophoresis to be one of our core technologies and are seeing strong interest in CE in a number of areas, such as new biological drug QA/QC, environmental analysis, food safety and life sciences," said Nitin Sood, General Manager of Agilent's Electrophoresis business. " Used in stand alone mode, as the separations component of a CE/MS or as a complementary, orthogonal technology to LC, Agilent's new 7100 CE system brings unprecedented HPLC-like sensitivity to a wide range of analytical challenges."

CE is also attracting attention because the technique uses very small amounts of solvent. The new 7100 system also requires 25 percent less bench space, weighs 30 percent less than its predecessor and uses less power. The superior sensitivity is a result of a new detector used in combination with proprietary extended light path capillaries or a high-sensitivity cell. The Agilent 7100 is 10-20 times more sensitive than other CE instruments.

EPA Method Standards

Simplify Labor with Customised EPA Method Standards. VHG Labs (USA) has over 25 years experience in making accurate, stable and certified traceable standards for EPA Methods, including the versions of 200.7 , 200.8 , 6010 , 6020 used ICP, ICP-MS and GFAA techniques. Our 2008-2009 catalog features over 20 pages devoted to standards for environmental sample analysis. A range of stock products comply with method requirements. Custom mixes and element mixtures of varied concentrations can be manufactured to your specs. Let us know what element ranges are in used in your lab-our experts can recommend the best custom blend combinations to simplify your sample prep.

With the right stock mixture you may be able to save an entire dilution step or reduce the number of separate standards in the run-enabling substantial labor savings. VHG also offers consumbles and supplies for ICP,AA, ICP-MS, GFAA and XRF.

Versatile Multi X2500 for AOX/EOX/POX Analyser Launched

Analytik Jena (Germany) has announced the launch of the versatile multi X2500 for AOX/EOX/POX analysis and more. Applications also include determination of TOC, important in water analysis, and chlorine content (TX/TOX) from difficult matrices. The Multi X2500 offers a unique combination of sophisticated sample handling, precise measurements, extensive automation possibilities and low operational costs. An Innovative tilting furnace configuration combines the advantages of both vertical and horizontal furnaces in a single analysis system. This versatile arrangement offers analysis capabilities ranging from the fastest AOX routine analysis in vertical operation to the reliable determination of the smallest EOX trace concentrations in horizontal mode. Flame sensor technology ensures that the combustion process is optimised and automatically adjusted for the particular sample matrix, to give quantitative, trouble-free combustion even of derived fuels. Automated sample preparation system not only allow the column method to be used to prepare samples for AOX determination, but uniquely also offer sample preparation using the SPE procedure. The system manages the adsorption on the SPE columns, the elution and the adsorption on the charcoal with no manual intervention. In addition, the world only dual-channel sample preparation system doubles both sample preparation speed and AOX sample throughput.

The Multi x2500 can be equipped with autosamples for all applications. The autoX series offers the right sampler for any task, from small AOX sample series in vertical mode to multi-matrix variants for vertical and horizontal sample feed in larger AOX sample series, using the column or batch method. Vertical and horizontal EPX samples can also be handled. The patented measuring cell of the multi X2500 guarantees high sensitivity and precise analysis. A wide dynamic range ensures reliable analysis of samples even with unexpectedly high AOX concentrations. The intelligent multiWin software guarantees fast switching between column and batch methods. It monitors and control all relevant system parameters and checks the system performance and the analysis quality before delivering the results in individual analysis reports.

James Hansen: Copenhagen Climate Talks Must Collapse

Shanta Barley, reporter

Outspoken US climate scientist James Hansen has announced that climate talks next week in Copenhagen must collapse if the world is to tackle global warming effectively, reports the UK's Guardian newspaper.

A leading climatologist and director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Hansen's testimony to US Congress in 1988 played a critical role in raising public awareness of global warming.

Now Hansen's back in the spotlight. He has raised eyebrows by saying that any agreement that emerges from Copenhagen will be counter-productive if it plumps for a "cap and trade" system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"I would rather it not happen if people accept that as being the right track, because it's a disaster track," Hansen told the Guardian's US environment correspondent, Suzanne Goldenberg.

"The whole approach is so fundamentally wrong that it is better to reassess the situation. If it is going to be the Kyoto-type thing then [people] will spend years trying to determine exactly what that means."

Hansen's trademark pessimism comes at a time of hesitant optimism: yesterday India joined the club of major emitters that will offer to cut greenhouse gas emissions at Copenhagen next week, alongside China, the US and the EU.

So why is the man who has probably done more than any other person on Earth to tackle climate change so keen that Copenhagen goes belly-up? Mainly because he disagrees violently with key governments over how best to control climate change.

Many politicians believe that the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is for governments to set limits on emissions while polluters buy and sell carbon credits - or "permits to pollute," as Goldenberg calls them - but Hansen disagrees.

"This is analagous to the indulgences that the Catholic church sold in the Middle Ages. The bishops collected lots of money and the sinners got redemption. Both parties liked that arrangement despite its absurdity. That is exactly what's happening," he says.

In Hansen's view, the only way to cut emissions is through an ever-increasing tax on carbon emissions. He believes that the "carbon tax" should start at around $1 per gallon of petrol, with revenue returning directly to the public purse, according to the UK's Times Online.

There's no room for compromise, Hansen says.

"This is analogous to the issue of slavery faced by Abraham Lincoln or the issue of Nazism faced by Winston Churchill. On those kind of issues you cannot compromise. You can't say let's reduce slavery, let's find a compromise and reduce it 50% or reduce it 40%."

Whether or not Hansen's call for the Copenhagen talks to fail is as effective as environmentalist George Monbiot's recent call for another leading climate change researcher to step down, the timing of his outburst is not inconvenient: his first book, Storms of my Grandchildren, comes out next week.

Source : here

Dinosaur-Killing Impact set Earth to Broil, not Burn

The asteroid impact that ended the age of dinosaurs 65 million years ago didn't incinerate life on our planet's surface – it just broiled it, a new study suggests. The work resolves nagging questions about a theory that the impact triggered deadly wildfires around the world, but it also raises new questions about just what led to the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period.

The impact of a 10 Km asteroid is blamed for the extinction of the dinosaurs and most other species on the planet. Early computer models showed that more than half of the debris blasted into space by the impact would fall into the atmosphere within eight hours.

The models predicted the rain of shock-heated debris would radiate heat as intensely as an oven set to "broil" (260 °C) for at least 20 minutes, and perhaps a couple of hours. Intense heating for that long would heat wood to its ignition temperature, causing global wildfires.

Yet some species survived, and the global layer of impact debris doesn't contain as much soot as would be expected from burning the world's forests, raising questions about the extent of post-impact wildfires.

To explain the discrepancy, Tamara Goldin of the University of Vienna and Jay Melosh of Purdue University in Indiana studied how ejecta falling through the atmosphere might affect heat transfer from the top of the atmosphere to the ground. Earlier models considered only how atmospheric greenhouse gases would absorb heat.

The study reveals that the first debris to re-enter the atmosphere just a few minutes after the impact helped protect the surface from the debris that followed. "The actual ejecta themselves were getting in the way of the thermal radiation [in the atmosphere] and shielding the Earth," Goldin told New Scientist.

Burning sky
As a result, the surface felt the full heat from the sky for only a few minutes. As more particles drifted down, they blocked more and more of the heat from above, preventing the world's forests from igniting. "With the short pulse [of intense heat], it's really hard to get ignition" far from the impact site, Goldin says.

Surface life would have been broiled, but not burnt to a crisp. Animals that were able to take refuge underground or in the water were likely able to survive the short period of intense heat, explaining why not all life was killed.

"Now we have models and data that match," says Claire Belcher of University College, Dublin, who was not involved with the study.

Climate change
Wendy Wolbach of DePaul University in Chicago, who in 1985 proposed that soot found at the end of the Cretaceous came from global wildfires, agrees. The heat shielding effect "makes sense", she told New Scientist.

Without global wildfires, other mechanisms are needed to explain the mass extinction, Belcher says. These include the idea that dust in the atmosphere cut off sunlight in an "impact winter" that lasted for years before emissions released after the impact caused long-term global warming.

Acid rain following the impact may also have played a role in the extinction, as could the additional stress on global climate from the massive volcanic eruptions that occurred 65 million years ago in India's Deccan Traps.

Journal reference: Geology (vol 37, p 1135)

Source : here

Want fresh air? Give your house a nose job…

Central heating may keep your house warm, but it can also make the air stuffy. A new ventilation system that works like the nose of a small desert rat might let your house "breathe", freshening the air while maintaining cosiness.

So claims Steven Vogel of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Like some other desert creatures, the bipedal kangaroo rat, he says, helps maintain its body temperature using a clever nasal architecture.

On exhaling, the rat's nasal passageways are heated by the outgoing air. When it inhales, those warmed passageways heat the incoming air. This heat exchange ensures little body heat is lost.

Home comforts
Vogel wondered if a house or apartment could be made to breathe this way – gaining fresh air with low heat loss – and he built a model of a one-room dwelling to try it. He calls it the Nose House.

