The detection of hydrogen sulphide gas is slowly but surely gaining importance in the industry. Many incidents have been reported about workers who fall sick or die as they are overcome by exposure to hydrogen sulphide gas at the workplace. While everyone is familiar about the rotten egg smell of hydrogen sulphide gas, not all are aware about the poisonous and explosive nature of this gas. Read this article to learn more.
Oilfield Worker Suspected To Have Died From Exposure To Hydrogen Sulphide
In February this year, Gregory Claxton’s body was found at a well site in Texas, who is suspected to have died from exposure to hydrogen sulphide gas. It raises safety concerns for workers and underscores the need for investing in the best gas detection equipment and monitoring systems to identify the presence of toxic gases like hydrogen sulphide.
Barbara Green said in a recent news article:
“Hughes said toxicology reports indicate Claxton died from the toxic effects of H2S, which emergency workers at the scene suspected as a possible cause.
H2S is a colorless, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. It is poisonous, corrosive and explosive. According to OSHA, H2S gas is most commonly obtained by its separation from sour gas. It also can exist as a liquid compressed gas.”
Nanodevice Invented To Detect Hydrogen Sulphide Gas
A nanodevice has been invented in Iran to detect hydrogen sulphide gas levels that can come in handy for companies operating in the oil and gas industry. The best part about the sensor is that it is light-weight, portable and very sensitive to the presence of hydrogen sulphide gas in the atmosphere.
The new nanodevice is likely to benefit companies who work in oil drilling, coal mines, oil refineries and wells containing organic materials.
As said in a recent news article:
“The sensor can be directly used in oil and gas industry taking into consideration the importance of hydrogen sulfide and its irreversible damages. It can also be used in aerospace and firefighting industries.
The sensor is made of carbon nanotubes covered with copper nanoparticles on a flexible bed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The sensor can detect hydrogen sulfide at concentration about 5ppm. It has a respond time of 10 seconds at this concentration while the return time has been obtained to be 15 seconds.”
The use of the nanodevice can help in early detection of dangerous levels of hydrogen sulphide gas in the atmosphere. This can prevent workers from falling sick or dying due to a concentrated level of hydrogen sulphide gas at the workplace.