UK Focus iii New benzene-specifi c monitor for tighter international regulations


ION Science has launched a new, dramatically upgraded version of Titan, maintaining its position as the only fi xed benzene-specifi c monitor in the world; Titan 2. In accordance with recent legislation changes, Titan 2 offers enhanced stability and sensitivity, supporting ION’s continued mission of protecting lives and preserving the environment. “Benzene is a toxic, carcinogenic gas representing a serious threat to many workers, as well as the environment,” explains ION Science Group Managing Director, Duncan Johns. “It is therefore vital


that staff are protected by monitors that can continuously measure benzene at the low levels required by increasingly stringent international regulations. Titan 2 is the only commercially available, truly selective, fi xed continuous benzene monitor worldwide that can meet this requirement.” Titan 2 delivers unrivalled accuracy and sensitivity in benzene detection and is ideal for use in a variety of sectors, such as oil & gas, bulk storage facilities, chemical manufacturing and processing, and asphalt production.


Users of the original Titan will be familiar with the instrument’s accuracy and performance, however, within the new Titan 2 they will see core enhancements, such as a new rugged manifold, a piezoelectric micro pump for enhanced stability, a lower limit of detection, and updated PC software for easier management and control. An occupational exposure limit (OEL) for benzene of 100 ppm was originally recommended in 1946. Following further associations with leukaemia, the OEL was reduced to 50 ppm and then to 1 ppm as the 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure limit (U.S. OSHA, 1987). However, further health problems have been reported at levels below 1ppm so there is pressure in many countries to lower the limit further. For example, NIOSH recommended airborne exposure limit (REL) is 0.1 ppm (10-hr TWA) and 1 ppm during any 15-minute work period. Similarly, the current EU 8-hour TWA for benzene is 1 ppm (3.25 mg/m3


). However,


from 5th April 2024, the long-term exposure limit will be reduced to 0.5 ppm – and will be cut again from April 2026 to just 0.2 ppm. – Directive (EU) 2022/431 of the European parliament of the council, March 2022.


Regulatory requirements are therefore driving the need for greater sensitivity, and these needs are met by Titan 2. Thanks to innovative technology in conjunction with industry-leading PID sensor technology, the


Titan 2 has a reduced likelihood of cross-sensitivity and can detect benzene rapidly at levels as low as 0.02 parts per million (20 parts per billion). At the other end of the scale, it can detect benzene at up to 20 ppm, delivering high speed and high sensitivity. Titan 2 captures a gas sample once every 60 seconds. The sample is then conditioned within a further 60 seconds to allow precise benzene measurement, ensuring a consistent fl ow of real-time data. The piezoelectric micro pump in the latest version delivers enhanced pressure and fl ow accuracy to ensure a rapid response and unrivalled reliability. Titan 2 also features visible alarm capability, triggering an alert when benzene concentrations reach either of two operator- confi gurable levels. Twin relay outputs enable the user to integrate the unit with existing site alarm systems, while easy-to-use fi rmware allows a simplifi ed calibration procedure. For analysis of readings captured by Titan 2, both 4-20mA and RS485 MODBUS communication protocols can be utilised.


A proven, robust separation method ensures specifi c readings for benzene, with an easy-to-read display. An internally regulated heating system ensures stable operation even at extremes of temperatures, and the new robust housing reduces contamination risk and allows for extended use in the harshest environments. Titan 2 has been designed to comply with international safety standards, including ATEX and IECEx, making it safe for use in any environment, as well as featuring an IP65 Ingress Protection rating. ION Science’s photoionisation detection (PID) technology has been independently verifi ed as the best-performing on the market, providing reliable, accurate solutions backed by outstanding product support. Importantly, the new, unique to Titan 2, MiniPID T2 10.0 eV Sensor features a patented design to nullify potential humidity interference, whilst ensuring a fast response, the highest levels of sensitivity and market-leading reliability.