Using two fan-driven heat exchangers, he was able to mimic the rodent's trick. As one exchanger pushes air into the room, the other lets air out – then their roles reverse.

Each exchanger comprises a 40-centimetre-long plywood chamber, 5-centimetres-square in cross-section. Inside each chamber there are 17 half-millimetre thick aluminium plates that store heat as warm air leaves it, and which warm the air that is sucked in on the next "breath".

"This was as crude an analogy as I can imagine but it worked," Vogel says. "This non-optimised version saved over half the heat that would have been lost using steady-flow fans alone. "Well-sealed houses are very unpleasant and this may get around it."

Big problems
Vogel is not sure if his idea will scale up, though: to warm the average house, the chambers would need to be 6 metres long. But he plans to test whether the system might work. Patent searches have shown no similar heat exchange system working in anti-phase to mimic breathing, he notes.

Peter Gammack, concept design director for Dyson in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, UK, is impressed. "This is a very interesting biomimetics-inspired idea. Small animals have evolved to work in very efficient ways and the clever use of two alternating heat exchangers is elegant," he says. "It could be a good way of improving air quality in buildings in an energy-efficient manner."

Gammack adds that Vogel is right to be concerned about moving to full-scale machines, as Dyson discovered when developing its bladeless fan recently. "We had to extensively test even the minutest size change – it's surprising how dramatically scale affects effectiveness."

Journal reference: Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, DOI:10.1088/1748-3182/4/4/046004

Source : here

Pressurised Solvent Extraction Taken to a New Dimension

The main focus of modern analytical laboratories is minimising the time that elapses between sample analysis and result generation. Even today, despite modern extraction techniques, the extraction process can be very time consuming. Thanks to unique design of Buchi's (Switzerland) new Speed Extractor, pressured solvent extraction is taken to a new dimension. With its parallel format, up to six samples can be extracted simultaneously in approximately 20 to 40 minutes. As a result, incoming batches can be processed immediately and the analysis results is available on the same day if subsequent extensive purification steps are required. This allows for a previously unheard level of efficiency and throughput: up to 96 samples in one work day.

The Speed Extractor also distinguishes itself by its user-friendliness: The desired method is loaded, the extraction cells are then sealed automatically, and at the push of a button, six samples are extracted - no error-prone sealing, no time-consuming programming.
The Speed Extractor flexibility is unique as well : Temperature range of 50 - 200'C, pressure range of 50 - 150 bar, extraction cell size of 10 - 120 ml, 60 ml, 220 ml, and 240 ml collection vessels, and an integrated rinsing step into a separate waste container. A large selection of process parameters allows for a new standard in the number of supported applications.

New SmartView Provides Reliable Semi-Quantitative ICP-AES Analysis

New SmartView provides reliable semi-quantitative ICP-AES analysis. Why not make a fast semi-quantitative analysis to check the sample matrix or the concentration level of each element? The new smartview software makes this quick analysis provide reliable results and saves time during method development. SmartView uses multi-line analysis by ICP-AES. This software module developed by HORIBA Jobin Yvon(France) uses all the information available in the emission spectrum and pre-defined calibration curves for the elements. In routine analysis, the nature of the sample varies. With wastewater analysis, for example this often leads to background structure changes or spectral interferences. To reduce these variations, an Advanced Background Correction mode (ABC) is used. The rejection of outliers, by a simple calculation which does not need multiple acquisitions, is also applied. SmartView with several lines per element, intelligent background correction and rejection of outliers, allows reliable and fast semi-quantitative analysis.

Alphasense 'A Series' NDIR Sensor - Second to None

Alphasense's contemporary designed miniature CO2 infrared sensors are self contained, plig in sensors with integrated optics contained within standard sized miniature (20.0 mm) gas sensor housing. There are no moving parts within the sensors. An internal temperature sensor is included to enable the temperature to be monitored at the detectors, there by providing the best means of compensating for temperature effects, including ideal gas law corrections. In order to derive a signal from the Alphasense infrared sensors. the lamp should be pulsed at a constant frequency and duty cycle and power should be applied to the on-chip FET transistors. The signal can then be extracted from the on-chip FET transistor sources and the internal sensor temperature can also be monitored continuously.
Arthur W. Burnley - Sales and Marketing Director stated : " Alphasense has a broad and rapidly growing range of customers. They are demanding different techniques and sensing capabilities of the highest quality to further their own growth and developments. The introduction of these NDIR sensors is part of a much wider release schedule from alphansense that also included a unique PID sensor, developments utilising the latest Nano-technology and exotic toxics in a variety of formats especially our unique PID sensor, developments utilising the latest Nano-technology and exotic toxics in a variety of formats, especially our unique and highly succesful D-Series of truly miniature sensors. " Alphasense maintains its commitment to customers by continuing to supply the highest quality sensors with on-time delivery every time allied to exemplary support.

NDIR Technology Sensor for CO2 or HC Detection

IRNET is the base of the new family of infrared sensors developed by N.E.T. (Italy). Using a patented optical cavity combined with latest NDIR Technology the result is a high performing, robust sensor for hydrocarbon and Carbon dioxide monitoring with an estimated lifetime of over 5 years. The wide operating temperature (-40'C to 50'C) and low power consumption makes it suitable for fixed gas detection instrument. It is designed to fit most instrument makers in the standard 20 mm and 32 mm diameter sizes.
IRNET is a available in two version : the "dummy" 7 pins version, IRNET-7, that provides a "raw" signal (active-reference) and an internal temperature signal or the "intelligent" version, IRNET-P, with incorporated signal linearization and temperature compensation, suited for manufactures without any specialist knowledge in IR technology. The IRNET-P sensor contains all the necessary optics and Both IRNET-7 and IRNET-P are available for hydrocarbon detection, including methane, in % LEL and % volume and for CO2 with detection level in ppm, low % volume and high % vol.

MX4 iQuad Portable Gas Detector from One to Four Gases

Industrial Scientific (USA) introduces the MX4 iQuad. Able to detect from one to four gases, the MX4 is the latest addition to the company's line of iNet-ready gas detectors. iNet offers an alternative to buying and maintaining gas detectors. It is a software-based service that increases safety by providing visibility into gas detectors. Instead, they subscribe to iNet and receive Gas Detection as a service.
Using the MX4 with iNet is a better way to do gas detection. Subscribers avoid the common problems of owning gas detectors. At the same time, users are protected by the MX4's reliable and user friendly features. The MX4 is small, rugged and simple to use. A rubber overmold covers its polycarbonate housing to protect the MX4 from high-impact bumps and drops. The housing has also been third-party and certified IP66 and IP67. This ingress protection rating indicates that the MX4 is dust-tight and resistant to both water jets and submersion. The MX4 uses a combination of three alarms. Ultra bright LED's, a 95 dB audible alarm and a powerful vibrating alarm all warn users of hazardous gas levels.

Low-Cost OEM Gas Sensors Features Improved Communications

Edinburgh Instruments (UK) has a well-deserved reputation in the arena of infra-red gas sensing technology, with a track record spanning over 20 years. The company is continuing to build on this reputation with the introduction of it's next-generation OEM sensor, named the Gascard NG.
Utilising established and proven technology from the existing Gascard range of instruments, the Gascard NG not only addresses existing customer requirements, being backward-compatible with the current Gascard model, but it also provides for future extendibility and functionality through improved communication and configuration options. The main highlights of the Gascard NG are : Backward-compatibility with the current generation of Gascard detectors ; Automatic temperature and pressure correction via on-board sensors ; On-board RS232 commnication ; TCP/IP communications protocol option ; Field-replaceable IR source ; Windows - compatible data logging software ; Enhanced configuration options for future extendibility to incorporate additional gas detection technologies. Initially released in CO2 ppm & low per cent volume configurations, the range has now been extended to include all the different measurement range for CO2 as well as the other target gases covered by the current Gascard model, such as CO and CH4.

Researchers Must Stay on The Moral High Ground

The disclosure of personal emails can be embarrassing. And so it proved this week when hundreds of them, accumulated over more than a decade in the files of the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia, UK, tumbled into the public domain as a result of an illegal hack. Climate change deniers claim that the emails expose a conspiracy at work to make human-induced global warming a fact. A columnist for the Guardian newspaper in London said that the emails could scarcely be more damaging. One blog for the Daily Telegraph, also in London, called it "Climategate: the final nail in the coffin of anthropogenic global warming", adding "this scandal could well be the greatest in modern science". The sceptical climate scientist Patrick Michaels told the New York Times: "This is not a smoking gun; this is a mushroom cloud."
But the charge that the emails are proof of a climate change swindle is ludicrous. As we report (see "Hacked archive provides fodder for climate sceptics"), there is no evidence in the hundreds of emails that data is being systematically falsified or dishonestly manipulated in refereed journals.

