➣Introduction
When it comes to laboratories, having easy access to purified and ultra-pure water is a must. Not only does it help ensure the safety of samples and experiments, but also keeps lab technicians safe from contamination. That’s why efficient and cost-effective strategies for obtaining and creating pure water are essential for any laboratory operation.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss how you can establish an affordable yet reliable solution that will supply your lab with safe and high-quality water at all times.
➣What is Purified Definition?
Purified water for the lab has been specially treated to meet specific purity standards, and this water is used in scientific laboratories, biopharmaceuticals, and other research environments. It is typically produced using a series of purification processes, such as reverse osmosis, deionization（DI）, and distillation, to remove impurities such as minerals, bacteria, and organic compounds.
The resulting water is highly pure and free of contaminants that could interfere with experiments or research studies. It is often used as a solvent or reagent in various chemical and biological assays, as well as for preparing solutions and rinsing laboratory equipment.
➣What is Ultra Pure Water?
Ultra-pure water is water that has been purified to a very high degree and is used for scientific and laboratory applications. It is typically produced through a series of purification steps that remove impurities and contaminants from the water, including dissolved minerals, organic compounds, and microorganisms.
The resulting water is typically 99.999% pure and has a very low conductivity, making it ideal for use in a wide range of scientific and laboratory applications. Ultra-pure water is used in the laboratory to prepare solutions, rinse and store equipment, and for other purposes where high-purity water is required.
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Ultra pure water vs. DI water
Deionized water: refers to water in which electrolyte substances dissolved in water have been removed. Except for hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions, all other ions produced by the ionization of electrolytes dissolved in water will be removed. Conductivity is often used to measure deionized water purity.
A standard method for producing deionized water is the ion exchange method. It should be noted that deionized water will contain non-ionizable non-electrolytes such as ethanol.
Ultrapure water: Generally considered to be high-quality water with a resistivity greater than 18MΩ*cm, or close to the limit of 18.3MΩ*cm. Its purity can be measured using conductivity or resistivity, pH, sodium, heavy metals, silica, dissolved organic matter, particulates, and microbial indicators. It can almost completely remove the conductive medium in the water, and remove the undissociated colloidal substances, gases, and organic matter in the water to a very low level.
➣What is Ultrapure Water Used for?
Scientists in different fields need to obtain pure water every day to ensure the accuracy of experiments. Life science and molecular biology applications, for example, must reduce the content of RNase/DNase, endotoxins, and bacteria by using ultrapure water of high purity and quality. Ensure that it does not interfere with samples or experiments and pursue accurate data.
➣What’s in Your Laboratory Water and Why Should You Worry About?
We all know that the tap water, purified water, and mineral water that we come into contact with every day contain various impurities, such as bacteria, viruses, dissolved salts, anions and cations, organic matter, and so on. For scientifically rigorous experiments, these impurities will have a huge impact on the experimental results. Therefore, laboratories generally need to use prepared pure water or ultrapure water for experimental research.
➣How does Ultrapure Water Help Chromatography and Trace Analysis?
Trace element analysis is an analysis method where the content of the component to be measured in the sample is less than one part per million. It is involved in experiments in many research fields such as environmental science, material science, biomedicine, food industry, and agricultural chemistry. Likewise, reverse chromatography is commonly used to demonstrate high demands on water quality.
Ultrapure water is critical to maintaining the reliability of liquid chromatography applications. However, in the process of water purification, a variety of technologies, such as reverse osmosis and electrodeionization, are combined to remove particles/colloids, microorganisms, inorganic ions, organic molecules, volatile organic gases, cations, and other substances that affect the experiment. Suitable for high-sensitivity ion chromatography.
Investing in a water purification system can help you quickly obtain purified and ultrapure water for chromatography and trace analysis. Because these systems are specifically designed to produce high-quality water for laboratory and research purposes. These systems use various purification technologies, such as reverse osmosis, deionization, and ultraviolet (UV) light, to remove impurities and contaminants from the water. The purified water produced by these systems is commonly used in a variety of applications, including cell culture, chemical synthesis, and instrument calibration.
➣Ultra Pure Water Technologies
Purified and ultra-purified water are essential for many laboratory and industrial applications. The quality of the water used in these applications can significantly impact the accuracy and reliability of the results. Therefore, it is crucial to use technologies that can effectively remove contaminants and impurities from the water to produce high-quality purified and ultra-purified water.
There are several technologies that can be used to generate purified and ultra-purified water, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common technologies include:
1. Reverse Osmosis
The reverse osmosis process is a purification process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove contaminants and impurities from water. It is effective at removing a wide range of contaminants, including dissolved minerals, bacteria, and viruses. Reverse osmosis systems typically consist of a pre-treatment stage, a reverse osmosis unit, and a post-treatment stage to ensure the water meets the required purity standards.
