Monthly Archives: April 2019

Total Suspended Solids (TSS) measurements quantify particles larger than 2 microns found in a water column. These can include inorganic compounds (gravel, sand, silt) or organics (algae, plankton, and decaying plant or animal matter). TSS contributes to the optical clarity or turbidity of water, but also includes solids that can settle at the bottom of a body of water.

Using standard EPA methods 2540C and 2540D, TSS can be quantified via gravimetric analysis^1.2. A water sample is filtered through a pre-weighed glass fiber filter, capturing the solids larger than 2 um. Then, the filter is dried in an oven to remove remaining water and weighed again. The weight difference over the sample volume provides the TSS concentration in mg/L. An interesting technology advancement for TSS testing is offered in the 

Sterlitech is now offering the newest hollow fiber membrane module from Aquaporin: the HFF014. The HFFO14 module is ideal for researchers and product developers who have passed the proof-of-concept stage and area ready for scale-up.

This model boasts an active membrane surface area in this membrane module is 13.8 m². Compared to the other Aquaporin HF modules we carry, the production rate in the HFFO14 module is about 6 times larger than the HFFO2 (2.3 m² active membrane area) and 23 times larger than the HFFO06 (0.6 m² membrane active area).  

Both

Microplastics are everywhere – in the air we breathe, in our oceans and soils, and in the water (and beer!) we drink.¹ These small plastic particles (<5mm in size) are the topic of a growing body of research that seeks to quantify the problem and impact of their prevalence. Despite the fact that plastic is the most prevalent type of debris found in the ocean and in the air, not much is currently known about how the presence of these particles will impact human and environmental health.² The primary concerns lie in the potential for these microplastics to accumulate in organisms, cause obstruction and inflammation, and in their ability to serve as a carrier for heavy metals, pathogens, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA^3.4.

Watch the video below for a quick overview of the microplastics problem in our oceans:

Our primary mission is to equip scientists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries with the filtration products to transform ideas into reality.  We support this goal by working to offer the broadest range of microporous membrane filters available from a single source – 14 different microporous membrane types and their derivatives.  Primarily used as disc filters, these membranes enable cutting edge research in laboratories worldwide.  But what happens when ideas do turn into reality? Don’t worry, Sterlitech still has you covered. We offer most of our membranes in formats conducive to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) production including large sheets and roll stock.

With exceptional lot to lot consistency and a wide variety of options, our

Membrane Distillation (MD), an emerging non-isothermal membrane separation, is a promising alternative to energy intensive separation techniques such as Reverse Osmosis or Distillation.1 In this publication Sarah Azari, Application Engineer, investigates the current state of MD technology, Sterlitech’s role in the membrane distillation product development, and potential areas of future research in her recent whitepaper.  

Though the technology has been around for more than 50 years, membrane distillation processes require continued development for industrial implementation. Developing high performance membranes and optimizing the process design for large-scale operation are two major challenges precluding widespread industrial application.

 For the past ten years, Sterlitech has been active in equipping scientists with tools, membranes and systems, for exploring membrane distillation applications. We hope

Nobuto Blood Filter strips are an easy and portable method of collecting wildlife samples in the field. Typically used by researchers in diagnosing common bird diseases, they can be utilized in testing wild animals for a whole host of zoonotic pathogens including toxoplasmosis, hantaviruses, measles, plague, and tularemia.^1,2 In fact, scientists often collaborate with local hunters and trappers to collect data from their harvests.

Made from high-purity cellulose fibers, Nobuto filter strips are structured for uniform sampling. Each strip holds approximately 0.1 mL of blood or 0.04 mL of serum.

Once blood is applied and the strip has dried, researchers can analyze, store, or mail the samples without refrigeration. Downstream testing for antibodies (i.e. ELISA) is employed to diagnose disease.

Sterlitech’s team had a wonderful time exhibiting at Pittcon 2019 last month. It was great to connect with our partners, vendors, and customers in person. We had the chance to see familiar faces at the ILDA reception and wander the expo hall among over 400 other booths. Our team also enjoyed a healthy dose of Philly cheesesteak.

Pittcon is the world’s leading annual conference and expo for laboratory science. Attendees from industry, academia, and government come from around the world to participate in the conference and exposition. At the Sterlitech booth, we were happy to see a variety of attendees that had come from Pittsburg, Colombia, and everywhere in between. Users discussed their utilization of PTFE filters for HPLC,

Our Application Engineer, Sara Azari, will be presenting at the upcoming annual meeting for North American Membrane Society (NAMS) in Pittsburg, on Monday, May 13th from 7-10 pm.

Stop by to chat with Sara during her poster presentation entitled, “A surface modification of forward osmosis (FO) membranes to enhance dye retention and fouling resistance for the treatment of industrial wastewater”.