The Kitagawa Gas Detector Tube System, available from Shawcity, is said to detect gases and vapours simply and reliably, without the need for calibration, effort, or a power supply.

The lightweight system can be used for measuring dissolved substances in solutions, compressed breathing-air testing, and even blood screening in criminal investigations. It provides an accurate reading in a few minutes and is also able to operate in flammable atmospheres, says Shawcity.

The apparatus consists of a pump and a range of more than 300 shatter-proof glass tubes to detect substances from ammonia to xylene. The tubes are filled with an absorbent material and chemical reagent which, in the presence of the target gas, produce a colour stain along the tube.

A calibration scale is printed on the tube so that the length of the colour stain can be matched to the concentration of the gas.

For more details, visit www.shawcity.co.uk