Continuous trace gas measurement platform secures UK certification for environmental monitoring equipment

HORIBA UK Limited‘s AP-380 Series Air Quality Monitor has achieved MCERTS certification, the UK’s scheme for environmental monitoring equipment. This versatile air quality analyser series is now globally proven for the continuous measurement of trace gases, as it also holds worldwide regulatory acceptance with type approvals from other certification bodies, including US EPA, German UBA/TÜV Rheinland, Korean NIER and Chinese SAMR.

The AP-380 Series continuously measures the concentration of CO, SO₂, O₃, NO, NO₂, NOₓ, CH₄, NMHC and THC. at high-precision, ranging from ppb to ppm. Its compact, low-power, modular design means it can be used not only for ambient air pollution monitoring, but also for gas monitoring in many industries. Diverse applications include monitoring vehicles emissions, space-constrained Mini AQMS enclosures, industrial process monitoring, and cleanroom or semiconductor gas purity monitoring.

Securing MCERTS is a significant technical achievement for the AP-380 Series. The certification followed months of rigorous field testing alongside a busy six-lane motorway near Cologne, Germany. Independent TÜV data shows that all four certified modules within the series comfortably met the 15% maximum relative expanded uncertainty requirement, outperforming the standard by 5 to 11 percentage points. This high accuracy gives customers complete confidence and future-proofs their monitoring of investments.

Each gas component analyser is modular, enabling integration into systems and facilities to best fit customer needs, including stationary, wall-mounted, mobile, or portable installations. As well as local customisation, the modular design also supports serviceability through quick onsite module replacement. The AP-380’s field-swappable modules allow any issues to be resolved directly in minutes, maximising uptime.

Also enhancing user efficiency, the cutting-edge analysers offer full remote operation and diagnostics from various devices including PC, smartphones, or tablets. This advanced function is enabled by user-friendly software with built-in connectivity to significantly reduce the number of customer site visits; in turn reducing operational costs and minimising carbon footprint from transportation emissions.

The fully certified system’s highly flexible capabilities are proven in installations globally, where it is being used by local authorities, air quality networks, and private companies adhering to local environment regulations. It is also used across a broad range of industries, supporting low concentration gas measurements for various industrial processes; impurity monitoring for quality assurance of industrial gases; gas leakage monitoring within equipment by internally incorporating an analyser module; trace gas monitoring for ozone in water treatment plants; working environment air quality monitoring; and more.