The overwhelming impression from this peek into the world of climate scientists is their anger about voluble outsiders who won't play the game by the accepted rules of science. They mean those naysayers who generally publish by blog or in non-peer-reviewed journals; who demand access to raw data and personal computer codes; who take preconceived positions to which almost any data will be moulded - and who then accuse the other side of playing dirty. This anger is understandable. Over the past two decades, the CRU has compiled the most authoritative record of recent temperatures on the planet. It is how we know the world is warming. Yet its researchers have been inundated over the past few years with what feel like unreasonable and malicious demands for their raw data. They fear the hacking of their emails is the culmination of a concerted attack by data terrorists.

"Climate researchers have been inundated with what feel like malicious demands for their data"

They deserve to be protected. The trouble is that there should also be a place in the scientific dialogue for critics to make their views known, for the heretics who are not part of the scientific consensus.

Researchers being paid from the public purse should not treat their detractors as enemies but make reasonable attempts to engage with them honestly, no matter how unpalatable their views. Nor should they ask each other to delete emails - in response, apparently, to a freedom of information request. Scientists in general need to address how such destructive antagonism can be prevented, before the flow of research data dwindles. If that were to happen, science itself becomes the victim.

Source : here

The MICRO IV Flexible Single Gas Detector

The MICRO IV from GfG (Germany) is the optimum solution for personal protection from toxic gases and vapours. It is very small and light and a crocodile clip secures it safely on a belt or pocket. The housing is extremely shock and scratch resistant. Of course the MICRO IV is approved for use in explosion endangered areas. The plug in sensors are pre-calibrated and can be replaced easily. The MICRO IV recognises the new sensor type, measuring gas, detection range, calibration curve as well as alarm threshold values. Only one minute after sensor replacement the MICRO IV is ready for operation.
The MICRO IV provide 3 programmable alarm thresholds for toxic gases. The warning occurs when the programmed values are exceeded. For toxic gases the MICRO IV provides additional alarms for exceeded STEL or TWA values. The audible alarm (95 dB(A)) of the MICRO IV is noticeable even in noisy environments. The three alarm levels can be distinguished by different frequencies. Two extremely bright flashing LEDs indicate gas alarm. The alarm levels are distinguished by different flashing frequencies. The data logger saves up to 200 events. Alarm thresholds A1, A2, A3 as well as STEL and TWA are stored together with time and gas concentration. Data is stored continuously, old data is overwritten.
The MICRO IV provides an infrared interface for data transfer via PC, the data interface, for quick device configuration or via dockingstation, which allows execution of the daily bump test as well as calibration / adjustment automatically is a very short time. For monitoring gases in manholes, sewer, rooms and containers before entering, a motorised pump can be attached easily. The high performance pump takes samples over long distances and is activated by a single button. The pump has its own, autonomous power supply and does not affect the run time of the MICRO IV. The MICRO IV detects a wide range of toxic gases, hydrogen and oxygen by means of electrochemical sensors.

The 4CF+ Carbon Monoxide Sensor and The 4HS+ Hydrogen Sulfide Sensor

City Technology (UK) has released the new generation of two of its most popular gas sensors, the 4CF+ carbon monoxide sensor and the 4HS+ hydrogen sulfide sensor. The existing 4CF and 4HS sensors are widely used by the leading global manufactures of single and multi-gas detection instruments for life safety applications. The latest designs build on the feed back gained from the tens of millions of devices in the field to offer significantly reduced calibration times, improved reliability, reduced sensitivity variation between devices and complete backwards mechanical compatibility with previous generations.
A number of design improvements and highly automated volume manufacturing and test techniques have contributed to the new sensors enhanced performance. All pins are gold plated, lowering contact resistance with the socket and improving reliability in use, particularly in situations where the instrument is likely to be subjected to shock or vibration. The ultrasonic welding of the internal current collector wires has been improved to give a higher quality, more uniform weld, improving reliability and reducing early failures. At various stages during the manufacturing process, 24 different parameters are tested, each stage of the assembly process is optically monitored and automated part placement reduces variations between devices, ensuring error free assembly.
A 100% leak test on the electrode sealing is an integral part of the manufacturing process, resulting in a significant increase in field reliability by eliminating one of the more common failures models found in sensors manufactures by others. More than ten million units have been shipped to date; the overall return rate from the field is an exceptionally low 0.006%, mainly because of the pre-emptive testing carried out at every stage of manufacturing. The latest generation promises even better reliability.

Climate 'diagnosis' is Strak Message for Politicians

It may sound like a thriller, but The Copenhagen Diagnosis is not an enjoyable read. It's a stark update on the state of our environment in time for next month's summit on climate change in the Danish capital.

In the report, an international team of climate scientists warns policy-makers that levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are at the extreme end of predictions made only in 2007, and that natural CO2 sinks such as oceans are becoming saturated.

Also, sea level rise is almost 80 per cent higher than some predictions, says co-author Tim Lenton at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK.

The team stresses that even a little warming could cause irreversible melting of ice sheets and turn dense Amazon forests into dry savannah grassland. "We may be heading towards these climate 'tipping points' earlier than we thought," Lenton says. The report calls for drastic action, including cutting CO2 emissions to almost zero by 2100 to prevent catastrophic climate change.

By : Jessica Hamzelou

A Revolution in On-line Liquid Analysis

BioTector Analytical System Ltd. (Ireland) manufactures an innovative range of on-line liquid analysers, which apply a totally new approach to eliminating the many problems associated with on-line TOC, TN and TP meausrement. The BioTector is designed to analyze everything-from clean water to the most corrosive and polluted samples, with no filtering requirements. It's patented oxidation method is what makes the BioTector unique. This oxidation process, known as Two Stage Advanced Oxidation (TSAO) is extremely aggressive and is therefore totally self cleaning (Hydroxyl Radicals at an oxidation potential of 2.8 is only below fluorine.
The reaction is unaffected by Chlorides (salts) up to 30% and the system can handle oils, fats, and calcium up to 12.5%. Hence the BioTector is deemed to be the most reliable on-line liquid analyzer on the market, with 6 month service intervals and <99.7% uptime with an accuracy of +/- 3%. It is designed so that there is no drift and therefore calibration is not required for the correct operation of the system. The BioTector makes direct measurements without dilution in 6.5 minutes (TOC) and on a wide variety of ranges from 0-5 mg c/l all the way up to 100,000mg c/l. Up to 86,000 samples per year can be successfully measured by the BioTector and the analyzers can be calibrated to read TOC, TN, NO3, TKN, TP, COD, BOD, TC, TIC and VOC, there are now over 500 BioTector unit installed world wide, many of which are operating in applications that would have been impossible with conventional technologies.

Climate Change Gives Ancient Trees Growth Spurt

Rising temperatures are causing some of the oldest trees on Earth to grow faster, new research suggests. But the change might not benefit the climate – it may simply cause the trees to die more quickly.

Previous research (pdf) suggested that Great Basin bristlecone pines located in the mountains of western US are growing more rapidly. But the reason for the growth spurt – and whether or not it is unusual – was unclear.A new analysis of tree rings suggests that the growth spurt is indeed unprecedented: bristlecone pines have grown faster in the past 50 years than they have in 3.7 millennia.

"This well-designed study suggests that climate change is the factor causing the growth spurt," says Greg Wiles, who reconstructs past climates using tree rings at Wooster College in Ohio.

Growth in old age
Matthew Salzer of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona in Tucson and colleagues took cores from ancient trees at three sites in the White Mountains of eastern California and the Ruby mountains of Nevada. They then measured the width of 420,000 rings from pines within 150 metres of their uppermost range, and noted their age. Lastly, the team compared trends in tree ring width with modelled and reconstructed trends in local temperature.

Tree rings in the last half a century have been 0.58 millimetres wide on average, compared to 0.38 mm wide in the 4750 years preceding the period, the study found. What's more, the growth spurt appears to be accelerating: between 2001 and 2005, tree ring widths were almost twice as great as they were before 1951, says Salzer, with an average width of 0.68 millimetres. The changes in tree-ring width are closely correlated with temperature, the study concludes: recent warming in western US is the best explanation for last century's unprecedented growth spurt.

Human impact
"This is a cautionary tale," says Michael Mann, who uses tree rings to gain insights into past climates at Pennsylvania State University's Earth System Science Center, most famously to create the "hockey stick" graph showing an increase in temperature. "Only the human impact of increasing greenhouse gas concentrations can explain that warming."

Christof Bigler of the department of environmental sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich agrees that the growth spurt may be a warning sign. He says that if the ancient trees grow more rapidly they may simply die younger.

But not everyone thinks that the growth spurt is a bad thing. "In the sense of reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations, it is actually a good thing that these old trees are kicking into life again," says Jinbao Li of the Tree Ring Lab at Columbia University in Palisades, New York.

It's also possible that the growth spurt is partly due to a rise in CO2 levels, which may "fertilise" forests, says Iain Robertson of the School of the Environment and Society at Swansea University, UK. "Temperature only explains about a quarter of the variance in ring widths, so CO2 fertilisation could still play a minor role."

