The MS1200-S is part of the next generation of Multisensor Systems’ online Oil in Water and Pollution Monitors. It is designed to protect drinking water treatment plants from pollution events originating from boreholes or surface water abstraction points. Such events can lead to costly filter replacements and clean-up operations and may compromise drinking water quality due to regulated pollutants such as BTEX, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and vinyl chloride reaching consumers.
Applications
Monitor water abstraction points including raw river water, boreholes and reservoirs
Monitor for oil in water contamination
Detect VOC contamination in industrial wastewater
Surface water systems for fuel pollution
Monitoring solutions for air, land remediation and industrial applications
Detect VOC breakthrough in carbon beds
Protect RO membranes
Measure VOCs in process water
Fuel pollution protection for surface water systems
Features and Benefits
No sensor contact with water: low maintenance, no sensor cleaning
No reagents: low running costs
Measures both Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and VOCs
Electronic nose: not affected by turbidity
High sensitivity: ideal for potable water
Calibratable for specific substances: monitor known spills
Detects VOC chemical spills as well as hydrocarbons
Alarms compatible with Dry Relays, SCADA and other communication interfaces
For further details on the principle of operation, see the FAQs tab.
Oils and hydrocarbons are often major components of many products, from fuels and solvents to industrial chemicals used in treatment processes.
In industrial production, these hydrocarbons, oils and solvents may leak into drains, or worse, directly into the environment.
Similarly, domestic and agricultural fuel storage can result in accidental spills into watercourses and aquifers.
This can be a serious problem for water supplies and, in extreme cases, threaten the water security of entire communities. Such incidents often incur significant fines and costly clean-up operations.
An Oil in Water Analyser can make a critical difference by providing early warning when contamination occurs.
±10% from 30 to 3000 ppb, calibrated against NIST traceable toluene gas standards under standard laboratory conditions; accuracy can be further improved at concentrations of interest using bespoke calibration on request.
Accuracy
-10%
+10%
Measurement Frequency
Continuous
Ambient Temperature
0 °C / 32 °F
50 °C / 122 °F
Climate control may be required depending on process and ambient conditions
Water Temperature
1 °C / 34 °F
50 °C / 122 °F
Analogue Input
4 mA
20 mA
Scalable to required range, max load 750 Ω; loop-powered or instrument-powered
Analogue Output
4 mA
20 mA
Analogue Output Isolation
5 kVAC, 400 VDC
Relay Current
5 A
Max. 250 VAC or 30 VDC; 3x: Alarm 1, 2 and Fault Relays with NO and NC contacts
Interface
Touchscreen
With advanced reporting capabilities
Communication Protocols
Modbus (Optional)
Profibus / HART / Foundation Fieldbus available on request
Data Storage
μSD Card / Windows PC
6 months
Instrument Case
IP65
Powder-coated stainless steel
System Weight
30 kg / 66 lbs
Sampling Tank
316 Stainless Steel
Flow Limit Switch
Option available on request
Water Flow Rate
2 l/min / 0.52 US gpm
System Dimensions
650 x 960 x 400 mm 25.6 x 37.8 x 15.7 inches
Supply Voltage
90 V AC / 9 V DC
240 V AC / 36 V DC
50 Hz or 60 Hz
Power Consumption
45 W
Typical 20 W during operation
Consumables
6 months: Filter and restrictor
Service: Service is required every six months to keep the instrument operating in optimal conditions. The air pump should be replaced every 18–36 months as required. Service must be carried out by a trained technician who has completed the standard Multisensor Systems training programme.
The MS1200-S utilises a contactless measurement technique based on Henry’s Law, sensing headspace gases or volatiles in the provided sampling tank, and offers a measurement system with very low maintenance requirements.
Thanks to the intelligent design, the sensor never comes into contact with water. This reduces drift, minimises fouling, eliminates sensor cleaning and keeps maintenance requirements very low.
The MS1200-S is accurate to low ppb concentrations and its wide dynamic range allows use in a variety of environments.
The concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Water Vapour in the headspace increases until equilibrium is reached with the concentration in the water (Fig. 1).
A gas sample is then taken from the headspace and the response analysed to provide a concentration in ppb of contaminants in the water (Fig. 2).
