Gas Analyser Helps Reveal Nitrabar Success
A portable FTIR multi-parameter gas analyser from Quantitech is helping researchers at the University of Strathclyde prove the efficacy of a technique that helps remove nitrates from groundwater. The Nitrabar system uses permeable reactive barrier technology and consists of a trench containing a mixture of natural materials, which removes nitrate from shallow groundwater immediately before it enters rivers or lakes. A key feature of the Nitrabar system is its ability to convert dissolved nitrate in the groundwater to harmless nitrogen gas through the action of bacteria.
This process is known as denitrification and involves a transition from nitrate (NO3) to nitrite (NO2), to nitric oxide gas (NO), to nitrous oxide gas (N2O) and ultimately to nitrogen gas (N2). University researcher, Antoine Assal, of Strathclyde's Department of Civil Engineering, has employed the gas analyser (Gasmet DX 4030) to perform a complete analysis of gaseous emissions from a trial in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. 'The DX 4030 has been of great value to the project because of its ability to measure almost any gas, which means that we have been able to track the denitrification process and measure the presence of other important gases such as methane and carbon dioxide,' he said.
'Another useful feature of FTIR analysis is the collection of a complete spectrum for the measured gases. 'Consequently, while we are able to take both qualitative and quantitative measurements for the gases of interest, the stored spectra provide us with the opportunity to retrospectively measure gases that were not initially considered to be of interest,' he added. The Nitrabar project has been underway since December 2005 and has successfully demonstrated an ability to reduce nitrate concentrations by more than 90 per cent.
A portable FTIR multi-parameter gas analyser from Quantitech is helping researchers at the University of Strathclyde prove the efficacy of a technique that helps remove nitrates from groundwater. The Nitrabar system uses permeable reactive barrier technology and consists of a trench containing a mixture of natural materials, which removes nitrate from shallow groundwater immediately before it enters rivers or lakes. A key feature of the Nitrabar system is its ability to convert dissolved nitrate in the groundwater to harmless nitrogen gas through the action of bacteria.
This process is known as denitrification and involves a transition from nitrate (NO3) to nitrite (NO2), to nitric oxide gas (NO), to nitrous oxide gas (N2O) and ultimately to nitrogen gas (N2). University researcher, Antoine Assal, of Strathclyde's Department of Civil Engineering, has employed the gas analyser (Gasmet DX 4030) to perform a complete analysis of gaseous emissions from a trial in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. 'The DX 4030 has been of great value to the project because of its ability to measure almost any gas, which means that we have been able to track the denitrification process and measure the presence of other important gases such as methane and carbon dioxide,' he said.
'Another useful feature of FTIR analysis is the collection of a complete spectrum for the measured gases. 'Consequently, while we are able to take both qualitative and quantitative measurements for the gases of interest, the stored spectra provide us with the opportunity to retrospectively measure gases that were not initially considered to be of interest,' he added. The Nitrabar project has been underway since December 2005 and has successfully demonstrated an ability to reduce nitrate concentrations by more than 90 per cent.
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