Core Target Markets Refined and Focus on the Petrochemical Industry Stepped Up

In a key strategic move designed to boost market share and competitive edge, Ion Science (UK), global manufacturer of products for sensing the environement, has refined its core target business and announced plans to further increase focus on the petrochemical industry.

Backed by dedicated R&D, sector sales specialists and a growing worldwide distributor network, the company has pledged to build on its strong track record in the detection of potentially harmful chemicals including Mercury, total aromatic compounds (TAC) benzene amongst mixed gases.

Ion Science Managing Director, Duncan Johns says: “Our skillset and expertise means that petrochemical is one of the areas in which we have a strong competitive advantage and are able to deliver high performance products that ensure worker safety and enhance production efficiencies.

“Ion Science’s track record in the petrochemical sector clearly demonstrates this and our renewed focus combined with on-going investment in new technologies means we are ideally placed to exploit the many opportunities we are seeing.”

Ion Science offers a range of products for the petrochemical industry including the innovative Cub personal photoionisation (PID) monitor and Tiger Select handheld screening device, all of which use Ion Science’s unique anti-contamination and humidity resistant technology. 

This revolutionary dual monitoring solution detects TACs including benzene for maximum worker protection. Benzene is also an aromatic and critical industrial chemical, which is commonly found through the petrochemical industry. It is extremely hazardous and a recognised human carcinogen.

Small, light and highly sensitive, the Cub provide continuous personal protection quickly alerting workers to high levels of TACs with its audible, vibrating and flashing LED alarm. If the Cub alarms, workers remain safe by leaving an alarm situation should TACs exceed

1ppm indicating benzene concentrations may be above safe levels. The Tiger Select can then be used in TAC mode to confirm the reading. Alternatively, the addition of a pre-filter benzene tube can be attached to the Tiger Select instrument to give a benzene specific reading.  Should the Tiger Select benzene reading exceed the regulatory amount, a short-term exposure limit (STEL) can be immediately measured.

This dual process provides instantaneous TAC readings and minimises tube usage when benzene levels are low. Throughout the measurement process, Tiger Select continues to display real-time data, ensuring the final reading represents the full value of actual benzene present.

The Tiger handheld VOC detector is independently verified by the state of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) as the best performing PID in humid and contaminated applications, allowing extended operation in difficult working conditions.

Ion Science also offers a fast and accurate Mercury Vapour Indicator (MVI) which detects mercury vapours in just three seconds. The instrument’s dual beam UV absorption technology means MVI does not saturate or need regenerating between readings - like traditional gold film detection methods - eliminating instrument downtime.

Fast and accurate, the MVI mercury detector gives a real time response and is ready to detect instantly. MVI provides continuous readings and offers two detection ranges: 0.1 to 200 and 1.0 to 1999 microgram/cubic meter.

Ion Science’s TVOC is a robust and rugged fixed PID detector for the continuous measurement of total VOCs within harsh environments such as petrochemical applications.  It offers advanced patented Fence Electrode technology, a three electrode format and increased resistance to humidity and contamination.