Water Sampling Innovations Introduced to the Environmental Industry

Aqualytical Services has developed a submersible field extraction unit that has captured the continuous sampler ideal of being small, stealth, and able to field sample for extended periods of time continuously in a quantitative manner. It is immune to effects of temperature, flow and bio-fouling, and provides ultra-low quantitative detection capabilities. This innovative device is called the CLAM.

The CLAM or (Continuous Low-Level Aquatic Monitoring) mimics a real clam or mollusk, so to say its design is unique is somewhat of a misnomer. It actively draws in water at a low flow rate, capturing total and dissolved organics within its solid phase extraction media, just like an actual clam filters tiny plants for nourishment, before ejecting the water. To summarize, the CLAM basically just imitates the feeding process of one of the world’s oldest organisms.

The SPE extraction absorbs and adsorbs organics from water, but is designed to release the organic compounds when solvents are passed through the media in the laboratory, stripping the chemicals out leaving the media intact. The solvents containing the trace organics are then analyzed by laboratory instrumentation.

The SPE disks/cartridges holding the media are used by laboratories worldwide to extract water samples submitted to the laboratory. Their use is EPA approved for almost all classes of polar and non-polar organic chemicals. The CLAM utilizes this same type media and disks. The only difference is, the CLAM doesn’t extract a lab sample representing the river; instead, it extracts the whole river directly!

To help explain all the innovative qualities that this water sampling device offers, we launched a new website dedicated to promoting this state-of-the-art tool to those who can most benefit from its capabilities – environmental water testing labs. Feel free to explore the new website (www.aqualytical.com), and find out more about the CLAM – how it works, how it compares to other traditional water sampling methods, and why it can revolutionize the water sampling industry.

What’s So Great About the CLAM?

• Allows water to pass through SPE media disk first with its submersible design
• Special SPE extraction disks are field hardened, and remain outside the unit for easy replacement
• Low flow rates of 5-75 ml/min helps prevent premature plugging from floatables, as compared to high suction devices
• Disks can contain variety of media to integrate non-polar and polar trace organics or even metals and nutrients
• Ability to integrate pollutants in 100 liters of water quantitatively, allowing ultra-low detection levels
• Will run unattended submerged for up to 36 hours on 4 Energizer ULTIMATE Lithium AA batteries