By : Shanta Barley
Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0903029106

The SePem 01 Monitor for Water Leak Detection

The new noise logger as an innovative extension to the SePem range of products. The new generation of SEWERIN (Germany) noise loggers is small and compact. The combination of SePem 01 and communication appliance SePem 01 - master is one backed up with convincing arguments. The SePem 01 noise logger is designed for fixed deployment for water leak detection purposes. the heart of each and every logger is a newly developed, highly sensitive microphone for recording leak noises. It's specification are such as to permit large distances- even in the case of non-metallic piping - between the measurement points. Thanks to it's novel housing geometry, the logger can be installed either horizontally or vertically. Whether underground fire hydrant or gate valves at varying installation depths - SePem 01 fits in everywhere! A digital high-performance wireless link with automatic error correction exchanges data between logger SePem 01 and communicator SePem 01 - Master. The control vehicle crosses the measurement point and receives all data without any being lost.
State-of-the-art technology is inside the lightweight and handy casing of the SePem 01 - Master communicator. The user soon learns to appreciate the perfected menu control. Even though no separate software is needed, numerous functions are on hand for programming the loggers and presenting the readings. Thanks to the easy, intuitive operation of the SePem 01 - Master, users with only a smattering of PC knowledge very quickly obtain precision findings. Summaristing : the logger and communicator combination features precise measurements thanks to the highly-sensitive microphone together with powerful radio data transmission and evaluation of readings directly on the spot.

Trace Level Determination of Perfluorinated Compounds in Water using Ion Chromatography

The human and environmental exposure potential of perfluorinated alkyl sub-stance such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) has become the subject of intense research. Metrohm (Switzerland) presents an easy-to-use and economic direct-injection method for PFOA and PFOS determination in drinking water. The currently used method for the determination of anionic perfluorinated surfactant is LC-MS/MS. The analytical methods for the determination of PFOS and PFOA in water samples generally employ a C18-SPE column, either with or without ion pairing or acidification, followed by LC-MS/MS. However, this method suffers from relatively high runn-ing and investment cost.
The new Metrohm method is a good alternative regarding both investment on instrumentation and usability. The method is based on surpressed ion chromatography with isocratic elution on a reserved-phase column thermostated at 35'C using an aqueous mobile phase containing boric acid and acetonitrile. The used detection technique is conductivity. While PFOA and PFOS determination in low salt-containing water samples can be performed using straightforward direct injection chromatography, samples with higher alkaline-earth-metal concentration, e.g. tap, lake, sludge or river water samples, should pass over a cation exchanger such as Metrohm's Sample Prepation Module <> prior to separation.

TurbiCheck With Infra-Red Light Source

The compact Lovibond infrared turbidity meter TurbiCheck from Tintometer (Germany) is designed to allow fast, precise on-site testing. The unit measures the scattered light at an angle of 90' , as stipulated in EN ISO 7027. The wide measuring range from 0.01 - 1100 TE/F = NTU = FNU makes the instrument suitable for various applications, ranging from drinking water to waste water. As infrared light is used for measurement purposes, the unit can be used to test both coloured and colourless liquids.

Highlight :
1. Range 0.01 - 1100 NTU
2. Measurement with infrared light at an angle of 90'
3. Measurement of coloured liquids
4. Easy handling
5. 600 tests without battery change

Dissolved Oxygen Optical Sensor Designed for Process Applications

The new Rugged Dissolved Oxygen (RDO) PRO sensor from In-Situ (USA) is designed for demanding process applications and features an abrasion-resistant foil that withstands fouling, high sediment loads, and rapid flow rates. The sensor cap is preloaded with calibration coefficients to speed set up and eliminate programming errors. The RDO PRO sensor offers open-architecture communication protocols, including Modbus over RS485, SDI-12 (version 1.3), or 4-20 mA signal outputs. The RDO PRO eliminates the need for costly external transmitters or controllers and operates on a 8 to 36 VDC input or 4-20 mA three wire current loop. Corrosion-resistant construction and durable sensing foil design provide consistent, reproducible results (<0.05 mg/L reproducibility) in demanding environments. The RDO PRO offers reliable, low-maintenance to water quality specialists in municipal or industrial water and wastewater treatment plants, aquaculture settings, dam discharge applications, and food/beverage process control environments.
The In-Situ RDO sensor measure Dissolved Oxygen using the principle of "dynamic luminescene quenching" according to ASTM Method D888-05, Test Method C. Compared to Clark-cell type sensors, the RDO PRO sensor can lower the total cost of acquiring consistent, high-quality data. Th In-Situ RDO sensor significantly reduces instrument checks and recalibration. The RDO PRO sensor is factory-calibrated and requires a quick two-point calibration upon deployment. The calibration can last for several months if sensor fouling is minimal and if the foil is not mechanically damaged or removed. If fouling is high, the sensor can typically be cleaned and redeployed without recalibration. Field-replaceable caps streamline maintenance, reduces costs, and eliminate programming errors.

Pumps Help Oceanographic Research to Measure Carbon Dioxide is Seawater

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has developed a miniaturized observation device to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) in seawater, relying on Tecan's (Switzerland) Cavro XCalibur Pump for accurate automated pipetting. JAMSTEC is involved in a wide range of basic marine-related research, including collection and dissemination of information that helps to understand changes in the earth's environment. It is one of the activities of the japan EOS Promotion Program, funded by MEXT, Japan. "It is necessary to monitor CO2 concentrations in order to predict future climate change," explained Dr. Yoshiyuki Nakano, Research Scientist at JAMSTEC's Mutsu Institute for Oceanography in Aomori, Japan. " We developed a device that calculates the CO2 concentration in seawater by analyzing a pH indicator solution, using two Cavro XCalibur pumps to aspirate and mix pure water and concentrated pH indicator for each measurement. The volumes of indicator and water used are critical for reliable results, and the accuracy of the Cavro XCalibur Pump allows us to achieve exactly the concentration we aim for, while the pump's broad selectable volume range allows us to choose the exact concentration we want".
"We also chose the Cavro XCalibur Pump because an important design goal was to make the CO2 sensor small and light; the pump also offered high accuracy and was capable of maintenance-free operation for long periods, " added Dr. Nakano.

Profiline 3000: Single-Parameter Handhelds from WTW

WTW GmbH proudly announces their new ProfiLine 3000 series of single parameter handheld instruments. All models have a rugged waterproof housing with IP 66/67 protection class. A separate battery compartment allows easy exchange of batteries or the use of rechargeable batteries. A technical highlight is the special silicone keypad with sealed surface and the feeling of "real" keys. it provides an excellent operation and is easy to clean. The instruments have continuous operation times of up to 2500 h with one battery pack (4 x 1.5 V AA). Three model lines are offered :

1. The 3110 series for pH or conductivity measurement are functional and easy-to-use handhelds for standard measurement.

2. The 3210 series for pH, D.O. , or conductivity measurement has a backlit graphical display, a plain text menu and a special CMC function to ensure that the measurement is taken within the calibration range. The series also has enhanced measurement capabilities.

3. The 3310 series for pH, D.O. , conductivity measurement is a true highlight: An automatic datalogger with memory for 5000 records and a 100% waterproof USB interface make them perfect for long term recording in the field and for fast data transfer to laptop or PC.

New Brochure and Webpage 'Water Analysis'

Of the numerous hazardous substances found in water, about 200 guideline values have been listed by the WHO. However, which method to choose to determine which substance? Metrohm's new brochure [water analysis] provides answer. Metrohm's complete know how (instrument an applications) on water analysis is accessible on the new homepage water.metrohm.com 'water analysis', which can be ordered free of charge, is a condensed summary of the company's comprehensive know-how in the analysis of water in its various forms and uses drinking water, sea water, water for pharmaceutical use, ultrapure water, cooling water and boiler feed water, process water and waste water.
Using the most important national and international standards (DIN, EPA, ISO,ASTM) as a matrix, 'Water analysis' suggest method and instrumentation suited best to check the respective parameters. Methods include pH and conductivity measurement, titration, ion chromatography, voltammetry, atline and online process analysis. ' Water analysis' is of great value for anyone who is involved in the professional quality assurance of water. The easiest way to access Metrohm's (Switzerland) complete know-how on water analysis is the website water.metrohm.com. Here you can find a multitude of applications as well as information on analytical instrumentation for water analysis. Downloads are free of charge.

Reliable Measurements Also in Polluted Water

Requirements on the quality of water above all depend on the application. Depending on the purpose of use and application of water, the raw water is to be treated correspondingly. Chlorine dioxide has long been known as disinfectant in drinking water treatment and is now also increasingly used for oxidation and disinfection of polluted waters such as industrial, process, and cooling water. The chlorine concentrations prescribed by EU directives can be met by using the corresponding measuring and control technology. In order to avoid random sampling, monitoring can be implemented reliably and comfortably with amperometric sensors by ProMinent (Germany). ProMinent have launched their new dirt-tolerant chlorine dioxide sensor CDR 1 mA.
The design of the sensor type CDR 1-mA was modified such that it can be used especially in polluted industrial, process and waste water as well as in cooling water applications or surfactant-polluted waters. This is ensured by a dirt-tolerant, non-porous diaphragm protect the sensitive measuring electrodes against the sample medium. The diaphragm protect because it is permeable for chlorine dioxide but not for interfering dissolved and undissolved water components. The sensors provides a temperature-compensated 4...20 mA signal for measurements in a temperature range of 1 to 55'C. Precise measurements can be realised in a pH range of 1 to 10.0.

