Advantages
In contrast to the two established methods of ASR Detect™ion-petrographic analysis and uranyl acetate analysis, ASR Detect™ has numerous benefits.

Because the reagent stains are clearly visible even before the treated sample dries, a complete diagnosis is possible in less than 5 minutes. ASR Detect™ systems are relatively inexpensive. Petrographic analysis requires shipment to a laboratory, adding time and raising the costs to hundreds of dollars per sample, also the uranyl acetate reagent is almost prohibitively expensive. ASR Detect™ is simple enough to use in the field. Its reagent stains are visible to the naked eye and are distinctive enough to be recognized and interpreted by anyone with minimal training. Petrographic analysis requires specially trained technicians working in a well equipped laboratory. Therefore, the use of ASR Detect™ can considerably reduce the cost of diagnosis by reducing drastically the need for petrographic analysis.

The ASR Detect™ reagents present minimal danger to either human health or the environment. Uranyl acetate is radioactive and contains a heavy metal and therefore, has the potential to cause health and disposal problems.

ASR Detect™ provides information not only about the presence but also the severity of ASR. Its affordability allows an engineer to analyze enough samples to obtain an accurate diagnostic picture of an entire structure. The high cost of a petrographic analysis permits only a limited number of samples to be examined.