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Dunedin, FL (January 11, 2010) - The NeoFox Sport is a portable, handheld optical oxygen sensor for measuring dissolved and gaseous oxygen pressure in a variety of media. The sensor uses a proprietary sol-gel coating that is embedded with an oxygen indicator and can be applied to patches or probes. Patches are useful for measuring headspace gases and other parameters inside packages and containers; probe options range from slender, 300 µm-diameter fiber assemblies for fine spatial resolution applications to robust, ¼-inch OD stainless steel configurations for process environments. Coating formulations are available for general lab use, high-sensitivity applications and hydrocarbon-rich sample environments.

Comprised of a probe- or patch-based oxygen sensor, plus a phase fluorometer, the NeoFox Sport fluorescence-based optical oxygen system includes an onboard microprocessor with low-power OLED display, a user interface and a battery pack. The user interface permits such functions as setting single- or multi-point calibration and displaying oxygen readings in percent oxygen, partial pressure, moles per liter and other parameters. Data is captured and stored to a 2-GB SD card for retrieval on the NeoFox Sport itself or via an SD card reader connected to a PC. Response times range from <1.0 seconds in gas to ~30 seconds in liquids, with dissolved oxygen range (O2% at 1 Atmosphere) of 0-100% for most applications.

NeoFox Sport sensors combine the best of advances in materials sciences and phase fluorometry. A fluorescence-based transducer material is trapped in a sol-gel coating that is applied to the probe or patch. When the material, or indicator changes optical properties in response to specific analytes in its immediate environment, the NeoFox Sport measures the response. Unlike polarographic and galvanic oxygen meters, the NeoFox Sport optical oxygen sensor is immune to environmental changes in pH, salinity and ionic strength. Other advantages of optical oxygen sensors include no sample consumption, no need for frequent calibration and no interference from electromagnetic interference.

Optional add-on accessories for NeoFox Sport include a battery-life extender for up to 25 hours of continuous operation and a field-friendly carrying pack with shoulder strap. OEM options are also available.

To learn more about NeoFox Sport, or the company's full range of optical oxygen and pH sensors, visit www.OceanOptics.com, , or phone +1 727-733-2447.

Headquartered in Dunedin, Fla., Ocean Optics is a leading supplier of solutions for optical sensing - fundamental methods of measuring and interpreting the interaction of light with matter. With locations in Asia and Europe, the company has sold more than 120,000 spectrometers worldwide since 1992. Ocean Optics' extensive line of complementary technologies includes chemical sensors, analytical instrumentation, optical fibers, metrology products and optics. The company is a subsidiary of Halma p.l.c., an international market leader in safety, health and sensor technology.