Portable and Stationary Sampler

This special sampler in the DUO version is offered by the company QH SERVIS (Chezh Republic) in both portable and stationary versions. The sampler contains two independent sampling units with a peristaltic pump enabling two mutually independent sampling modes. The sampler is suitable for sampling from two locations or from two different depths. The device equipped with an easy to use control unit controlled from the external memory in the configuration connector (identical with simply sampler), or Bond-oo-Check module with real time clock enabling logging of sampling data including sample temperature and connected analog signal value ( identical with Soft Sampler samplers). Each sampling unit standardly equipped with analog input for flowmeter signal, controlling the sample volume depending on the immediate flow, and digital inputs for remote control.

The TC Series for Suspended Solids Monitoring Sensor

Optex (Japan) provide various sensors for Water Quality Monitoring that contribute to environmental protection which are easy to use at a low cost. Optex's main product are th TC series of suspended solids meter and turbidimeter. The TC series has 4 measurement range, 0-100, 0-500, 0-3000 FTU and 0-500 mg/l. The TS-200 allows 24 hour automatic suspended solids monitoring and has three main features which include, built-in wiper to keep lenses clean and practically maintenance free, scratch-proof sapphire windows as well as light gathering technology with specially designed lenses to enlarge the images of the water in 3 dimensions to enable accurate measurement. The transmitter, SC-T3 and SC-T4 can indicate 4-20 mA signal output, alarm relay output and self checking relay output. Calibration of the TS-200 can be performed out of water.

Groundwater Monitoring-Low-flow Purging and Sampling

Geotech (UK) Ground water monitoring. This new extensive white paper of some 3,300 words with cases studies and illustrations examines best practice and the 'state-of-the-art' in low flow Purging and Sampling. It finds: "Significant time saving, improved sample process integrity, quality assurance and minimal quantities of potentially contaminated purge water - are attractive as the focus on groundwater quality sharpens and economics demand best cost-benefit based methods."
As each country looks more closely at its water resources and maintaining water quality, considerations on water sampling and techniques become more important. For any source, there is and obvious need for sampling process integrity to be able to sample accurately, reliably and repeatably, in compliance with rules and guidelines thus achieving quality assurance - and as economically as possible.

The New Isco 2150EX for Instrinsically Safe Area-Velocity Flowmeter

The new Isco 2150EX Flowmeter is the intrinsically safe version of Isco's (USA) modular area-velocity flow system. The 2150EX is designed and Baseefa-approved foe use in potentially Explosive Atmosphere (category 1G) under the ATEX Directive 94/9/EC. Powered by two lithium batteries, the 2150EX uses highly efficient power management to achieve battery life up to 9 months with two-minute data storage interval. Rechargeable batteries and an AC-Powered Network Interface Module provide great flexibility for a variety of long-and short-term monitoring applications. Isco's exclusive variable rate data storage enables programmable changes in the data interval, to further extend battery life and provide more detailed data only during unusual flow events.
Area velocity flow measurement provides greater accuracy in open-channel applications where weirs and flumes are not practical, and where submerged, full pipe, surcharged, and reverse flow conditions may occur. Applications for the 2150EX flowmeter include : portable and permanent-site AV flow monitoring foe inflow/infiltration, sewer overflow, and other sewer studies; Measuring shallow flows in small pipes. The low-profile Area Velocity sensor minimises flow stream obstruction and senses velocity in flows down to 25 mm in depth; level measurement in potentially explosive area such as manholes, digesters, and storage tanks. the 2150EX stores sata continuosly in"flash" memory to protect againts loss in case of power failure. Isco's versatile Flowlink Software provides site setup as well as retrieval and analysis of stored data.

The SC-TOC-A Gas Generator for TOC Analysers

Peak Scientific(UK) a pioneer in the development of laboratory gas generators, are proud to introduce the SC-TOC-A. This generator has been specifically designed to operated TOC-Analysers, producing the required flow rates, purities & pressures to cater for TOC analysers. The SC-TOC-A has been tested extensively in the field by SWAN Environmental India, authorised Shimadzu Distributor for TOC. SWAN have approved this generator model to provide gas for both, NPOC and TC-IC Applications. The generator operates on the principle of catalytic oxidation to effectively remove hydrocarbons (as CH4) to less than 0.1 ppm while 'Pressure Swing Adsorption' Technology reduces the moisture content of the gas.
The SC-TOC-A is the only TOC generator on the market today, featuring an internal air compressor, thus offering a stand-alone solution, independent from external air sources. Gas generators are our only business : With this dedication, we are sure to offer you a convenient, reliable, and cost effective gas supply. Our products are supported by a worldwide team of dedicated technical specialists, resulting in service capabilities that are second to none.

US EPA Approved Gas Analyzer Series from Ecotech

Ecotech, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of environmental monitoring equipment, is pleased to announce US EPA approval for its new serinus gas analyzer range. According to Ecotech's General Manager, Nicholas Dal Sasso, the approval are a vital step in the global launch of the new product line. "We are pleased to obtain U.S. EPA approval for the entire range of Serinus gas analyzer," said Mr. Dal Sasso." We are confident that the Serinus will give customers the performance they need, with Ecotech's proven reliability, but at a much lower total cost of ownership."
Further specialist models, including precursor trace gas analyzer, will be progessively released from 2010 onwards. The Serinus series ambient gas analyzer derives it's name from genus (group) of the canary, which was the first effective 'method' used to detect harmful gases in coalmines. just as the humble canary helped protect the health of early coal miners, so too will the new gas analyzers play their part in helping deliver a cleaner, safer, healthier global environment.
If you would like to know more about the Serinus gas analyzer please visit : www.serinus-gas-analyzer.com or email : enquires@ecotech.com.au

EnviMan Software for Waste Incinerators

Opsis (Sweden) has developed new software for reporting of emissions according to the EC directive for waste incinerators (2000/76/EC). The software is called EnviMan and meets the requirements set by the EC authorities. The software is also capable of handling similar reports, such as reporting to local authorities. EnviMan generates report in Excel format by using templates. It is an easy task for the user to modify the standard withheld templates to customise the reports. The reports are separated into daily reports with 10 minute, 30 minute and hourly averages. EnviMan also generates weekly reports, monthly reports and yearly reports based on daily averages and exceeding values according to the EC directive.

The Supreme Line CLD for Measuring NOx

The Supreme Line CLD from Eco Physics (Switzerland) have all the features that researchers always wanted. The operator can concentrated on science, while his tool measures continuously and automatically NOx. With immediate response time, with highest sensitivity for all background ambient monitoring needs (from a few ppb down to 10 ppt), with automatic chemical zero compensation, with selectivity linearity, etc. There is one word for this new instrument : Supreme!
And if it comes to number crunching : This analyzer offers an integrated hard disk with nearly unlimited storage capacity for data logging purposes. The structured SQL database allows an easy way of exporting data. Of course, interfacing is up to date with not only RS232, but ethernet connections. You benefit from fewer and hidden external connections. The instrument has a compact design and requires less space in racks. with its tilted and adjustable front panel the readability of displayed information is vastly improved. The first unit has been tested in a remote location for over one year and has proven its full capability : Supreme Performance!

Weather Data Critical to Pollution Monitoring

We all know that accurate, relevant data is important to making the best management decisions possible. The quality of that data is even more relevant when monitoring sensitive sites, or trying to ensure increasingly stringent environmental license conditions are met. Question such as ; When do we need to be careful of emissions drift and put management strategies into place ? How much rain have we had, will there be overflow or leachate issues to deal with ? What were the evaporation rates last week?
Your site will almost certainly experience weather conditions that will be quite different from what the weather bureau records. You will have your own micro-climate, with unique wind movement, rainfall, temperature and evaporation rates. With on site conditions that can vary wildly from the official report, collecting on-site weather data is becoming increasingly important. So how do you collect accurate, relevant and reliable weather data for your site? The answer is to install your own Environdata (Australia) automatic weather station, to keep historical records, provide live data on demand, provide the information you need to be confident in the management decisions you make, with accurate records to back you up. Not all weather stations are created equal. With an Environdata weather station - a true professional station - you will receive the quality you deserve, PLUS 10 years free phone and email support, high quality windows software, full system integration capability, quality back up, service and advice.

