Absorber tubes are glass vials filled with absorbent materials used to test for hazardous gases. They are used with a calibrated pump to draw air through the tube, trapping target substances. The tubes are sent to a lab for analysis. They are accurate and reliable, with different types for different contaminants. They are simple to use and are used in environments where toxic or explosive gases are present.
An absorber tube is a glass vial filled with specialized absorbent materials used to test for atmospheric concentrations of specific substances, including hazardous gases. The tubes are used in conjunction with a specially calibrated pump which draws air from the test atmosphere through the tube at a controlled rate. The target substances in the air are trapped in the related absorbent materials. After sampling, the tube is sealed and sent to a laboratory for analysis. There are several classes of absorbent tubes, each containing a specific selection of absorbent materials used to test for different groups of airborne contaminants.
The exact concentrations of dangerous contaminants such as gases and fumes in the air are often difficult to ascertain with any degree of accuracy. This can lead to the buildup of contaminants to the point where explosions and poisoning can occur. These issues are of particular concern in environments such as mines, chemical plants, and oil refineries, where the presence of toxic or explosive gases and fumes is an ongoing operational reality. While there are various types of sampling and analysis devices used to detect these substances, one of the most accurate and, in fact, one of the simplest, is the absorbent tube.
Consisting of a suction pump and a series of simple glass tubes narrowed at each end and filled with a selection of absorbent, or sorbent, materials, the Absorbent Tube System is certainly one of the more low-tech test devices out there. As simple as they may be, they are among the most accurate and provide consistent and reliable contaminant concentration readings. Operating the system is just as simple, requiring an open absorbent tube to be inserted onto the end of a hollow rod, which is connected via a length of hose to the pump. The open end of the tubing is held in the test atmosphere for the timed pump cycle. At the end of the cycle, the tube is sealed and sent to a laboratory for analysis of the contaminants trapped in the sorbents.
The accuracy of the system is supported by the calibrated rate at which the vacuum pump draws air through the tubing over a set time interval and by the known absorption rate of the sorbents. A range of tube types, each with a specific combination of absorbents, also lends versatility to the system by allowing test atmospheres to be sampled for the presence of a range of target substances. Pumps can also feature a range of pump cycles to suit environmental conditions, tubing types, and targeted contaminants.
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