Automated water analysis
UK water analysis firm Camlab has recently announced a new development from MANTECH that allows the measurement of up to nine parameters in a single sample, which can be collected in a standard 50ml falcon tube. The RapidAlk leads to the capability to analyse these nine parameters from a 50ml tube, therefore, further increasing MANTECH's capacity from 77 to 197 unique sample positions. Additional AutoMax samplers have the capacity of 73 or 122 unique sample positions meeting the requirements of small and large throughput environmental laboratories. It is also available as a stand alone and process control system. The development has been designed for the analysis of potable, surface and ground waters. Advantages include:
• Nine parameters from a single sample
• Capability to pick only the parameters required for a sample, therefore, increasing throughput speed
• Utilises MANTECH's TitraSip SA technology, verified though the US EPA's Environmental Technology (ETV) Program
• Follows EPA approved APHA methods
• Quick and effective rinsing through MANTECH's IntelliRinseTM System.
• Automatically speciates and reports alkalinity in terms of total alkalinity, p-alkalinity, hydroxide, bicarbonate and carbonate
• Capability to add priority samples to as required
• Easily add samples to the queue as they come in
• Runs unattended, even overnight. - Load the samples and walk away!
• Autocalibrations and automated QC checks for all parameters
• Accurate, precise and a complete audit trail.
Simplified, continuous measurement of TOC in wastewater
Identification of organic pollutants in wastewater is essential for performance evaluation, construction and operation of a wastewater treatment plant. Several parameters are currently used in wastewater analysis applications. The TOC content is a measure of the concentration of organically bound carbon and is therefore a direct indication of pollution levels due to organic compounds in wastewater.
The fast and simple TOC determination enables the use of process-TOC analyzers for continuous monitoring of carbon pollution. There are many additional requirements for independent operation of a process analyzer. Shimadzu's new TOC-4200 series offers numerous functions allowing customization for specific wastewater monitoring applications.
Low maintenance TOC-4200 system
The TOC-4200 in its catalytic combustion mode at 680°C is a high-performance analyzer. The temperature is below the melting point of sodium chloride. This prevents deactivation of the active sites on the catalyst by the molten sample. Use of the platinum catalyst safeguards the complete conversion of the organic carbon compounds into CO2.
The highly sensitive NDIR detector allows small injection volumes (typically 20 - 50 μL), keeping the absolute sample amount reaching the catalyst to a minimum. A further reduction can be achieved using the integrated dilution function. The ISP module (Integrated Sample Pretreatment) enables automatic dilution of the sample. Automatic dilution can be implemented whenever measuring values are exceeded, or can be applied permanently. In this case, the user specifies the dilution factor desired in the selected method.
Various kits expand scope of applications
An optional high-sensitivity kit enables measurements of samples with TOC concentrations below 1 mgC/L, such as underground water, public drinking water or recovered deionized water from semiconductor manufacturing.
The high-salt sample combustion tube kit significantly increases the period between maintenance, by about 10 times when measuring sea water or other samples containing high salt levels. Adding the TN option permits total nitrogen (TN) measurement with catalytic combustion and chemiluminescence detection.
Sample preparation system
Analytical systems perform only as well as the sample preparation procedure will allow. For the TOC-4200 series, several sample preparation systems are available that can be tuned optimally to any application area. Using the single stream option with homogenization, the sample enters the sample chamber via a strainer. The sample is then homogenized with a rotating knife before being transferred to the instrument for further analysis. In this way, even samples containing large amounts of particulate matter can be measured without any problem. After sampling, the chamber is cleaned with rinsing solution.
Whenever several sample streams are to be measured using one instrument, the multi-stream sampler can be used. Modbus two-way digital communication capability enables controlling of two-way communication for multiple devices over a single integrated signal line, which also simplifies electrical wiring work.
This allows connection to two-way communication networks. The optional web-based monitoring function allows monitoring of measurement data or status of instruments from any network-connected computer in the world.
www.shimadzu.eu
Particle Analysis Software
Laboratory instrumentation manufacturer Fluid Imaging Technologies has introduced VisualSpreadsheet V3.0 particle analysis software. A companion to the company's FlowCAM particle imaging and analysis system that automatically detects, images and identifies particles and microorganisms. It features new custom graphing functionality that allows users to create custom scattergrams and histograms by choosing the variables on the x and y axes from a menu of the system's 32 different measurement parameters without rerunning the sample. Permitting the size, length, width, perimeter, roughness, intensity, fluorescence and the other parameters to be quickly switched both during and after processing, VisualSpreadsheet V3.0 provides access to more than 1,000 different combinations for segmenting and evaluating the data from new perspectives that were previously unavailable on any type of analysis instrumentation. The company said this development would be ideal for laboratory managers, process engineers, quality control managers, research scientists and others, VisualSpreadsheet V3.0 comes installed with the FlowCAM instrumentation and is backwards compatible for seamless retrofit on models currently in the field.
www.fluidimaging.com
UL certified to test water services in all 50 States
UL (Underwriters Laboratories) became the first laboratory approved to conduct water testing services in 50 states across the US and Puerto Rico, following state certification in Alaska.
In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program, states assume primacy for enforcing the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and are responsible for certifying laboratories that conduct analyses against the requirements of this Act. Each state maintains a certification program that requires laboratories to successfully analyze designated testing samples, demonstrate approved methods, and pass periodic inspections.
UL said it has analyzed more than 2.5 million drinking water samples for thousands of public and private entities, including the U.S. EPA. In addition to being certified in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, the company is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to certify water products. UL is also an approved certifier of water products that meet the criteria of the EPA's WaterSenseSM program, which identifies and promotes the use of water-efficient products.
www.ul.com/water
More Water & WasteWater International Current Issue Articles
More Water & WasteWater International Archives Issue Articles
