Astrotech Announces Deployment of EN-SCAN Devices to Transform Instant, On-Site Environmental Field Monitoring
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- -- Astrotech Corporation ("Astrotech" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:ASTC) announced today that it has introduced its new EN-SCAN product line ("EN-SCAN") of ultra-portable rugged environmental testing instruments, featuring its proprietary ATi Gas Chromatograph Column ("GC") and ATi Mass Spectrometer Technology™ ("MS") through its wholly owned subsidiary, EN-SCAN, Inc.
By deploying EN-SCAN devices from Astrotech, customers gain access to real-time results and on-demand reporting, enabling continuous monitoring and immediate response in critical applications such as environmental compliance, refining, manufacturing, emergency response, and industrial hygiene.
"Traditional GC and MS field monitoring requires sample collection, transport to expensive remote labs, then often days or even weeks to get results due to backlog — by which time the data is outdated and often less actionable," said Thomas Pickens, CEO of Astrotech, the manufacturer of EN-SCAN. "EN-SCAN eliminates that delay by delivering real-time environmental testing through a rugged, field-deployable GC-MS system available at the point of need. With EN-SCAN, threats that once went undetected for days due to delays in results can now be identified in minutes, supporting more proactive, informed, and timely interventions."
EN-SCAN instruments combine advanced GC and MS technology with rugged, portable design—delivering lab-grade accuracy in the most demanding environments. Purpose-built to address rapidly growing demand for real-time air, water, and soil analysis, EN-SCAN provides high-precision, in-field monitoring and instant alerts for faster, safer, data-driven decision-making while significantly reducing testing costs and delays.
EN-SCAN devices can be preloaded with a library of thousands of chemical signatures, offering near-instant identification, while new or custom signatures can be added with ease. This flexibility unlocks a wide range of use cases — such as real-time fence-line monitoring at chemical plants, rapid disaster response, contamination tracking and emergency safety assessments.
With a focus on real-time analytics, ease of use, and cost efficiency, EN-SCAN empowers organizations to make faster, data-driven decisions.
The EN-SCAN product lineup includes three specialized environmental testing solutions, each tailored for distinct field applications:
- EN-SCAN Rugged-Lab GC-MS – A transportable GC-MS system that delivers laboratory-quality analysis of air, water, and soil directly at the site. This product supports regulatory enforcement, industrial compliance, and scientific fieldwork.
- EN-SCAN Fenceline Monitor – A continuous emissions monitoring system designed to detect volatile organic compounds such as BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) at refineries and chemical processing facilities. This product provides real-time results that can deliver actionable alerts for plant managers and regulators. The system is compatible with the EPA's updated HON Rule, helping facilities meet stringent emissions standards efficiently.
- EN-SCAN Handheld GC – A lightweight, portable gas chromatograph engineered for rapid, on-site detection of volatile organic compounds and environmental contaminants in air, soil, and water. This product is a lightweight handheld instrument for field-based environmental testing, site remediation, and emergency response scenarios.
"Whether it's monitoring fenceline emissions at a chemical facility or safeguarding first responders' safety in a disaster zone, rugged GC and MS technology is a transformative tool for identifying, assessing, and addressing environmental threats," said Thomas Pickens, CEO of Astrotech. "Astrotech is proud to be the first to deliver a fully programmable, rugged, field-ready implementation of this advanced technology—featuring the latest detection capabilities and one of the most comprehensive chemical signature libraries available."
About EN-SCAN
Based in Austin, Texas, EN-SCAN develops advanced environmental testing and monitoring solutions, integrating gas chromatography and mass spectrometry technology in rugged, portable designs. Its products support industrial, environmental, and regulatory applications, helping organizations meet compliance requirements and environmental safety.
For information, visit http://www.en-scan.com/ or contact [email protected].
About Astrotech Corporation
Astrotech Corporation is a mass spectrometry company that creates, operates, and scales innovative businesses through its wholly owned subsidiaries. Each subsidiary leverages Astrotech's core technology to serve specialized markets:
- 1st Detect develops, manufactures, and markets trace detection systems for security and narcotics screening applications.
- AgLAB designs process analyzers tailored to the agriculture industry.
- Pro-Control produces solutions for in-situ chemical process control in industrial manufacturing.
- BreathTech is advancing a breath analysis platform to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with infections and critical health conditions.
- EN-SCAN, Inc. delivers portable, ruggedized environmental testing solutions that integrate gas chromatography and mass spectrometry for use in challenging field environments.
Astrotech is headquartered in Austin, Texas. To learn more, visit www.astrotechcorp.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, trends, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from the forward-looking statement. These statements may be identified by terms such as "aims," "anticipates," "believes," contemplates," "continue," "could," "estimates," "expect," "forecast," "guidance," "intends," "may," "plans," "possible," "potential," "predicts," "preliminary," "projects," "seeks," "should," "targets," "will" or "would," or the negatives of these terms, variations of these terms or other similar expressions. These factors include, but are not limited to, the adverse impact of inflationary pressures, including significant increases in fuel costs, global economic conditions and events related to these conditions, including the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the middle east and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company's use of proceeds from the common stock offerings, whether we can successfully complete the development of our new products and proprietary technologies, whether we can obtain the FDA and other regulatory approvals required to market our products under development in the United States or abroad, whether the market will accept our products and services and whether we are successful in identifying, completing and integrating acquisitions, as well as other risk factors and business considerations described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings including the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated in light of these important risk factors. While we do not intend to directly harvest, manufacture, distribute or sell cannabis or cannabis products, we may be detrimentally affected by a change in enforcement by federal or state governments and we may be subject to additional risks in connection with the evolving regulatory area and associated uncertainties. Any such effects may give rise to risks and uncertainties that are currently unknown or amplify others mentioned herein. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable and are based on reasonable assumptions, no assurance can be given that these assumptions are accurate or that any of these expectations will be achieved (in full or at all) or will prove to have been correct. Moreover, such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. In addition, any forward- looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views only as of the date of its publication and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company assumes no obligation to correct or update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Company Contact:
Jennifer Cañas
Chief Financial Officer, Astrotech Corporation
(512) 485-9530
Investor Contact:
Matt Kreps
Managing Director, Darrow Associates
(214) 597-8200
[email protected]
