Photoionisation detector used in subsoil assessment.

Spanish geological and environmental consultancy, GeoAmbient, is using a Tiger PID (photoionisation detector) from Ion Science – leading specialist in gas detection instrumentation for occupational health and the environment – as part of its subsoil investigation activities. Chosen for its humidity resistant, ATEX accredited MiniPID sensor, the high performance, handheld VOC (volatile organic compound) detector is being used across outdoor sites, on a year round basis.

Barcelona-based GeoAmbient conducts subsoil investigation, remediation of polluted sites, waste management and technical assessment. The company is using the cost effective Ion Science Tiger VOC detector instrument across one or two field campaigns per month, with each project taking between two and five days. The data is recorded manually by its technical teams.

Albert Sabanès i Fiter, Director de projectes, GeoAmbient comments: “At GeoAmbient, we keep updated on the latest technical developments for our industry through regular communication with suppliers, the internet and by maintaining professional relationships. As a result of this on-going research we became aware of the benefits offered by the Ion Science Tiger system, including its very good, market-leading MiniPID sensor.

“We conduct subsoil investigation so it is very important to have in situ information of polluted soils to help us decide the best place to take a sample. Our technical teams work on outdoor sites during all weather conditions so the Tiger’s humidity resistant sensor was the most important feature for our business. Of course, the anti-contamination design was also vital to avoid cross pollution and ensure data integrity.

 “So far, I can report that the Tiger is easy to use with high levels of accuracy. It is too early to comment on the calibration and maintenance but initial feedback is positive.”

Independently verified as being the industry’s best performing PID, the Tiger provided the most stable, repeatable readings, when tested against competing instruments in humid and contaminated conditions.

The instrument incorporates Ion Science’s well proven MiniPID. This simple plug and play sensor has been specially developed to deliver a dynamic and reliable response to thousands of VOCs.
Designed for rapid, accurate detection, with an unrivalled response time of just two seconds, and the widest measurement range of one part per billion (ppb) to 20,000 parts per million (ppm)*, the robust Tiger is ready to use, straight out of the box, and extremely simple to set up.

It offers worldwide Intrinsic Safety (IS) certification, making it suitable for use in potentially explosive, hazardous environments, and also meets ATEX, IECEx, UL and CSA standards.

The Tiger has been designed for use with long life rechargeable Li-ion batteries that give up to 24 hours usage and offer fast battery charging. Plus, inexpensive disposable parts such as filters and lamps are easy to change, minimising downtime. Simple connectivity to a PC via the USB allows data to be downloaded quickly.

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