The Titan 2 service module is designed to be backwards compatible, so in conjunction with a simple fi rmware upgrade now provides existing Titan customers with a quick and convenient upgrade opportunity. Summarising, Duncan Johns says: “Benzene is one of the more dangerous VOCs so the Titan 2’s ability to reliably speciate this gas is extremely important in the protection of lives, and with lowering regulatory limits, the instrument’s enhanced sensitivity is a major advantage.”


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email: 60714pr@reply-direct.com AI enables scientists to monitor the environmental impact of farming on biodiversity


Scientists are using automated wildlife sensors and artifi cial intelligence (AI) over the next four years to demonstrate the effectiveness of agri-environment and peatland restoration schemes in improving biodiversity. The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) will be deploying solar-powered biodiversity monitoring stations comprising camera ‘traps’ and acoustic recording equipment at farms across the country to monitor the presence of insects, birds, amphibians, bats and small mammals.


There will be stations at farms that are undertaking practices to reduce emissions, increase carbon capture and support wildlife, such as agroforestry and wildfl ower hay meadows. Stations will be placed in areas of the farm that do, and do not, have agri-environment measures, and will be used to measure the impacts of these schemes on species populations. They will also be located at degraded peatland areas to compare species populations on farms which remain drained for agricultural use and nearby sites that are being rewetted to provide wetland habitats that support biodiversity and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.


Researchers will then use AI software to identify species from the photographs or recordings of their calls. The study is part of AgZero+ which is an ambitious, UKCEH-led fi ve-year research programme supporting the UK’s transition towards domestic food production that is sustainable, carbon-neutral and has a positive effect on nature. Professor Richard Pywell of UKCEH, who is leading the programme, explained the monitoring study would build on the institute’s long-term research which showed setting aside some land for agri-environment measures had a positive effect on biodiversity and did not affect overall crop yield.


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“Mounting evidence suggests that populations of many species of insects, birds and mammals are in sharp decline in the UK and across the world, and a key driver of this change is intensifi cation in agriculture,” he said. “Using the latest technology, we will monitor species at farms that have different crop and land management practices, to demonstrate how a range of farming systems and agri-environment measures affect populations. Our monitoring will provide scientifi c evidence to inform sustainable land management policies and practices, which have a positive effect on biodiversity and mitigate climate change while enhancing crop production.”


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Initially, automated stations with lighting to attract moths and high-resolution cameras to capture images for subsequent identifi cation via AI are being set up over the summer at 10 sites, with two stations at each. The study will be at four pairs of farms, in Dorset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, to compare the impact of agri-environment schemes and two peatland sites, one which is being farmed and another which is being restored, in Cambridgeshire.


Moths and their caterpillars are crucial parts of ecosystems, being food sources for birds, bats and other small mammals, and amphibians, so are excellent indicators of biodiversity and quality of habitats. Moths are also important, yet underreported, pollinators of many fl owers.


From next year, the stations will also have acoustic equipment to record the calls of bats, birds, amphibians and small mammals, which will then be identifi ed via AI.


UKCEH will redeploy the automated monitoring stations at additional sites across England each year, being in operation between March and October in 2024, 2025 and 2026.


Dr Tom August, a computational ecologist at UKCEH who is overseeing the deployment of the automated biodiversity monitoring stations, explained: “New sensor and AI technology is transforming the way ecologists monitor biodiversity. Automated biodiversity monitoring stations with solar power allow us to monitor wildlife round-the-clock in remote locations without being on site, while AI technologies allow us to process the thousands of images and recordings they produce far faster than a human can.”


UKCEH will present its fi ndings after completion of the four-year study though preliminary data will be available during the project.


Data from the study will support the biodiversity net gain strategy. From November, most developments in England must not only have no overall detrimental impact on biodiversity but enhance it by 10 per cent. Some of the peatland areas that will be studied by UKCEH will include sites being restored to compensate for damage to biodiversity due to development at nearby land.


UKCEH’s biodiversity monitoring stations will create a better understanding of how quickly populations of species respond to peatland restoration, providing important evidence for the wider biodiversity impact of biodiversity net gain.


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