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Press Release

Technology leap in measurement and monitoring to support accurate exposure data 

Santa Clara, CA – April 28, 2020Picarro announces a family of Ethylene Oxide (C2H4O) Gas Concentration Analyzers, capable of measuring this hazardous air pollutant in real-time with detection limits of parts-per-trillion (ppt). These analyzers enable services providers, regulators and researchers access to accurate and effortless measurements of Ethylene Oxide (EtO), thus minimizing and preventing exposure of humans and the environment to this toxic gas.  

Click here to learn more about the EtO family of analyzers.

While the mutagenic properties of EtO have been known since the 1940s, the regulatory landscape around emissions and exposure limits has evolved over time. Today it is an important chemical used for the sterilization of medical equipment and a common ingredient in the industrial production of other compounds. EtO is now believed to be more harmful than previously realized and a leap in analytical instrumentation is required to better characterize the risk to workers and communities. 

The EtO family of analyzers represents a monumental advancement in measurement and monitoring technology, and 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 FTIR and 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 alternative to a market in desperate need of disruptive technology.

The EtO family of analyzers is available as three standalone products. The G2910 Stack and Indoor Air Quality Analyzer introduces technical services companies to the most sensitive (<250 ppt LOD), interference free, real-time measurement of EtO concentrations, enabling new measurement opportunities and more efficient deployments. The G2920 Fugitive Analyzer introduces the measurement community to a platform that supports long-term monitoring of emissions at the fenceline. 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). The G2930 Ambient Analyzer represents the greatest improvement in EtO detection (<25 ppt LOD) and meets an ambitious goal of protecting communities from long-term exposure to EtO. Continuous monitoring removes unknowns that arise from data gaps, and lack of flask sampling and analysis. 

“If we want to limit industrial emissions of ethylene oxide and understand how fugitive emissions impact public health, we need to first be able to measure how EtO disperses and persists in our environment,” said Joel Avrunin, VP of Scientific Instrumentation. “We are pleased to introduce a solution that gives previously unavailable insight to support industry and our communities in this task.”

About Picarro
Picarro is a leading provider of solutions to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations, trace gases and stable isotopes across many scientific applications. Our portfolio of gas analyzers and systems enables scientists around the world to measure GHGs, trace gases and stable isotopes found in the air we breathe, water we drink and land we harvest. Picarro’s industrial solutions range from mobile leak detection technology for utilities companies to trace gas analysis for semiconductor fabrication and pharmaceuticals isolators. Our patented Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) is at the heart of all Picarro instruments, enabling the detection of target molecules at parts per billion or better resolution.

For more information on Picarro’s portfolio of gas analyzer solutions, visit www.picarro.com.

Contact:
Siiri Hage
Director of Marketing Communications
Picarro, Inc.
shage@picarro.com

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