What is the Function and Significance of Nitrogen Dioxide Gas Sensor Detection?
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What is the Function and Significance of Nitrogen Dioxide Gas Sensor Detection?

Nitrogen dioxide, with the chemical formula NO₂, is a reddish-brown gas. At room temperature (0~21.5℃), it coexists with dinitrogen tetroxide in a mixed state. It is toxic and irritating, dissolves in concentrated nitric acid to form fuming nitric acid, and can dimerize into dinitrogen tetroxide. It reacts with water to produce nitric acid and nitric oxide, with alkalis to form nitrates, and undergoes violent reactions with many organic compounds.

Social problems caused by environmental pollution have become increasingly prominent, and waste gas emissions from enterprises and factories are important factors affecting the atmospheric environment. Nitrogen dioxide plays a key role in the formation of ozone, and it is mainly released from high-temperature combustion processes, such as vehicle exhaust and boiler flue gas emissions. In recent years, factories have paid growing attention to the monitoring of toxic gases during the production processes of the chemical industry. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is an important industrial gas, which can be used as an agent in industrial water treatment, a bleaching agent for pulp and fibers, a refining agent for flour, oils and sugars, and for hair removal in leather processing, etc. Low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (4ppm) can numb the nose, potentially leading to excessive inhalation. Long-term exposure to an environment with an NO₂ concentration of 40 to 100 milligrams per cubic meter will severely endanger human health. Therefore, real-time monitoring of nitrogen dioxide gas in factories is essential to prevent it from harming the health of workers and disrupting production.

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Health Hazards of Nitrogen Dioxide (as Detected by Sensors)

Invasion route: Inhalation.Health hazards: Nitrogen oxides mainly damage the respiratory tract. Initial inhalation only causes mild irritation symptoms of the eyes and upper respiratory tract, such as sore throat and dry cough. Delayed pulmonary edema and acute respiratory distress syndrome often occur after an incubation period of several hours to more than ten hours, accompanied by chest tightness, respiratory distress, cough, pink frothy sputum, cyanosis, etc. Pneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema may also occur as complications. Delayed obstructive bronchiolitis may develop about two weeks after the subsidence of pulmonary edema.
Chronic effects: The main manifestations are neurasthenic syndrome and chronic respiratory inflammation. Pulmonary fibrosis occurs in individual cases, and it may also cause dental erosion.

Emergency Treatment for Nitrogen Dioxide Exposure

  1. Skin contact: Remove contaminated clothing and rinse the affected area with running water.

  2. Eye contact: Immediately lift the eyelids and rinse with running water.

  3. Inhalation: Quickly move the victim to a place with fresh air and keep the respiratory tract unobstructed. Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult; perform artificial respiration immediately if breathing stops, and seek medical attention promptly.

  4. Ingestion: Drink a sufficient amount of warm water to induce vomiting, and seek medical attention at once.

Leakage Treatment for Nitrogen Dioxide

Quickly evacuate personnel from the contaminated leakage area to the upwind direction, implement isolation measures, and strictly restrict access to the area. It is recommended that emergency responders wear self-contained positive pressure breathing apparatus and chemical protective clothing. Cut off the leakage source as much as possible.

  • If it is gaseous NO₂: Ensure proper ventilation to accelerate diffusion; spray water mist to dilute and dissolve the gas; build dikes or dig pits to contain the large amount of wastewater generated. Properly handle the leaking container and reuse it only after repair and inspection.

  • If it is liquid NO₂: Rinse the contaminated area with a large amount of water, and discharge the diluted washing water into the wastewater system. In case of a large-scale leakage, build dikes or dig pits for containment; spray water mist to cool and dilute the vapor. Transfer the leaked liquid to tank trucks or special collectors using explosion-proof pumps, and then recycle it or transport it to a waste disposal site for treatment.

The industrialized society has brought the vigorous development of science and technology enterprises, but it also has a drawback: severe environmental problems such as air pollution. Since we live on Earth and breathe air all the time, air quality has a profound impact on our health. Exhaust gases emitted directly into the air from vehicle exhaust and industrial waste gas cause air pollution and a variety of health problems. For the detection of nitrogen dioxide in industrial waste gas, Shenzhen Sdat recommends the following electrochemical nitrogen dioxide gas sensors to detect the concentration of nitrogen dioxide gas, so as to protect the personal safety of on-site workers and people in the surrounding areas.

UK DDS Nitrogen Dioxide Sensor GS+4 NO₂

The GS+4 NO₂ electrochemical nitrogen dioxide sensor features high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, dust and water droplet filtration, good linear output at low concentrations, high stability, and anti-interference against CO, CO₂ and H₂. It is mainly used in NO₂ gas alarms for detecting the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere, as well as in industrial fields such as petroleum and chemical engineering.