Hydrocarbon Fluorimeters Monitor Oil-Spill Extent

Chelsea's range of hydrocarbon fluorimeters is being deployed in the Gulf of Mexico to monitor the extent of the oil spill. Originally designed for military use, these reliable, robust, high-sensitivity fluorimeters have previously been used to detect crude and refined oils in a range of environments. The UV Aquatracka and the Uvilux submersible fluorimeters monitor the concentration of refined (360nm) or crude hydrocarbons (440nm) in a range of coastal, oceanographic and freshwater applications.

They have been designed to be deployed independently, as well as from submersible vehicles, diver held, moored, profiled or as part of a flow-through system. These robust, compact, lightweight instruments are suitable for shallow and full ocean depth. They are also suitable for long-term deployment and will be used to monitor the extent of the pollution caused after the oil slick has dispersed. The UV Aquatracka displays real-time, live data via the Chelsea supplied GUI. Similarly, real-time data from the Uvilux can be transmitted via a Bluetooth wireless link to either a PDA or a PC.