Met One C-12 Portable Black Carbon Monitor

Affordable Dual-Wavelength Measurement for Ambient & Fenceline Applications

The Met One C-12 redefines field flexibility in aerosol research, providing high-fidelity Black Carbon (BC) and Brown Carbon (BrC) monitoring in a compact, weatherproof architecture. Engineered by Met One Instruments (Powered by Acoem), this self-contained analyzer bridges the gap between expensive reference stations and basic handheld sensors. It delivers granular, research-grade data on Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) carbonaceous aerosols without requiring climate-controlled shelters or complex infrastructure.

Designed for long-term unattended operation, the C-12 combines robust optical attenuation technology with low power consumption, making it the ideal solution for solar-powered remote deployments, smart city networks, and rapid-response environmental surveys.

Key Benefits

• Cost-Effective Precision: Delivers data correlation comparable to reference-grade rack monitors but at a fraction of the capital and operational cost (Special Jury Prize Winner, AIRLAB Microsensors Challenge 2023).

• Source Apportionment Capable: Dual-wavelength analysis (880 nm and 370 nm) allows for the differentiation between fossil fuel emissions (traffic/diesel) and biomass burning (wood smoke/wildfires).

• True Portability & Autonomy: Fully weatherproof (all-metal enclosure) and solar-ready. The system operates autonomously for over two months on a single roll of filter tape thanks to an efficient 500-advance capacity.

• Intelligent Data Loading: Features software-based loading compensation to correct for filter saturation effects, ensuring linear and accurate mass concentration readings even in high-pollution events.

• Seamless Connectivity: Integrated CCS+ COMET Cloud modem options enable real-time data visualization, remote diagnostics, and effortless integration into existing air quality dashboards.

Technical Overview

The C-12 utilizes a Dual-Wavelength Optical Attenuation method to quantify carbonaceous aerosols. Ambient air is drawn through a filter tape at a controlled rate of 1.0 LPM. The instrument continuously measures the light transmission through the accumulating particulate spot at two distinct wavelengths:

1. Infrared (880 nm): Specific to Black Carbon (BC), effectively targeting Elemental Carbon (EC) from combustion sources like diesel engines and industrial stacks.

2. Ultraviolet (370 nm): Sensitive to organic compounds, allowing for the detection of Brown Carbon (BrC) associated with biomass combustion and organic aerosols.

System Design:

The unit is engineered for harsh field conditions. It houses the optical bench, tape drive mechanism, and sampling pump within a rugged, weatherproof chassis. Unlike passive sensors, the C-12 uses active sampling with flow control to ensure volumetric accuracy.

Data Integrity:

To maintain high data quality during long deployments, the C-12 employs the same span calibration values (MACS) used in Met One’s regulatory-grade BC-1054 and BC-1060 analyzers. This ensures data consistency across mixed-asset networks.

Typical Use Cases

• Fenceline Monitoring: Perimeter surveillance for ports, construction sites, and industrial facilities to detect fugitive diesel emissions.

• Smart City Grids: Dense deployment in urban canyons to map traffic pollution hotspots and validate Low Emission Zones (LEZ).

• Background & Climate Research: Solar-powered operation allows for measurement in remote locations to study global transport of Black Carbon.

• Emergency Response: Rapid deployment during wildfire events to monitor smoke exposure (Brown Carbon) in affected communities.

• Occupational Hygiene: Monitoring workforce exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM) in mining, logistics, and tunneling operations.

Why Choose This Analyzer?

The Met One C-12 disrupts the market by offering "Reference-Grade DNA" in a utility-scale package. While low-cost sensors often drift and fail to differentiate sources, the C-12 provides defensible, speciated data (BC vs. BrC) with the reliability of a tape-based system. Its proven performance in the AIRLAB Microsensors Challenge demonstrates that high accuracy does not require high complexity. For projects requiring agility, durability, and budget efficiency, the C-12 is the definitive choice.

Specifications

• Measured Components:

  Black Carbon (BC), Brown Carbon (BrC), Total Suspended Particulates (TSP - Carbonaceous fraction).

• Applications:

  Fenceline monitoring, smart city networks, wildfire impact studies, remote background monitoring, mobile surveys.

• Certifications:

  AIRLAB Microsensors Challenge 2023 (Special Jury Prize); Correlates with reference aethalometers; CE Marked.

• Measurement Principle:

  Dual-wavelength Optical Attenuation (880 nm / 370 nm) with automatic filter tape advance and software-based loading compensation.