Markes launches next-gen instrument for continuous monitoring of chemical warfare agents

Markes International’s next-generation instrument for chemical warfare agent detection conquers major sector challenge encountered during discrete site monitoring.

Markes International has launched its third-generation thermal desorption (TD) instrument for the continuous detection and monitoring of airborne chemical warfare agents (CWAs) at trace-levels.

The new TT24-7NRT™ is Markes’ third iteration of its well-established TT24-7 range. Like its predecessors, the TT24-7NRT utilises the company’s proprietary twin-trapping technology to deliver continuous, near-real-time (NRT) detection and monitoring of airborne agents at general population limit levels (GPL) with 100% sample coverage, and no sampling gaps whatsoever.

However, unlike previous models in the TT24-7 range, the TT24-7NRT incorporates Markes’ award-winning Multi-Gas technology, which enables the instrument to run on helium, nitrogen, or hydrogen carrier gas. As hydrogen can be obtained via on-site hydrogen generators, opting to use it instead of helium or nitrogen allows for discreet and trouble-free unattended operation in remote or difficult-to-reach locations, where usually cylinders would need to be manually delivered and replaced.

Dr Helen Martin, Manager of Markes’ TD business unit, commented: “The ability to continuously, confidently monitor for CWAs at remote locations without disruption is crucial within military and homeland security sectors. With its inbuilt capability to run on hydrogen, Markes’ new TT24-7NRT overcomes the challenge of cylinder replacements – making it ideal for use at discreet or remote sites.

“The TT24-7NRT also benefits from Markes’ standard analytical quality control features and continuous instrument diagnostics. This provides an unrivalled level of confidence in both the instrument’s performance and the data it generates, whether it’s being continuously manned or running unattended for weeks at a time.”

Massimo Santoro, Business Development Director of Markes’ parent company (Schauenburg Analytics Ltd), summarised: “With the TT24-7NRT we’ve brought together the very latest advances in thermal desorption with specialist, application-specific product features, to support the unique requirements of CWA monitoring.

“Also, we’re excited to bring the benefits of our Multi-Gas technology to NRT CWA detection and monitoring, particularly as it does away with the need for cylinder supply and delivery. Naturally it also enables our military and homeland security customers to overcome the issue of globally deteriorating helium supply.”

Markes has over two decades of experience in the detection of CWAs, and as well as the TT24-7 range, several of its other instruments such as the TD100-xr™ and UNITY-xr™ thermal desorbers, and its TC-20 sorbent tube conditioner™, have been used as behind-the-scenes ‘work horses’ to continuously monitor air for chemical agents at stockpile destruction sites world-over.

ENDS