Hello Ecolog-Listers: Do any of you know of cheap tests for methane gas in water or air? Just checked on the web and thus far, most appears to be equipment for rent.
However, one site (Wikipedia) has a medical application: "Hydrogen breath test >From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_breath_test#mw-navigation><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_breath_test#p-search> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg> This article *needs additional citations for verification <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability>*. Please help improve this article<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hydrogen_breath_test&action=edit> by adding citations to reliable sources<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Introduction_to_referencing/1>. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. *(December 2012)* A *hydrogen <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen> breath test <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breath_test>* (or *HBT*) is used as a clinical medical diagnosis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnosis> for people with irritable bowel syndrome<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irritable_bowel_syndrome>, and common food intolerances <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_intolerance>. The test is simple, non-invasive<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-invasive_(medical)>, and is performed after a short period of fasting<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasting> (typically 8–12 hours). Even though the test is normally known as a "Hydrogen Breath Test" some physicians may also test for methane<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane> in addition to hydrogen. Many studies have shown that some patients (approximately 35% or more) do not produce hydrogen but actually produce methane. Some patients produce a combination of the two gases. Other patients, who are known as "Non-Responders", don't produce any gas; it has not been yet determined whether they may actually produce another gas. In addition to hydrogen and methane, some facilities also utilize carbon dioxide <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide> (CO 2) in the patients' breath to determine if the breath samples that are being analyzed are not contaminated (either with room air or bronchial dead space air)." If methane can be detected in a medical office, I wonder if there are *cheap* applications for field work. Thanks for any suggestion. Please, feel free to contact me directly ([email protected]). Cheers, Jorge Jorge A. Santiago-Blay, PhD blaypublishers.com http://blayjorge.wordpress.com/ http://paleobiology.si.edu/staff/individuals/santiagoblay.html
