WTW OxiTop® Control S6 / S12

WTW OxiTop® Control S6 / S12

The WTW OxiTop® Control S6 / S12 is a device specially designed for precise consumption and respiration measurements, which is used in laboratories for environmental analysis, biotechnology and other research-oriented areas. It enables the reliable determination of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and other important parameters in liquids or soil samples. Compared to similar models, this system offers an impressive combination of accuracy, flexibility and ease of use. This makes it interesting for demanding laboratories that value efficient and reproducible measurements.

Versatile measuring system and key features

Thanks to its manometric functionality, the measuring system provides accurate data on microbial activity. It detects changes in pressure in the sample vessel, which provides information about oxygen consumption and CO? production. Its robust construction and compact design make it a reliable solution, especially when measurements need to be taken over long periods of time.

Important technical details at a glance:
- Measuring principle: Manometric using a pressure sensor (500-1350 hPa operating pressure range)
- Accuracy: ±1% of measured value ±1 hPa
- BOD range: Single and parallel samples up to 4000 mg/l, for special applications up to 400,000 mg/l
- Controller power supply: 3 AA alkaline 1.5 V batteries
- Measuring head power supply: lithium batteries (2 x CR2430)
- Temperature ranges: operation between +5 °C and +40 °C, storage up to -25 °C or +65 °C
- Interface: IR (infrared) and RS 232 for easy PC communication

In addition, the system supports measurement periods from 0.5 hours to 99 days and records up to 360 data sets per measurement. Specific software, including cables, is integrated ex works, which significantly facilitates analysis and evaluation. A CO? absorber and a nitrification inhibitor are also included, which offers advantages especially when testing anaerobic or aerobic processes.

Certifications and standards

Compliance with certain guidelines is essential in many areas of biotechnology and environmental analysis. The system complies with relevant OECD standards for aerobic applications and allows free volume determination. This ensures that soil samples or samples for biogas testing, for example, are measured precisely and in accordance with standards. The high measurement accuracy of ±1% also provides an excellent basis for reproducible results.

Specific areas of application

This measuring system has a wide range of applications, in particular:

- Environmental analysis: For rapid determination of the biological oxygen demand in water samples (BOD values) - an important parameter in sewage treatment plants or for the analysis of flowing and surface waters.
- Fermentation in biotechnology: Monitoring microbial activity and thus the effectiveness of the fermentation process in the production of enzymes, antibiotics or bio-based chemicals.
- Soil analysis: Measurement of soil respiration (CO? production), for example to evaluate microbiological activity and soil fertility.
- Biogas determination: Analysis of gas production in anaerobic systems. In addition to pure methane producers, other fermentation processes can also be investigated.

With this wide range of applications, the device offers significant added value for laboratories that focus not only on routine determinations but also on special applications.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How is the measurement started?

First, sample parameters such as sample volume and measurement duration are defined on the controller. Then the measuring heads are placed on the filled bottles, which may be equipped with CO? absorbers. The measurement starts automatically after a short initialisation phase and can be monitored on the display. Can different samples be measured in parallel? Yes. Depending on the model (S6 or S12), six or twelve samples can be monitored in parallel. This significantly increases laboratory efficiency, as several measurement approaches or comparison samples can be recorded simultaneously.

What is the possible runtime?

In the standard routine, runtimes of up to 99 days can be set. The device records data at defined intervals (e.g. every half hour) and stores it for further evaluation.

How are the measured values evaluated?

All data can be viewed directly on the controller or transferred to a computer via infrared or RS-232 interface. The supplied software can be used to graphically display and statistically evaluate measurement curves, for example to determine the BOD value or CO? development over time.

Conclusion

This measuring system impresses with its high precision, efficient data acquisition and flexible handling. It is suitable for routine determinations in water analyses as well as for more complex investigations in research laboratories on soil respiration or biogas production. Thanks to extensive functions such as CO? absorbers, nitrification inhibitors and user-friendly software integration, experts have a wide range of options at their disposal to reliably answer complex questions in environmental analysis or biotechnology. Anyone looking for a powerful instrument for particularly accurate, reproducible measurements will find this to be an excellent choice.