Picarro Expands Gas Concentration Analyzer Family to Enable Continuous Monitoring of EtO Emissions

Picarro, a leading provider of gas concentration and stable isotope analyzers and systems for scientific and industrial applications, announced the availability of the G2920 Ambient Ethylene Oxide (EtO) gas concentration analyzer. EtO is a byproduct of several industrial processes and is toxic to humans and the environment. There is often a critical need for EtO emissions to be monitored in and around facilities where they are generated.

The Picarro G2920 detects EtO at a sub-100 parts-per-trillion (ppt) limit of detection and a precision of 33 ppt, it delivers real-time measurements, is easy to use and maintain, and has a low cost of ownership. With the addition of the G2920, Picarro now offers service providers, regulators, and researchers a selection of analyzers that are easy to integrate into next-generation CEMS, stack testing, fenceline, and indoor and outdoor ambient air quality monitoring systems.

"Legacy measurement technologies and aging monitoring infrastructures are not designed to meet the growing need for more sensitive EtO measurements," said Joel Avrunin, Vice President of Scientific Instrumentation. "With Picarro's expanded portfolio of advanced EtO analyzers and our network of strategic partners, we now provide complete, end-to-end solutions for next-generation EtO monitoring and testing systems."

The Picarro EtO family of analyzers represents a monumental advancement in measurement and monitoring technology that is realized by a refinement of Picarro's existing Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) platform. Once focused on measurements of sharp spectral signatures of simple molecules (e.g. CO₂ and CH₄), the technology is now able to resolve complex spectral signatures at limits of detection (LOD) that are orders of magnitude better than traditional methods such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography (GC). The remarkable stability, performance, and ease-of-use of the platform, adopted over the years by the world's most demanding research organizations, now provides an exciting solution to a market in desperate need of disruptive technology.

The EtO family of analyzers is available as two standalone products. The G2910 Stack and Indoor Air Quality Analyzer introduced the most sensitive (<250 ppt LOD), interference free, real-time measurement of EtO concentrations at the source of emission, enabling more accurate and representative reporting of emissions. The new G2920 Ambient Analyzer introduces a platform that supports long-term monitoring of fugitive emissions at the fenceline or near communities. Performance standards set by expensive, difficult to use, research-grade instruments (e.g. PTR-MS) are overshadowed by this easy-to-deploy technology with best-in-class LOD (<100 ppt).