2. Deionization
Deionization is a process that uses ion exchange tech. to remove dissolved ions from water. It is effective at removing inorganic contaminants such as ions, but it is not as effective at removing organic contaminants. Deionization systems typically consist of a pre-treatment stage, a deionization unit, and a post-treatment stage to ensure the water meets the required purity standards.
3. Distillation
Distillation is a process in which pure water is obtained by boiling water and collecting the vapors, which are then cooled and condensed into a liquid. This process removes contaminants and impurities, as they are left behind in the boiling vessel. Distillation is effective at removing a wide range of contaminants, including dissolved minerals, bacteria, and viruses. However, it can be energy-intensive and may not be suitable for all applications.
4. Electrodeionization
Electrodeionization (EDI) technology combines the principles of ion exchange and electrodialysis in a continuous, electrically driven process that produces ultrapure water.
In EDI, water is passed through a series of ion exchange resins and electrically charged membranes. The ion exchange resins and membranes are arranged in alternating layers, with the ion exchange resins removing cations (positively charged ions) and the membranes removing anions (negatively charged ions). The purified water is then collected on the other side of the membranes. This technology is typically used in a variety of applications where ultra-pure water is required, such as in laboratories, hospitals, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
5. UV Sterilization
UV sterilization is a process that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to kill or inactivate microorganisms in water. It is commonly used to produce laboratory-grade purified and ultra-purified water for various applications, including cell culture, molecular biology, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. UV sterilization is effective at killing a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It works by damaging the DNA or RNA of the microorganisms, making it difficult for them to reproduce and survive. It is a chemical-free process, making it safe and environmentally friendly. It is also quick and efficient, with a high rate of microorganism inactivation.
6. Integrated Reverse Osmosis and Deionization
Combining reverse osmosis and deionization can produce ultra-pure water with a very low level of impurities. The reverse osmosis process removes a wide range of impurities, while the deionization process removes ions that may not have been removed by the RO process. The resulting water is often referred to as laboratory-grade or ultra-pure water, and it is commonly used in scientific and laboratory settings.
➣Purified Water Used in Laboratories
There are several types of purified water that are commonly used in laboratories:
· Type I Water
This is also known as ultra-pure water or high-purity water. It is produced through multiple purification processes such as distillation, reverse osmosis, and deionization and typically has a resistivity of 18.2 MΩ-cm or higher. It is often used in chemical and pharmaceutical laboratories for applications where the highest level of purity is required, such as in the preparation of solutions for analytical testing or for use as a solvent.
· Type II Water
This is also known as purified water or laboratory-grade water. It is produced by a combination of distillation and reverse osmosis or deionization and has a resistivity of at least 10 MΩ-cm. It is commonly used in research laboratories and medical facilities for general-purpose applications such as rinsing glassware and preparing solutions.
· Type III Water
This is also known as purified water or reverse osmosis permeate. It is produced by the reverse osmosis process and has a resistivity of at least 1 MΩ-cm. It is commonly used in laboratories for applications where the water does not need to be as pure as Type I or Type II water, such as for washing glassware or for making up buffers and media. Type III purified water is also used as feed water for laboratory ultra-pure water generating systems.
➣Why Use Ultrapure Water?
Laboratory purification systems and ultra-pure water systems are essential components of many research and development facilities. These systems play a vital role in ensuring the purity and quality of water used in laboratory experiments and processes, which can have a significant impact on the accuracy and reliability of results. Listed below are some of the advantages that using a laboratory ultrapure water machine can bring to you.
· Quick Production of Laboratory-Grade Water
One of the main benefits of having a laboratory purification system is the ability to produce high-quality water that is free from contaminants and impurities. This is particularly important for sensitive experiments, such as those involving cell culture or analysis of trace elements, where even small amounts of contaminants can significantly affect results. In addition, having a reliable purification system in place can help reduce the risk of contamination and improve the reproducibility of experiments.
· Enhanced Safety
Water purification systems can remove potentially hazardous contaminants, such as heavy metals, from the water supply, improving the overall safety of the laboratory environment.
· Greater Control
Laboratory water purification systems can be tailored to produce water of specific purity levels, allowing researchers to have greater control over the purity of the water they use in their experiments.
· Increased Reproducibility
Using purified water can help ensure that experiments are reproducible, as the purity of the water used can be carefully controlled and maintained over time. This is particularly important for scientific research and quality control processes, where reproducibility is critical.
➣Conclusion
Proper water purification is crucial for any lab. There are many types of purified water systems for lab and ultra-pure water systems available, so finding the right one depends on your specific needs. However, all these systems have one main goal: to provide high-quality water for your experiments.
As an experienced ultra-pure water company, NEWater offers a wide range of laboratory water purifiers and ultra pure water systems at great prices. Visit our website today to learn more about our products and find the perfect system for your lab!