Showcasing Australian innovation in greenhouse gas monitoring at GGMT 2017 in Dubendorf, Switzerland

24 August 2017

Acoem Australasia’s Engineering, Research and Development Manager, Grant Kassell and Spectronus^TM inventor Dr David Griffith brought Spectronus^TM technology to the world stage, making monitoring of greenhouse and other trace gases more efficient and accurate.

The Acoem Spectronus^TM trace greenhouse gas and isotope analyser provides simultaneous and real-time measurements of N₂O, CH⁴, CO and CO² (including δ13C and δ18O)

The 19th World Meteorological Organization / International Atomic Energy Agency Meeting on Carbon Dioxide, Other Greenhouse Gases and Related Measurement Techniques (GGMT) took place 27-31 August in Dübendorf, Switzerland. The conference is the main annual international meeting for professionals and organisations involved in the research, monitoring and implementation of standards for greenhouse gases.

Setting a new industry standard in gas monitoring 

Acoem, global leaders in environmental monitoring solutions, took centre stage at GGMT 2017 to highlight the Spectronus^TM, the only trace gas analyser on the market with the ability to make real-time, high precision measurements of multiple gases and isotopes simultaneously, within the single instrument.

Designed and created by Dr David Griffith and his team at the University of Wollongong, Australia, the Spectronus^TM is the result of more than two decades of research. It is manufactured under exclusive licence by Acoem Australasia.

Spectronus^TM – one instrument, multiple applications

Based on Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which measures the absorption of infrared radiation by gases over a broad wavelength range, Spectronus’ precision values for gas measurement exceed the standards of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Its unique ability to measure four gases and two isotopes at once gives users one set of calibrations and only requires one integrated piece of software for all measurements. Suitably deployed, Spectronus^TM can also identify the source of a particular gas, for example the soil, or the atmosphere. Spectronus^TM makes it easier and more efficient for users to identify the presence of greenhouse gases and if gas emissions are in line with government standards and regulations.

Acoem Australasia presented on Wednesday 30 August 

Grant Kassell, Acoem Australasia’s Engineering, Research and Development Manager was invited to present the Spectronus^TM as part of the GGMT conference and Dr Griffith was on hand at the Acoem Australasia stand to discuss his extensive research into greenhouse gases and the practical applications of the Spectronus^TM for sampling in situ in the field or analysis in the laboratory.

“I was very excited about participating in GGMT and presenting the Spectronus^TM to a wider, international audience that shares our environmental outlook,” said Grant.

“Acoem’s commitment to supporting industry sustainability, ensuring the wellbeing of communities and protecting the environment, means that we invest in superior technology and innovation like the Spectronus^TM to help solve global environmental problems,” he added.

Australian design with global appeal

With existing Spectronus^TM users around the world including the University of Heidelberg (Germany); the Chinese Meteorological Administration (China); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA); Korean Standards Institute (South Korea); Laboratory for the Science of Climate and Environment, Gif sur Yvette (Paris); and a number of research agencies and universities in Australia and New Zealand, the Spectronus^TM is gaining traction as an indispensable instrument in the effective monitoring of greenhouse and other trace gases in a variety of settings.

The range and capabilities of the Spectronus^TM are immense. They include:

• Chamber measurements of soil carbon and isotopic fluxes
• N₂O, CO₂, and CH₄fluxes
• Vertical profiles of trace gases and isotopic fractionation of a tall tower installation
• Measuring trace gas variations in limestone caves to provide paleoclimatic information to better understand isotopic fractionation in speleothem layers
• Ship measurements of CO₂ and other trace gas plumes.

For more information about the Spectronus^TM and other Acoem environmental solutions, visit Acoem.com or email@acoem.com