Purification of sea water using desalination platform: ICPE-9000

Please tell us about your work and your role in the organization/company.

Our company has developed a patented membrane-based desalination platform that can turn up to 15% salt water (approximately five times the salinity of seawater) into fresh water. The process uses a proprietary draw solution comprised of thermolytic salts to naturally draw fresh water across a patented semi-permeable membrane leaving unwanted salts and contaminants behind. The mixture of draw solution and fresh water is then heated to change the phase of the draw solution solute from liquid to vapor, leaving behind fresh, potable water. No feed water boiling. No high pressure pumping. The process can utilize steam or heat from a variety of sources, allowing Oasys to address the growing fresh water supply gap without the negative impact and expense of fossil fuels.

What is the main purpose of using Shimadzu ICPE-9000 in your lab?

Our role is to perform analyses of a variety of samples including customer samples as well as samples generated by our pilot laboratory. Currently about a 10% of the samples we run are for customers. We use our Model-9000 ICPE to run Na, Ca, Mg, Si, Ba, Sr, Fe. We average about 40 samples per day including QC.

How many people in your lab are using Shimadzu ICPE-9000? How often?

3 people in the lab. Currently running samples 5 days per week.

What were the main reasons that your organization chose Shimadzu instruments?

Reputation of the company, good customer service, reliability, robustness of the instrument.

Having used Shimadzu ICPE-9000 so far, what are your thoughts on the advantages and benefits of using them?

Instrument stability, robustness and software. Software is seamless, robust, help methods are very useful. Software is very intuitive and includes helpful step by step training. Our newest ICPE operator Mr. Morgan Knapp was trained and up and running in a day. This was very helpful in maintaining productivity in the lab as many samples are time sensitive.
Dual view is a big advantage- saves a great deal of time. Humidification system makes a big difference in helping to minimize clogging of the sample introduction system. We have been able to run samples that have Na concentration 32,000 ppm!

In your opinion, was there a discrepancy in expectations before and after the actual use of Shimadzu ICPE-9000?

Has performed as expected to do what we need it to do.

Please suggest features or functionalities which you would like to see improved, added and enhanced for your Shimadzu Instrument?

Additional improvements in autosampler technology to continue to boost our productivity. We are also happy to provide additional feedback to the software engineers to further enhance the operator interface resulting in further improvements in productivity.

Please tell us your "wish list" for Shimadzu technology, products and services.

We would like to add a Shimadzu TOC-L System to our laboratory. We are also interested in exploring the possibility of adding the Model 4200 Process Analyzer to our Forward Osmosis platforms as part of an OEM package to offer to our customers.

Please let us know your perception of "Shimadzu Corporation"

Good customer service, established company, solid reputation.

Thank you so much for your comments!

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.