Blog

Researchers Present Better Ways to Detect Ethylene Gas

Background The simplest alkene, ethylene, is composed of two double-bonded carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms. With an ambient air concentration of around 2 parts per billion (ppb), it can readily diffuse in the air. One of the main precursors for rapid ozone generation in metropolitan settings is ethylene, which is formed...

Where Do Amine Emissions Come From?

As derivatives of ammonia, amines are a group of chemical compounds that have a variety of practical applications in today’s modern world. They’re used as an ingredient in certain pharmaceuticals, as well as epoxy resin curing agents and dyes. However, one of the most common and contemporary uses of amines...

Detectors are now smarter and lighter than ever before

Safety managers should know how important it is to keep workers mobile in the field without leaving them vulnerable to hazardous gases. Workers have been using portable gas detectors for years, especially when working in confined spaces and on-site locations with questionable air quality. This allows them to move around...

Laser writing may enable ‘electronic nose’ for multi-gas detector

Environmental sensors are a step closer to simultaneously sniffing out multiple gases that could indicate disease or pollution, thanks to a Penn State research. Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics in the College of Engineering, and Lauren Zarzar, assistant professor of chemistry in Eberly College of...

Advantages of Leak Detection Technology in Power Plants

The first step to solving a problem is recognizing that one is present. An operations team cannot adequately put a sufficient maintenance plan in place if there is no awareness that maintenance is required. One particular area that used to suffer much more regularly from this lack of diagnosis in a...

Why Fire Departments Need Multi-Gas Detectors?

If you’re a firefighter or a member of an emergency response crew, you know that gas-related risks are a common part of the job. Toxic fumes can be present at any stage of a fire, but unless you use a multi-gas detector, you won’t know for sure whether the air...

Scientists make toxic gas detection nine times more efficient

A Russian-Belarusian research team has developed a new gas detection material based on tungsten oxide that has high sensitivity to carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and acetone. The gas detection response of the new material was nine times greater than that of existing sensors. The study was published in Nano-Structures & Nano-Objects. Indoor...

Newly developed flexible, porous and highly sensitive nitrogen dioxide sensors that can be applied to skin and clothing were presented by researchers

Newly developed flexible, porous and highly sensitive nitrogen dioxide sensors that can be applied to skin and clothing have potential applications in health care, environmental health monitoring and military use, according to researchers. Led by Huanyu "Larry" Cheng, assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics at Penn State, the researchers published...

The importance of Gas Detection in the Waste to Energy industry

Waste is composed of materials that are no longer needed, and thus are discarded. Waste can be classified as solid or liquid according to its form, and further categorised as hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Liquid waste includes municipal wastewater, storm water run-off and industrial wastewater discharge.  Solid waste includes household rubbish, which...

Understanding Gas Hazards in the Chemical Industry

Chemicals are everywhere. But when you try to determine everything that falls under the chemicals umbrella, things can get complicated. From a high-level perspective, chemicals can be broken down into three categories:  Basic Chemicals – These include petrochemicals, polymers, and basic inorganics. Petrochemicals are derived from hydrocarbons in crude oil and gas...