Abstract: A water-using apparatus includes a water-feeding unit configured to feed water, a water-treating unit connected to the water-feeding unit by a pipe and being configured to perform a function in which ionic substances contained in water fed from the water-feeding unit are removed by an electrical deionization unit, a water-using unit connected to the water-treating unit by a pipe and configured to use water having flowed through the water-treating unit, a drainpipe through which water with increased concentration of ionic substances removed by the water-treating unit is drained, and a controller configured to control a passage for water fed from the water-feeding unit and to cause water with increased concentration of ionic substances to be drained through the drainpipe.

Abstract: An ion removal apparatus according to this disclosure performs a desalination treatment on a liquid and includes: a first electrode guide having an inlet allowing the liquid to flow in, a first electrode holder holding a first electrode that adsorbs an ion in the liquid, and an inflow passage serving as a flow passage connecting the inlet and the first electrode holder to one another; and a second electrode guide having an outlet allowing the liquid to flow out, a second electrode holder allowing the liquid passing through the first electrode holder to flow in and holding a second electrode that adsorbs the ion in the liquid, and an outflow passage serving as a flow passage connecting the outlet and the second electrode holder to one another.

Abstract: A method of polishing an electrophotographic photoconductive member, which comprises polishing said surface with polishing particles selected from the group consisting of solid organic polishing particles composed of a polysilsesquioxane having, on its silicon atoms, substituents selected from a lower alkyl group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group, an aryl group and an aralkyl group; a combination of said solid organic polishing particles and solid inorganic polishing particles; and a combination of solid organic polishing particles composed of polymethylsilsesquioxane and solid inorganic polishing particles.