Dialytics, Inc. - A Marine-oriented Research, Development, and Commercialization Company with a focus on providing and advancing innovative and Renewable water-food energy Nexus Solutions to a Developing World
- Salinity Gradient Power (SGP) Energy Generation
- Microalgal/Diatom Aquaculture for Feeds, Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Bioproducts
- Marine bio-waste reduction, reuse, and utilization: Biodegradable and Biocompatible Chitin/Chitosan Gels and Membranes along with Biogenic Silica
- Dialytics, Inc.
700 Chevy Chase DriveSafety Harbor, Fl 34695WebSite: www.Dialytics.com
Small Business DUNS: 141607825CAGE Code: 33LC8
Dialytics is a University of South Florida CONNECT Tampa Bay Technology Incubator
Member in good standing.
Interested in discussions with potential providers of Squid (pen), Crab, and Shrimp Shell Bio-Waste
Contact: Dr. Clifford R. Merz, PE - President/FounderEmail: cmerz@dialytics.comPhone: 727-409-0770 (M)
Visit Dr. Merz's LinkedIn Profile at: hereVisit Dr. Merz's ORCID Page at: here
Dialytics, Inc. is a marine-oriented research, development, and commercialization company dedicated to advancing sustainable technologies that address the interconnected challenges of water, energy, and food security. As a proud member of the University of South Florida CONNECT Tampa Bay Technology Incubator, we are at the forefront of developing cutting-edge solutions for a sustainable future.
Innovative Energy Solutions with Salinity Gradient Power (SGP)
- In addition to wind and solar, marine-based renewable energy sources like Salinity Gradient Power (SGP) are gaining attention. SGP harnesses the energy potential created when freshwater (e.g., river or brackish water) mixes with saltwater (e.g., seawater or brine) through a controlled process using specialized membranes. This natural mixing can generate usable energy, with a global estimated potential of around 2 terawatts.
- Unlike other renewable sources, SGP is less variable, as it depends on consistent natural differences in salt concentrations driven by the Earth's hydrologic cycle of evaporation and precipitation. It produces no greenhouse gas emissions, requires minimal or no fuel, and doesn’t consume the salts involved. Multiple SGP technologies are currently being explored to optimize this promising clean energy solution.
Microalgal and Bio-Waste Recovered Bioproduction
Human activities—such as overconsumption and overpopulation—have led to significant environmental degradation, including resource depletion, habitat destruction, and pollution. Microalgae, particularly diatoms, offer great potential for sustainable aquaculture production. By adopting a multi-product biorefinery approach, these organisms can help improve the economic viability of operations while supporting environmental goals. Additionally, seafood waste presents a valuable opportunity for chitin extraction. To minimize environmental impact, there is a growing need for cleaner, microorganism-based biological extraction methods that produce high-quality chitin without generating harmful chemical waste.
Recent SGP Publications:
Merz, C.R. (2008). Investigation and Evaluation of a Membrane-Based Seawater Concentration Cell and Its Suitability as a Low-Power Energy Source for Energy Harvesting/MEMS Devices. PhD Dissertation, University of South Florida. © December 2008.
Merz, C.R. (2010). U.S. Patent No. 7,736,791 – Dialytic Power Generator Using Diffusion Gradients. Additional patents pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Merz, C.R., Moreno, W.A., Barger, M., & Lipka, S. (2012). Salinity Gradient Power (SGP): A Developmental Roadmap Covering Existing Generation Technologies and Recent Investigative Results into the Feasibility of Bipolar Membrane-Based SGP Generation. Technology and Innovation, 14(3/4), 249–275. Cognizant Communication Corporation. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3727/194982412X13500042168857. Merz, C.R. (2019). Physicochemical and Colligative Investigation of Alpha (Shrimp Shell) and Beta (Squid Pen) Chitosan Membranes: Concentration Gradient Driven Water Flux and Ion Transport for Salinity Gradient Power and Separation Process Operations. ACS Omega, 4, 21027–21040. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.9b02357.
Merz, C.R., Moreno, W.A., Barger, M., & Lipka, S. (2012). Salinity Gradient Power (SGP): A Developmental Roadmap Covering Existing Generation Technologies and Recent Investigative Results into the Feasibility of Bipolar Membrane-Based SGP Generation. Technology and Innovation, 14(3/4), 249–275. Cognizant Communication Corporation. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3727/194982412X13500042168857. Merz, C.R. (2019). Physicochemical and Colligative Investigation of Alpha (Shrimp Shell) and Beta (Squid Pen) Chitosan Membranes: Concentration Gradient Driven Water Flux and Ion Transport for Salinity Gradient Power and Separation Process Operations. ACS Omega, 4, 21027–21040. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.9b02357.
Recent Microalgal and Bioproduction Publications:
- Merz, C.R., Main, K.L., 2014. Microalgae (Diatom) Production - The Aquaculture and Biofuel Nexus. Oceans'14 - St. John's, 14-19 September 2014, Newfoundland, Canada, pp. 1-10. IEEE Xplore doi:10.1109/OCEANS.2014.7003242. Merz, C.R., Main, K.L., 2017. Microalgae Bioproduction – Feeds, Foods, Nutraceuticals, and Polymers. Chapter 5 of Fuels, Chemicals, and Materials from the Oceans and Aquatic Sources, pp. 84-112. Eds. Kerton, F.M., Yan, N., John Wiley & Sons Ltd., doi: 10.1002/9781119117193.ch5. Gordon, R., Merz, C.R., Gurke, S. and Schoefs, B., 2019. Bubble farming: Scalable Microcosms for Diatom Biofuel and the Next Green Revolution. Chapter 22 of Diatoms: Fundamentals & Applications [DIFA, Volume 1 in the series: Diatoms: Biology & Applications, series editors: Richard Gordon & Joseph Seckbach]. J. Seckbach and R. Gordon, Wiley-Scrivener, Beverly, MA, USA: 583-654, doi:10.1002/9781119370741.ch22.
- Merz, C.R., Arora, N., Welch, M., Lo, E., and Philippidis, G. P., 2023. Microalgal Cultivation Characteristics Using Commercially Available Air-Cushion Packaging Material as a Photobioreactor. Scientific Reports, 13, 3792.
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30080-6.