Introduction To Gas Tube Detection

Gas detection tubes are a very reliable and proven method for measuring toxic substances in air or water. Some of the major advantages of the tube detection method are no laboratory turnaround time, no power requirement, and no user calibration are needed. The ease and simplicity of use saves training time (training video available), sampling time, and provides a more accurate analysis. Gas detection tubes measure in parts-per-billion, parts-per-million, and percent by volume, and are used in a variety of applications such as:

Hazardous waste sites
Clean-up of spills
Protecting workers from toxic vapors
Refineries
Leak detection for compliance
Pulp and paper plants
Hazardous materials response
Terrorist chemical attacks

How Does a Gas Detection Tube Pump System Work?
Each detector tube contains a reagent that is specifically sensitive to a particular vapor or gas. These reagents are on fine-grain silica gel, activated alumina or other absorbing media (depending on application requirements), inside a constant diameter, hermetically sealed glass tube. Most detector tubes are the "direct reading" type, with calibration markings right on the tube, so measurements can be made as simply and precisely as reading a thermometer. The actual operation is simple and accurate. Just snap off both "break away" ends of a tube in the convenient tube-tip breaker, insert the tube into the hand held pump, and pull out the pump handle. As the handle is pulled (just like a syringe), a precisely measured volume of ambient air is drawn inside the tube where it contacts the reagent. Instantly, the reagent changes color, reacting quantitatively to provide a length-of-stain indication. The farther the stain travels along the tube, the higher the concentration of gas. Note the scale mark on the tube where the stain stops and thats the measurement.