XC-6000EPC Automated Mercury Sampler for Stationary Sources

The Apex Instruments (USA) XC-6000EPC Automated MercSampler, is the industry standard for mercury sorbent trap monitoring systems. Designed for continuous sampling of vapor-phase mercury emissions from stationary combustion sources, the XC-6000EPC meter console is fully automated. Paired samples are extracted from the flue gas for the desired time period, from several minutes to several days. Samples are analyzed for determining time-averaged emissions. The XC-6000EPC simplifies sampling requirements by automating data acquisition, sample flow adjustments, leak checks, calculations, temperature control and calibrations. all raw data can be easily transferred to a Microsoft windows XP-based PC through Ethernet, USB or an optional wireless interface. The meter console controls the sample flow rate proportionally to the stack flow rate and determines the standardized volume extracted through each sorbent trap. In addition to performing as an Appendix K primary system, this unique unit can be used as a back-up monitoring system(redundant or non-redundant) or to perform U.S. EPA Reference Method 30B relative accuracy testing audit (RATA), system certification testing or low mercury emitter determination testing.
Also manufactured by Apex Instruments for use with the XC-6000PC are dual sorbent trap heated sampling probes, heated sample transfer lines and Stirling gas coolers for conditioning the gas by removing moisture and scrubbing corrosives out of the gas stream before the gas enters the meter console. To perform quarterly audits, Apex Instruments offers the AK-6000 Audit Kit a secondary reference dry gas meter with optical encoder, digital quadrature totalizer (15-point calibration), handheld digital barometer, thermocouple sim ulator, thermometer, type K thermocouple, 6" thermocouple "Y" adapter and vacuum insulated ice bath.
The latest addition to the Apex mercury sampling line of products is the MercSampler Automated Software : HGCalc. This new add-on software package uses sample run data and trap analysis. The sample run data from the MercSampler XC-6000EPC is imported in to the application, where total mercury mass, hourly and total mercury emissions are calculated. The software insures the specifications in 40CFR, part 75 are met. The software will also verify QA/QC specifications regarding section 2 breakthrough, relative deviation, and section 3 spike recovery as shown in Appendix K, table K-1. This application is used to import XC-6000 sample run data and trap analysis data to perform calculations for Appendix K. When all calculations are done and data verified this can be exported currently in text / PDF format and will be available in an XML report format in the near future.

Denox (SCR) Plants Urea is Added to Reduced NOx

Innovative Gas sampling solution deals with Ammonium Bisulphate and other condensing salts. M&C (Germany) has developed a special sampling technique for continuous measurement of flue gas from DENOX (SCR) plants where NH3 or Urea is added to reduce NOx. this new sampling technique has also proved beneficial for other processes with problematic salt formation,e.g. glass production and FCC on refineries. With temperatures of <300'C, ammonium salts can form from the chemical reaction of free NH3 and SO2/SO3 in the flue gas. This salification blocks up filters and sample lines in a short time.
The special M&C gas sample probe SP2000-H320/S offers a good solution. In order to prevent blockage due to salification, the probe temperature is controlled above 300'C, keeping the salts in the vapour phase. At the outlet of the probe filter, the gas passes into a glass separator vessel filled with glass balls to extend the surface for salt formation. Inherent moisture and solubility of salts means the resulting solution can be easily pumped away, providing a self-cleaning mechanism. A range of accessories complement this probe including different probe tube materials, calibration gas management, blow-back and external temperature control

XRF Alpha Series For Positive Material Indentification (PMI)

Ashtead Technology (SEA) (Asia) offers one of the smallest, fastest and most versatile innov-X handheld XRF Aplha Series Positive Material Identification Analyzer for quality contor, non-destructive testing and metal recycling, without radioactivity. The Innov-X handheld XRF has become the preferred analyzer for petrochemical, production/power and fabrication industries. It is widely accepted for alloy verification in nearly every major refinery, the nuclear power industry, and by leading alloy producers and fabricators.
Applications for this Positive Material Identification analyzer include alloy analysis for quality control, non-destructive testing and metal recycling. The Innov-X has flexible and friendly software allowing three modes operation. Fast ID Mode provides rapid spectral signature matching for grade identification plus alloy chemistry. Analytical Mode provides a full chemistry analysis using the method of fundamental parameters, plus grade matching to grade table specifications. Pass/Fail Mode is a rapid sorting mode. The operator selects a standard from a fingerprint library for Pass/Fail comparison. The decision criteria can be spectral signature matching, or chemistry, or chemistry ranges for one or more elements.
The Innov-X analyzer is also used for in-situ testing of metals in soil, bagged or prepared soil samples. It can be equipped with the environmental metals in soils module to identify and quantify Titanium, Barium, chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Mercury, Arsenic, Selenium, Lead, etc. The Innov-X tube-based Alpha Series is isotope free and delivery instant, accurate readings. It features a miniature X-ray tube and high-resolution detector. Engineered around the HP iPAQ pocket PC, the alpha series is user-friendly, flexible and upgradeable, and has a bright color display for easy viewing in all lighting conditions and a rear-facing LCD display. It is now available for rental at Ashtead Technology (SEA) Pte Ltd.
Features include : Tube-based system eliminates costly resourcing and loss of speed: multi-element Analysis - in one measurement; Definitive Pos./Neg. Classifications, Ergonomic, lightweight design;Versatile PDA platform and Easily measures uneven surfaces.

The EE061 Humidity Transmitter Series with 4-20 mA Output

The new transmitter of the series EE061, in the form of a slim probe from E+E Elektronik (Austria), allows for the precise measurement of the relative humidity in air from 0...100% RH. The main challenge in the development was to deal with the heat generated by the current output. The latest microprocessor technology in combination with excellent temperature compensation and a special design of the electronics have solved this problem.
The EE061 unifies outstanding measurement accuracy with a compact design and a 4 - 20 mA current output. The electronic board integrated in the probe is protected from external influences by a potting compound of very high quality and therefore usable from -40 to 60'C. In combination with the for years now proven quality of the E+E coating of the humidity sensor, is the transmitter insensitive to dust, dirt and condensation. The EE061 allows for stable long term measurements in demanding applications like outside, in stables, storage room, or greenhouses.
All important information for the user is engraved on the 160 mm long sensor probe by means of a laser and will be still legible after several years of use. The supply voltage for the EE061 is 9 - 28 Vdc. Indifferent of how the probe is connected the protection against reverse polarity prevents installation errors. The fixed connection cable is 0.5 meter or 3 meter long. It is possible to have an optional 4-wire passive (sink) temperature output. The available accessories like a mounting flange and a radiation shield for outdoor applications completes the flexibility of these series.

The PDV6000 Plus for On-Site Analysis of Heavy Metals

The PDV6000 plus is the latest generation of portable instruments from MTI (UK) which provide excellent accuracy and convenience when performing on site heavy metal analysis in water or soil. Building upon the reputation of the PDV6000, which is globally accepted as the benchmark system, the PDV6000 plus boasts a range of software and hardware improvements. It further improves data quality by lowering detection limits, improving reproducibility, providing extra resolution of potential interferences and improved correlation with standard laboratory methods. Defensible real time decisions can therefore be made on site, reducing cost, whilst improving site characterisations.
Keeping a large number of the features and accessories that made the PDV6000 so successful, the PDV6000plus is taking on site metal monitoring to next level

Laboratory Disk Mill "Pulverisette 13"

Fritsch's (Germany) recommendation for all processing laboratories with a continuous delivery of dried soil samples, sewage sludge, hydrological sediments, drilling cores for batch or continuous fine grinding. The maximum feed particles size is approx. 20 mm edge lenght. The fineness attainable (d50) is down to approx. 12 mm (largest gap width) or 0.1 mm (smallest gap width). The maximum throughput of 150kg/h depends on the gap setting and the hardness of the sample. The relatively large throughput enables it to be used in the pilot scale or in the small size production, for example : slag-disintegration for the reclamation of precious metals.
The material to be ground is crushed between two counteracting grinding disks with course radial toothing on the inside as a result of compressive and shearing stresses. The staged toothing means that the material is preground in the inner chamber of the grinding disks before being finely ground in the outer chamber. The gap width between the two grinding disks is set from the outside - also during operation - and determines the fineness of the end product.

The SenSafeT Free Chlorine Water Check Regulatory Drinking Water

Municipal Drinking water treatment plants now have a rapid (40 seconds), accurate, and low-cost option for regulatory drinking water compliance monitoring without the worries of indicator "bleach-out" or monochloramine interferences. The SenSafeT free chlorine water check is now U.S. EPA APPROVED. This test available for compliance testing as describe in the United State Federal Register. SenSafeT free chlorine water check can now be treated as an equivalent to other free chlorine test kits. In the original recommendation letter from U.S. EPA it was stated : "We (EPA) believe that the ITS test strips will provide the regulatory community with a valuable option for monitoring free chlorine levels in drinking water.
As an alternative to DPD, SenSafeT free chlorine test strips avoid the errors inherent to currently available test methods. no powder, tablets, liquids, instruments, technical training, or MSDS is required. And, since the test strips are non-hazardous normal waste disposal may be used. All of these factors make SenSafeT free chlorine water check the safe, accurate, easy, and affordable water testing solution

SITRANS FUP1010 Weatherproof Portable Flowmeter

SITRANS FUP1010 Portable Clamp-on Hybrid Flowmeter, housed in a rugged watertight enclosure, utilities either Transmit-Time or Reflexor operation mode to allow operation on virtually all full pipe liquid applications. Pipe sizes range from 1/4 to 360 inches. Options include a pipe wall thickness gauge and single or dual channel or path operation. A large data logger provides long term storage of measured variables. Standard daata inputs/outputs are included and supported. This meter is ideal for almost all water and wastewater measurement applications, including potable water, chemicals, raw sewage, sludges, liquids with medium to heavy suspended solids or aeration and temporary measurements during storm events.

