BOULDER, CO, February 1, 2006 — GE Analytical Instruments, a division of GE Water & Process Technologies, today announced its new Sievers 500 RL On-Line Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzer. Utilizing the proven Sievers laboratory TOC measurement technology, the highly automated Sievers 500 RL is designed for continuous on-line monitoring of organics in ultrapure water for pharmaceutical, microelectronics, and power applications. The reagentless 500 RL further enhances the analytical accuracy and performance found in other Sievers TOC analyzers, even in environments with high or unstable conductivity waters.

The 500 RL uses the patented Sievers membrane conductometric method, ensuring accurate recovery of all classes of organic compounds and providing robust analytical performance for a wide range of applications. The Analyzer is available in several configurations, with upgrade options that allow customers to tailor the solution for their specific needs. The 500 RL offers extreme sensitivity to low levels of TOC, with a limit of detection of 0.03 ppb. This makes the 500 RL ideal for microelectronics applications where it is critical to monitor final product water, and for power applications to protect sensitive equipment from the corrosive effects of organic acids.

In pharmaceutical applications, the Sievers 500 RL provides on-line TOC analysis for USP <643> and EP (2244) compliance. It enables continuous quality assurance for on-line water release and cleaning validation to reduce labor costs and eliminate the delays associated with laboratory analyses. For standards introduction, the 500 RL can be configured with the single-port iOS or the four-port Super iOS, which helps automate all system protocols, including calibration, verification, and system suitability. The Super iOS utilizes an innovative vial cartridge with an embedded memory chip that contains standards information, including compound, concentration, lot number, and expiration date. This metadata is stored with the analytical results of the protocol and can be exported to an encrypted format via the Analyzer’s USB port. Sievers DataShare 500 software for PC then enables secure viewing and report generation.

The 500 RL Analyzer shares many productivity and ease-of-use features of other Sievers TOC Analyzers, including 12-month calibration stability, a color touch-screen display, USB port, and minimal maintenance (a few hours per year). The Analyzer’s firmware guides the user through system protocols and requires no specialized knowledge. The 500 RL is available in various configurations, including upgrades for the standard iOS, Super iOS, conductivity measurement for USP <645> compliance, additional system protocols, and the DataGuard feature for compliance with 21 CFR Part 11.