An elongated apparatus that measures soil water tension is disclosed, having a hydrogel chamber for receiving a plurality of macro-sized hydrogel particles through its open side and a sealed inner wall, the hydrogel held in the hydrogel chamber by a durable, hydrophilic, and porous window secured to the open side of the hydrogel chamber. The window, when the apparatus is received in soil, transmits moisture between the soil and the hydrogel chamber, causing variable pressure within the hydrogel chamber that can be converted to a measurement of soil water tension on the opposite side of the window. This pressure produces various mechanical effects, measurable by various types of sensors within the elongated probe. A method for measuring soil water tension at multiple depths within a soil profile is also disclosed.

An elongated apparatus that measures soil water tension is disclosed, having a hydrogel chamber for receiving a plurality of macro-sized hydrogel particles through its open side and a sealed inner wall, the hydrogel held in the hydrogel chamber by a durable, hydrophilic, and porous window secured to the open side of the hydrogel chamber. The window, when the apparatus is received in soil, transmits moisture between the soil and the hydrogel chamber, causing variable pressure within the hydrogel chamber that can be converted to a measurement of soil water tension on the opposite side of the window. This pressure produces various mechanical effects, measurable by various types of sensors within the elongated probe. A method for measuring soil water tension at multiple depths within a soil profile is also disclosed.

A first detection electrode is provided on an insulating layer. A second detection electrode is provided away from the first detection electrode on the insulating layer, and forms a capacitance together with the first detection electrode. The protection layer covers the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode, has a thickness d satisfying 1 md10 m, and is made of zirconia or alumina. The protection layer is a sintered body.

The present invention relates to a state diagnosis method for a separation membrane module for obtaining permeate water from water-to-be-treated, the state diagnosis method including: supplying a test water containing at least two types of solutes to a separation membrane module, or individually supplying at least two types of a test water containing at least one type of solute to the separation membrane module; and comparing a separation performance based on a concentration of the solute contained in the permeate water to determine any of a type of an abnormality, a degree of an abnormality, and a generation position of an abnormality of the separation membrane module.

The present invention relates to a state diagnosis method for a separation membrane module for obtaining permeate water from water-to-be-treated, the state diagnosis method including: supplying a test water containing at least two types of solutes to a separation membrane module, or individually supplying at least two types of a test water containing at least one type of solute to the separation membrane module; and comparing a separation performance based on a concentration of the solute contained in the permeate water to determine any of a type of an abnormality, a degree of an abnormality, and a generation position of an abnormality of the separation membrane module.

A sample receiving chip comprising including a substrate that receives an aliquot volume of a sample fluid and a sample region of the substrate, sized such that the volume of the sample fluid is sufficient to operatively cover a portion of the sample region. The energy imparted into the sample fluid is transduced by the sample region to produce an output signal that indicates energy properties of the sample fluid. The sample receiving chip also includes a channel formed in the substrate, the channel configured to collect the aliquot volume of a sample fluid and transfer the aliquot volume of sample fluid to the sample region.

A sample receiving chip comprising including a substrate that receives an aliquot volume of a sample fluid and a sample region of the substrate, sized such that the volume of the sample fluid is sufficient to operatively cover a portion of the sample region. The energy imparted into the sample fluid is transduced by the sample region to produce an output signal that indicates energy properties of the sample fluid. The sample receiving chip also includes a channel formed in the substrate, the channel configured to collect the aliquot volume of a sample fluid and transfer the aliquot volume of sample fluid to the sample region.

A tensiometer comprising a measuring cell of a selectable length, referred to as a potential cell, which comprises a closable measuring chamber sheathed by a tubular semipermeable membrane, fittable into a test piece; a reference system comprising a reference chamber and a measuring cell of a selectable length, referred to as a reference cell and comprising a closable measuring chamber sheathed by a tubular semipermeable membrane, the reference cell being integrated into the reference chamber of the reference system, and wherein the reference chamber contains an osmotic reference solution or can be filled with such a solution, wherein the potential cell and the reference cell are filled or can be filled with an osmotic solution; and a pressure-measuring device, that measures at least a pressure difference (p) between the cell measuring chambers. The invention also relates to a method.

A tensiometer comprising a measuring cell of a selectable length, referred to as a potential cell, which comprises a closable measuring chamber sheathed by a tubular semipermeable membrane, fittable into a test piece; a reference system comprising a reference chamber and a measuring cell of a selectable length, referred to as a reference cell and comprising a closable measuring chamber sheathed by a tubular semipermeable membrane, the reference cell being integrated into the reference chamber of the reference system, and wherein the reference chamber contains an osmotic reference solution or can be filled with such a solution, wherein the potential cell and the reference cell are filled or can be filled with an osmotic solution; and a pressure-measuring device, that measures at least a pressure difference (p) between the cell measuring chambers. The invention also relates to a method.

Disclosed is water-absorbent resin particles, in which a value of non-pressurization DW after 3 minutes is 14 ml/g or more, and a value of liquid suction power after 3 minutes measured by the following method is 11 ml/g or more. A liquid suction power measurement method: 0.3 g of the water-absorbent resin particles is uniformly dispersed in a cylindrical container having a mesh-like bottom and having an inner diameter of 26 mm; the cylindrical container is placed in a container containing 40 g of a physiological saline solution, the water-absorbent resin particles are caused to absorb the physiological saline solution for 30 minutes from the bottom of the cylindrical container, and thereby a swollen gel is obtained; and non-pressurization DW, which is measured in a state where another 0.3 g of the water-absorbent resin particles is uniformly dispersed on the swollen gel in the cylindrical container, is defined as liquid suction power.