The EC410 Oxygen Sensor

The latest addition to e2v's (UK) broad range of gas sensors. The EC410 is a RoHS complaint oxygen sensor that contains no lead, has a greatly increased life span and is significantly lower mass compared to other similar product. The EC410 Oxygen Sensor is the only RoHS compliant oxygen sensor available on the market today. It has a longer life expectancy than comparable lead based sensors, it is extremely light-weight with very low power consumption at a standard 4 series size. e2v also offers the option to personalise and brand.

The BM25 Tranportable Multi Gas Area Monitor

Industrial Scientific Corporation (USA) have announced that is has launched the BM25 Multiguard transportable multi-gas area monitor. Capable of monitoring from one to five gases through diffusion or sample draw, the BM25 Multiguard packs the benefits of a fixed-system area monitor into an easily transpotable, yet rugged instrument. Designed for team protection or area surveillance, the unit is most suitable for perimeter monitoring, rig overhauls and mobile or short-term work in areas where fixed detection systems are not suitable.
There are 17 interchangeable "smart" sensor options available for the BM25, making the system easily adaptable to a variety of applications and industries. When the BM25 detects a hazardouz level of oxygen, toxic or combustible gas, the top-mounted beacon sends a flashing, bright signal in all directions while emitting a powerful, 103 dB siren alarm. Capable of monitoring up to five gases simultaneously, the BM25 can be used as a stand-alone monitor or wired so that alarm signals transfer from one unit to another. This setup can create a safety perimeter around a detected atmospheric hazard, or transmit a manually initiated emergency signal over a wide area.
The BM25 comes standard with a NiMH battery pack offering 100 hours of continuous run time. Long-term area monitoring is possible in hazardous locations with an intrinsically safe trickle charge power supply. Also standard are STEL and TWA readings and nearly four months of data logging capacity for a five gas configuration.

BM25 Multiguard Tranportable Multi Gas Area Monitor

Industrial Scientific Corporation (USA) have announced that is launched the BM25 Multiguard transportable multi-gas area monitor. Capable of monitoring from one to five gases through diffusion or sample draw, the BM25 Multiguard packs the benefits of a fixed-system area monitor into an easily transportable, yet rugged instrument. Designed for team protection or area surveillance, the unit is most suitable for perimeter monitoring, rig overhauls, and mobile or short-term work in areas where fixed detection systems are not suitable.
There are 17 interchangeable "smart" sensor available for the BM25, making the system easily adaptable to a variety of applications and industries. When the BM25 detects a hazardous level of oxygen, toxic or combustible gas, the top-mounted beacon sends a flashing, bright signal in all directions while emitting a powerful, 103 dB siren alarm. Capable of monitoring up to five gases simultaneously, the BM25 can be used as a stand alone monitor or wired so that alarm signals transfer from one unit to another. This setup can create a safety perimeter around a detected atmospheric hazard, or transmit a manually initiated emergency signal over a wide area.
The BM25 comes standard with a NiMH battery pack offering 100 hours of continuous run time. Long-term area monitoring is possible in hazardous locations with an intrinsically safe trickle charge power supply. Also standard are STEL and TWA readings and nearly four months of datalogging capacity for a five gas configuration

Rotary Membrane Pumps with Unique Operating Principle

After successful introduction of the rotary diaphragm pump of the type SP 027 RO for professional blood pressure manometers as well as for compressions therapy systems, SCHWARZER PRECISION now offers a complete family of rotary membrane pumps in order to serve all applications where silent and quick filling of cuffs or cushions is crucial.
The pumps unique operating principle of a wobbling disc connected with 2 or more diaphragms makes it a very compact pump with an ideal performance for inflation of all kinds of cuffs or cushions. Furthermore, size, noise and power consumption are kept to a minimum. The demand
for th mobile devices, i.e. with pumps which can be used with batteries, led to the development of the SP 027 RO in 3Vdc, in 6Vdc and in 12Vdc. A great variety of quality motors are available from which the ideal motor can be chosen for the respective application. Power consumption can be reduced tp 100 mA, with a volume flow from 1.6 l/min up to 2.0 l/min and a pressure level of more than 700 mmHg. An above-average arm cuff will be inflated within approx 8 seconds. For greater volume flows, SCHWARZER offers the larger pump SP 032 RO which supplies more than 2.5 l/min.
Measured from a distance of 30 cm, noise amounts to a maximum of 53 dB(A). Installed into a terminal device the pump is so low in noise that even permanent operation at the patient's bed will pose no problem. The pump has a lifespan of more than 300,000 cycles which means that it will easily work 5 to 10 years even in the most adverse environment without any loss of performance.

Power Quality Analyser

Ashtead Technology Rentals (UK) has equipped a complete Power Quality Analyser for your needs in Energy Efficiency and management instrumentation. The Hioki 3196 is the most reliable and complete instruments for power quality troubleshooting. It monitors and records the quality of power to analyse the cause of trouble when it occurs. You can capture a variety of power anomalies by setting the individual trigger levels on the event setting screen. Captured data is displayed in the event list. This enables you to quickly confirm detailed data for phenomena (such as date/time, waveforms, RMS values, and harmonics) that are the source of problems, and effectively assess the cause of the problem.
the VIEW screen displays voltage/current waveforms, vector diagrams, DMM values (voltage, current, and power), and harmonic data. All data can be measured and processed simultaneously, and power conditions such as distortion factor, K factor, and the unbalance factor for three-phase lines can be monitored using the various data displays.

Filter Entrapment System for Legionella Analysis

A new study has shown the Celltrap unit from Harvey Coleman Ltd (UK) to be greatly effective in entrapping Legionella organism in the standard microbiological method therefore increasing the optimisation of the test and removing false negatives.
It is widely acknowledge that Legionnaires disease is a potentially life-threatening pneumonia caused by inhaling airborne Legionella pneumophila bacterium and other related bacteria. Assessment of water quality plays an important part in demonstrating the due diligence and the confirmation of the efficacy of control measures which must be put in place to protect employees and the general public.
The unique Celltrap micro filtration units overcome all the drawbacks of flatbed processes, collecting bio-materials faster and in greater concentrations. The patented Celltrap unit comprises of 0.2 micron hollow fibre membranes which filter liquids and entraps micro-organisms, which can then be eluted to enable specific detection. There is virtually no limit to the volume of liquid requiring filtration, providing more concentrated samples in a shorter period of time.
The design of the Celltrap system enables accurate samples to be taken faster then is possible using traditional methods which can result in ATP bioluminescence detection in less than five minutes . The CellTrap devices are completely self contained therefore eliminating the danger of contamination from external sources.

GC/MS Range Expanded To Meet Customer Needs

PerkinElmer, Inc (USA) have announced the introduction of the Clarus 560 D Gas Chromatograph/ Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) to offer another option for lower-volume laboratories routine application needs. The Clarus 560 D GC/MS combines the diffusion-pump capabilities currently on the high-end Clarus 600 D MS with the robust Clarus 500 GC enabling low-throughput laboratories to conduct reliable, cost-effective analyses.
"The Clarus 560 D GC/MS combines two highly effective analytical tools to help our customers with standard applications while being sensitive to customers budget requirement," said Eric Ziegler, chromatography business unit manager for Perkin Elmer life and Analytical Sciences.
"It offers increased productivity through state-of-the-art electronics, the fastest scanning rates to yield the most accurate data, the widest mass range and the latest in reporting capabilities for easy environmental compliance." Ziegler added thet the instrument also includes the most robust, flexible GC auto sampler, an intuitive touch screen interface and dual channels for addition application work, while maintaining a compact footprint for minimal bench space.

Reliable, Economical Ion Chromatography Supplies

Environmental Express (USA) offers a variety of products for ion Chromatography including filter vials for Dionex autosamplers and sample vials with break-caps for metrohm - Peak IC System. environmental Express is your best choice for single-ion and multi-ion IC standars.
Our Cleanup Cartridges for ion Removal are very popular as well. Our universal 22mm syringe filters come in a variety of membrane types including Nylon, Teflon, polyethersulfone and polyvinyldifluoride. Syringe filters have a unique design with a greater filtration area for optimal flow rate.

