EVAPORATORS INCUBATOR RESOURCE GUIDE

2018

WATER
PURIFICATION
RESOURCE GUIDE

INTRODUCTION IS IT TIME TO UPGRADE

by Lab Manager YOUR SYSTEM?
by Rachel Muenz
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN
BUYING A WATER PURIFICATION LAB WATER PURIFICATION
SYSTEM TECHNIQUES: PROS AND
by Ryan Ackerman CONS
by Trevor Henderson, PhD
SELECTING THE RIGHT WATER
PURIFICATION SYSTEM FOR
YOUR LAB
by Erica Tennenhouse, PhD
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 Introduction
by Lab Manager

Water is the most commonly used laboratory

reagent; however, the importance of water quality
is often overlooked. Because impurities can be a
critical factor in many research experiments, water
purity ranks high in importance. As instruments have
become more sensitive and applications increasingly
complex, the demand for high-purity water has also
increased. There are several types of impurities and
contaminants in water such as particulates, organics,
inorganics, microorganisms, and pyrogens that can
adversely affect results.

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Questions to Ask When Buying a

Water Purification System
by Ryan Ackerman

Am I working with clinical or biological samples?

For clinical and biological processes, a specialized type of

water known as CLRW water must be used. In order to
accommodate this, specialized systems producing water that
complies with the CLSI guidelines for reagent water must
be utilized. Many vendors offer compliant water purification
systems which can help ensure the correct type of  water is
used for the laboratory’s process.

What type of process and sensitivity are required

for my downstream instrumentation?

The type of instrument being used to analyze samples will

directly affect the purity of water required. ASTM water
comes in three different purities. Type III is the least pure,
and is suitable for processes such as filling water baths or for
use in autoclaves. Type II is the next step up, recommended
for general lab processes, such as preparing media and
certain reagents. Type I is the purest, and is required for
sensitive analytical processes, such as HPLC, GC, or MS.

What volume of water do I require?

Different labs have different water requirements. Ensuring

the system can keep up with lab demands is very important.
Without enough water, there is the potential for downtime.
Too much water can be wasteful, and will also increase
overhead costs. In order to help with this, many companies
offer reservoir systems which can provide a backup in case
the system is down for maintenance, or if the amount of
water needed changes.

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Product
Spotlight
The Milli-Q® IQ 7000 Water Purification system is the most advanced
Milli-Q® ultrapure water system. It’s designed to make your work
as pleasant and comfortable as possible — and to maximize lab
productivity. Its breakthrough ergonomic design and powerful
purification media ensure consistent production of superior-quality
ultrapure water.

Key Benefits include:

• Large touch screen interface continuously shows water purity

information providing full confidence in water quality
• Simple and intuitive dispensing from precise drop by drop, up to 2
liters per minute
• Environmentally friendly mercury-free UV oxidation lamps
• Up to 4 remote dispensers can be supplied by a single Milli-Q® IQ
7000, delivering ultrapure water for different applications,
• from the same system
• Worry-free maintenance: the system will troubleshoot and guide the Learn
user step by step More
• Integrated data management for a paperless environment
• Enhanced traceability of consumables with our e-sure tag detection

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Selecting the Right Water

Purification System for Your Lab
by Erica Tennenhouse, PhD
it could be a combination of equipment that will get the job
done for everybody.

Although it may seem simple, labs sometimes get it wrong

The water that flows out of the tap is contaminated with
a host of impurities, from organics to inorganics and from
bacteria to particulates. