We are delighted to announce that South East Water has chosen the TriOS NICO for real-time nitrate monitoring at one of its borehole sites. Groundwater sources can be particularly vulnerable to nitrate contamination, often resulting from agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge, and natural biological processes. Accurate, continuous monitoring is essential to ensure drinking water safety and regulatory compliance South East Water has identified the TriOS NICO as the ideal solution for this critical task.
Why South East Water Chose the TriOS NICO for Nitrate Monitoring
To maintain high water quality standards, South East Water needed a cost-effective, real-time monitoring solution:
✔ Detects nitrate (NO₃-N) with high precision in borehole water.
✔ Provides fast response times (<20 seconds) for real-time water quality insights
✔ Uses reagent-free UV-absorption technology, reducing operational costs and environmental impact
✔ Includes advanced turbidity compensation, ensuring accuracy even in high-sediment water
✔ Seamlessly integrates with SCADA and data management systems via Modbus RTU and Ethernet TCP/IP
Unlike traditional wet chemistry analysers, which require reagents, frequent maintenance, and manual sampling, the TriOS NICO provides continuous, reagent-free nitrate monitoring, delivering highly accurate, real-time results without ongoing consumables or chemical waste.
The TriOS NICO: The Best Nitrate Sensor for Borehole Monitoring
The TriOS NICO is a high-performance UV-absorption sensor for real-time, in-situ Nitrate monitoring. Its advanced optical technology ensures precise measurements while turbidity compensation eliminates interference from suspended solids.
Key Features & Benefits
🔹 Proven UV-Absorption Technology – Reagent-free detection with minimal operational costs
🔹 Advanced Turbidity Compensation – Ensures accurate readings in borehole water with high sediment levels
🔹 Real-Time, In-Situ Monitoring – Provides continuous nitrate data without manual sampling
🔹 Multi-Path Optical System – Customisable optical path lengths from 0.3 mm – 50 mm for different concentration ranges
🔹 Seamless System Integration – Supports Modbus RTU, RS-485, and Ethernet TCP/IP for easy connectivity
🔹 Low Maintenance & Calibration Needs – Calibration interval up to 24 months, with minimal servicing required
🔹 Robust, Waterproof Housing – IP68-rated stainless steel or titanium construction for long-term durability.
FAQs – Everything You Need to Know About the TriOS NICO
- How does the NICO sensor work?
The TriOS NICO uses UV-absorption photometry, where a Xenon flash lamp emits light through the water sample. Nitrate (NO3-N) absorbs UV light at specific wavelengths, allowing the sensor to determine nitrate concentrations without chemical reagents.
- How does the sensor compensate for turbidity?
The NICO uses multiple detection channels to correct for light scattering caused by suspended solids. This advanced turbidity compensation ensures reliable measurements even in borehole water with high sediment loads.
- What advantages does UV-absorption monitoring offer over wet chemistry methods?
UV-absorption sensors like the NICO provide:
• Continuous real-time measurements without chemical reagents
• Lower maintenance requirements with calibration intervals up to 24 months
• No chemical waste, making them environmentally friendly
• Fast response times (<20 seconds) for immediate water quality insights
- How is the NICO installed and integrated into existing systems?
The NICO sensor can be installed in situ in boreholes, open channels, or flow-through cells. It features digital connectivity with Modbus RTU, RS-485, and Ethernet TCP/IP, ensuring seamless integration into SCADA, PLC, and data logging systems.
- What maintenance does the NICO Nitrate sensor require?
The sensor is designed for low maintenance, with typical servicing limited to:
• Occasional cleaning of the optical window (nano-coated for fouling resistance)
• Calibration intervals of up to 24 months
• Minimal power consumption (≤7W) for cost-efficient operation
- Where else can the NICO be used?
The TriOS NICO is widely used in:
• Wastewater treatment plants – Ensuring efficient nitrate removal in biological treatment processes.
• Drinking water facilities – Meeting regulatory limits for nitrate in potable water.
• Environmental monitoring – Tracking nitrate pollution in lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
• Industrial process water – Monitoring nitrogen compounds in manufacturing and food industries.
Accurate, real-time nitrate monitoring is essential for protecting drinking water sources. With the TriOS NICO, South East Water gains a reliable, reagent-free solution that ensures continuous compliance and operational efficiency.
Why South East Water Chose the NICO for Nitrate
With increasing regulatory pressure on nitrate levels in drinking water, real-time, reagent-free nitrate monitoring is more critical than ever. South East Water selected the TriOS NICO for its accuracy, efficiency, and ease of integration, ensuring continuous borehole monitoring with minimal maintenance.
This decision highlights the growing demand for advanced UV-absorption technology as a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to reagent-based monitoring systems. By eliminating the need for chemicals and reducing operational costs, the NICO sensor represents the future of monitoring.
Get in Touch – Expert Monitoring Solutions
Are you seeking a reliable, real-time nitrate sensor for water quality monitoring? Whether you’re in drinking water treatment, wastewater management, or environmental monitoring, our experts at PMA Ltd are here to help.
Contact Us about the NICO & Enter to Win an Echo Show 10. What are you waiting for?
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