Complete Confidence In Critical Component Testing

Vaseco(UK) offers a comprehensive independent environmental testing service for critical components with purpose built premises that are ISO 9001 and UKAS accredited. Operational test available include helium leak detection, hydrostatic, cryogenic and high-pressure / high-temperature gas testing along with PR2 dynamic cycling for components destined for particularly hostile environments.
Environmental tests are carried out to determine the functional performance of a component under conditions that simulate the environment in which it is expected to operate, or can verify the integrity of components at extreme conditions beyond those encountered during their working life. performing these checks minimises the risk of failure once commissioned and also reduces the risk to personnel in field operations. With a wealth of experience across numerous industries, from sub-sea to detecting leaks in high altitude gas balloons, Vaseco provides completely independent third party environmental testing to guarantee the reliability of critical components

Environmental Resource Center for Trace Element Analysis Online

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. announces the launch of its information-rich Environmental Resource Center for trace element analysis, the most recent addition to its extensive collection of online resource for industry professionals. The comprehensive forum is an essential source of information for those in the environmental field, providing the necessary tools and technical advice to help scientists performing trace element analysis. The Thermo Scientific Environmental Resource Center is available via www.thermo.com/erc and is designed to benefit industry professionals from a variety of sectors including laboratory managers, instrument users and scientists in environmental trace element analysis.
For laboratory personnel and scientist that perform environmental trace element analysis it can be a difficult task to stay up-to-date with pertinent changes in legislation, regulation, methodology and research. The resource center enables users to tap into Thermo Fisher's extensive knowledge of trace elemental analysis within the environmental trace industry and offers users and potential customers an easy to use source for accessing this information. The new resource center also allows users to view and download a wide variety of new environmental application notes, scientific posters, and technical guides.
In addition, the online library features up-to-date information on the latest legislation, regulations and method news while also providing information regarding the latest research in environmental trace element analysis. There is also the possibility for customers to subscribe to the free environmental e-newsletter for regular industry updates. Users also have access to all the latest environmental news from Thermo Fisher Scientific and any upcoming events relating to the environmental industry.

Environmental Productivity Solutions - Ultimate Package for Immediate Results

Environmental Productivity Solution redefine traditional method validation processes. Streamline integration of your new DSQ II GC/MS into your laboratory workflow.
1. Method lidation/compliance in a matter of days, not weeks
2. Stocks of pre-diluted standards and other quality control criteria
3. Quick setup with SOP, How-to Guide, Quick start Guide, and more
4. Consumables tailored to your analysis

TRACE Columns - Tailored Solutions for your GC and GC/MS Environmental Analyses

Thermo Scientific TRACE capillary GC columns cover a wide polarity range for environmental applications, ideal for all GC and GC/MS users. High usable temperatures and low bleed are standard, increasing analytical sensitivity, reliability and column lifetime.
1. TR-8270 - semivolatiles
2. TR-1MS - PAHs and Hydrocarbons
3. TR-35MS - Organochlorine and triazine Pesticides
4. TR-5MS - Dioxins and Furans
5. TR-1701 - Chlorinated Solvents
6. TR-V1 - Volatiles in Drinking Water

PXS 24 AOX Autosampler for the Preparation of up to 25 Samples

Prepare your AOX samples overnight : The behr Labor-Technik GmbH (Germany) PXS 24 AOX auto sampler is suitable for the preparation of up to 24 samples according to the EN 1485/ISO 9562 column method. A high precision pump supplies each activated carbon column with the exact sample volume. With the PXS 24 AOX auto sampler the analyst can use industry standard adsorption columns as well as his own manually filled columns. The auto sampler works fully automatically. manual operations are reduced to : insertion of the sample flask into the rack, insertion of the mini adsorption columns into the adapter and attachment of the adapter to the mounting bar.
Control of the auto sampler is performed by user-friendly Windows software. Once entered, the data can be transferred directly to the behr Cl 10 analyser. Analyser and auto sampler are controlled simultaneously by the same PC. The analyst can enter sample volume and flushing volume individually for each sample. Analysis data are entered into a table, which can be instantly used for the final analysis of the samples.
A pump transfers the samples from the sample bottles to the activated carbon columns. Each sample is delivered to its corresponding adsorption column by a 25 port valve. Following adsorption you can freely adjust he volume of the nitrate solution for the final flushing of the system. Features of the bahr PXS 24 AOX auto sampler :
Sample contact only with inert materials (glass, PTFE, PVDF, Steel). Simple insertion of the adsorption columns. No memory effects. Stirring during removal of the samples. Operates with particle sized up to 2 mm. Safety of pump motor is controlled by light barrier. Pre-filter plus 2 adsorption columns. The rack takes standard sample flasks.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) Processing System

Supercritical Fluid Technology, Inc. introduces the SFT-100 Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) System. This new, moderately priced SFE was developed to investigate the feasibility of applying supercritical fluid techniques to various analyses, processing challenges, and QC/QA applications. Whether it is repetitive laboratory analysis, teaching laboratory applications, or process development, the SFT-100 is an excellent introduction to supercritical fluid extraction.
The SFT-100 System is a fully functional instrument designed to perform extractions in a supercritical fluid media. This SFE system offers the performance and safety features usually found only in higher priced extraction systems.
Reliable, dual sapphire syringe pump technology rapidly and accurately pressurizes the SFT-100's stainless steel vessel which is capable of containing supercritical fluids at pressures up to 10,000 psi (69 MPa). The SFT-100 accommodates pressure vessels of up to 100 mL capacity. The large processing vessel enables the user to extract very low levels of key components from materials, or to process larger amounts of bulk material than would be possible with conventional, analytical scale SFE equipment. An integrated pre-heater ensures the consistent temperature of the fluid delivered to the extraction vessel, ensuring efficient, consistent and repeatable results. An optional c0-solvent pump extends the versatility of the SFT-100 by enabling extraction of moderately polar compounds

Intelligent Sensor - Intelligent Titration System

Metrohm iConnect and iTrode prevent :
- the use of an incorrect electrode,
- the use of an electrode whose calibration period or working life has expired.
The 854 iConnect is electrode cable and measuring amplifier in one. The iTrodes of the new intelligent electrode generation confirm Metrohm's leadership in the field of potentiometric titration. The built-in memory chip allows the storage of such important sensor data as article and serial numbers, calibration data, calibration history, working life and calibration validity period.
All the sensor data are read in automatically when iTrode is connected to the 857 titrando. Mix-ups or editing errors are therefore eliminated.

Keep Your Enzymes Well-Tempered with Metrohm's Water Bath Rack

The water bath sample rack for Metrohm Sample Processors is suitable for numerous new applications. Heating or cooling your samples is no problem with the new water bath rack, which covers the temperature range between -10'C and +50'C. The use of a separate heating or cooling system means that the constant-temperature medium and the bath filling are completely separated. This has two decisive advantages: The bath cannot overflow as liquid does not need to be added or removed, and you are completely free in the choice of your heating or cooling medium. As this medium is contained in a separate, closed circulation system it cannot come into contact with the samples and therefore cannot influence them in any way. The heating and cooling spirals ensure efficient and uniform thermostatting of the water bath.
The bath inserts can be removed and exchanged for the other rack available. No matter whether you use 11 mL test tubes or beakers with a capacity of 120, or even 250 mL, each sample is perfectly tempered. A sophisticated holding system keeps the test tubes and beakers from floating.
1. Wide temperature range :-10'C to 50'C
2. Available for 11, 75, 120, 150, and 250 mL beakers
3. Separate fluids for bath and circulator what eliminates bath overflow
4. Full functionality of the Robotic Sample Processors XL
5. Complete analysis and result management with tiamo

Humidity and Temperature Sensor with USB Port

Apart from simple measurement, often the temperature or humidity process is to be recorded, for example in quality assurance activities or support system in laboratory experiments and weather measurements. Normally, further evaluation and processing of measurement data takes place as per the software so that there is a facility to capture data with the help of PCs.
The innovative USB-based measuring system in combination with the PC-Software 'PCLOG' by Hygrosens Instruments (Germany) is an ideal, efficient measuring and recording system for temperature and climate data. With the integrated USB-port and "Plug&Play" concept, the application becomes very simple : After connection to a free USB-Port and installation of software, the system is ready for use. The graphical representation and recording of measurements becomes convenient with the use of a PC.
The temperature measuring system works on a multi channel basis and supports upto 64 temperature sensors on a PC. The sensors are all driven parallel on a 3 core line (bus system) and differentiated through individual ID. A wide variety of different temperature sensors are available including models which are also water proof or pressure resistant.
The measuring system for combined humidity and temperature measurement works with a capacitive polymer sensor and offers outstanding accuracy and long term stability. A part form actual measurement, the software calculates twelve more climate data viz. dew point, wet bulb temperature, absolute humidity, Enthalpy and vapour pressure.
A special feature is the provision of calibrating the device. With the help of humidity reference cells which are available as accessories, the user can himself check the accuracy or calibrate the humidity measuring element. The external sensing element is plug-in type and interchangeable. Besides the standard sensor with 2 % measuring accuracy, special sensors are also available for a wide variety of special applications, for example precision grade humidity sensor, pressure resistant dew point sensor for pneumatics, high temperature sensors or stationery mounted sensors.
For special applications and also customised applications, special sensors can be produced to practically cover all application areas.