What does the MS1200-S Oil in Water Analyser actually measure?
The MS1200-S measures a wide range of hydrocarbons, including most PAHs, aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. It is designed as a generic early-warning system and responds to as many contaminants as possible. A detailed study can be found here. For information on specific compounds, please get in touch.
What is the difference between an Oil in Water, PAHs, Hydrocarbon, VOC Analyser?
Different sectors use different terms for the same issue. In the water industry, operators usually refer to “Oil in Water Analyser”, “Pollution Event Analyser” or “PAHs Analyser”; in the industrial sector, customers may use “VOC Analyser” or “Hydrocarbon Analyser”. Most of these terms describe applications that can be addressed using the MS1200-S.
What is the reported value?
The instrument reports the Total VOC value detected by the sensor, expressed as an equivalent of Toluene at 25 °C.
Does the MS1200-S measure kerosene, diesel, petrol and other fuels?
Yes. The instrument detects these and many other compounds. For details on a specific compound, please contact us.
How is the MS1200-S calibrated?
The instrument is factory-calibrated using Toluene standards. Toluene was chosen as it is relatively safe to handle and store and is representative of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene), which are compounds of interest in both the water and industrial sectors.
What is the required maintenance? Is it costly?
The instrument requires servicing every six months to replace low-cost components such as activated carbon filters and to ensure there are no air leaks.
Do I need a filter before the instrument?
In most applications, a filter is not necessary. The sampling system (tank) is designed to handle river water and reduce blockages. If you are concerned about blockages or your water contains high levels of suspended solids, please contact us.
What is the warranty?
Each instrument comes with a one-year warranty from the shipment date.
What is the expected life of the sensor? Is it difficult to replace?
The sensors in the Oil in Water and Hydrocarbon Analyser are designed to last for many years. On average, they are replaced every five years, although this may vary depending on water conditions and VOC levels. Sensor replacement is straightforward.
Is the instrument certified?
There is currently no EPA-certified method for online detection of oil in water and pollution, so formal certification is not possible. Some local institutions have suggested process certification, and we have carried out trials verified by national institutions using GCMS analysis under strict conditions. More information is available in our documentation.
How often does the MS1200-S take a measurement?
The instrument takes a measurement every two seconds.
What are the advantages of using e-nose technology?
E-nose technology allows for non-contact measurement, meaning that:
Fouling of the sampling system is minimised due to large-diameter tubes
Suspended solids and dissolved chemicals do not coat or damage sensors or optical components, as may occur with UV, IR, or laser spectroscopy systems, extending their lifespan and reducing cleaning requirements
No reagents are required, unlike colourimetry-based instruments
No purging gases are needed, unlike GCMS-based systems
Which regions of the world use Multisensor’s products?
Multisensor’s products are used worldwide.
Oil in Water vs Oil on Water
Oil in Water Analyser (MS1200-S)
An “Oil in Water” analyser, such as the MS1200-S, measures very low concentrations of hydrocarbons dissolved in water. This provides the first indication of an oil or fuel spill.
The MS1200-S operates over a range of 0–3000 ppb, although most applications focus on 0–200 ppb. For a drinking water treatment plant, a low-level alarm may be set around 20 ppb and a high-level alarm at 50–100 ppb.
In most cases, the MS1200-S is deployed where the WTP operator has performed a risk assessment and decided to protect water abstraction points from low-level contamination or to monitor a known fuel spill in an aquifer.
The MS1200-S detects both aliphatic (chains) and aromatic (rings) hydrocarbons, enabling detection of a broader range of hydrocarbons at very low concentrations than many other technologies.
Oil on Water Analysers detect a floating film of oil or fuel on a water surface. By definition, they detect hydrocarbons at much higher concentrations than an Oil in Water Analyser.
These systems often use a laser positioned above the water and a detector measuring the reflected laser beam. The presence of a floating film disperses the reflection, which can be measured. This approach is generally less expensive than e-nose systems and is suitable for detecting high concentrations.
However, there are limitations:
It is affected by water surface disturbances: optical measurements are disrupted by rough water.
Cannot measure low concentrations
Cannot detect dissolved hydrocarbons that do not form a surface film
Oil on Water Analysers are typically used to detect gross leaks from oil or fuel storage sites.
