Ziltek RemScan in-field analyser for petroleum contamination in soil

Ziltek and CSIRO have announced the commercialisation of a handheld device for the rapid in-field analysis of petroleum contamination in soil.

The RemScan device uses an infrared signal to directly measure petroleum hydrocarbons in soil. The user simply pulls the trigger for a result in 15 s. The traditional method for measuring petroleum contamination involves sending soil samples to a laboratory and waiting several days for the results.

The product is said to allow users to make quicker and smarter clean-up decisions, leading to cost savings and limiting the impact of contamination on the environment. It also decreases the number of samples that require laboratory analysis. This means the emergency response team can quickly delineate the spill and validate the clean-up area with increased certainty - all in the same day.

The technology is the subject of several global patent applications and has been granted full patent status in Australia.