A UK applied science company has developed a seemingly ground-breaking new portable air particle sampling technology that promises a wide range of scientific and industrial applications, including monitoring environmental health, detecting pollutants and identifying nano and micro particles in the atmosphere.
Developed by Ancon Technologies, the Aero Select is described as a compact, light-weight device that can detect particles across the aerosol range. It provides researchers and technicians with a portable device that delivers laboratory accuracy in detecting the size, structure, morphology and chemical composition of aerosol particles.
“The Aero Select is a powerful tool for detecting the environmental impact or health risks associated with aerosol exposure,” said Wesley Baker, Commercial Director. “Our new product compresses advanced technology into an easy-to-operate device that gives users a number of options for measuring and monitoring aerosol levels. The possibilities for this technology are as widespread as they are fascinating.”
Ancon says the Aero Select will be useful in a wide-range of markets and industries, including:
• Environmental monitoring – With growing concerns about the health impact of nanoparticle emissions, the Aero Select empowers accurate, timely and cost-effective control of diesel and other combustion processes, such as incineration, nuclear power generation and aircraft emissions.
• Clean rooms – The Aero Select can monitor the stringent air quality standards needed to maintain the rigid requirements for clean room applications.
• Occupational health – The occupational health risks associated with manufacturing and using nanomaterials are not yet clearly understood, as workers in nanotechnology industries can be exposed to uniquely engineered materials with novel sizes, shapes, and physical and chemical properties. The Aero Select provides the technology to detect airborne particles of a variety of sizes and properties.
The Aero Select is powerful enough to measure particles across the entire aerosol range, with the ability to determine concentrations of particles during processes like combustion, and distinguish man-made particles against a background of naturally-occurring aerosols. Ancon says the technology is accurate enough to detect target substances against background atmospheric aerosols by a factor of 20,000-to-1.
The device’s size and shape make it convenient to transport, while a simplified installation process and a 24-hour programmable timer provide an auto-start option if delayed operation is needed. With 12 cascading size channels, the Aero Select minimises sampling errors caused by turbulence and corrosion, as the design reduces time and costs associated with analytical testing.
“Whether it’s electronic and industrial manufacturing, scientific research or environmental monitoring, the Aero Select offers a powerful atmospheric testing tool that stands to improve productivity, efficiency and most of all, safety,” Baker said.
Ancon Technologies’ Aero Select follows up on its revolutionary Nanotechnology Molecular Tagging system, which can be programmed
to detect specific molecular markers. The NMT technology and its variants can be used to detect atmospheric levels of everything from chemicals used in explosives to the biological molecules that indicate disease.
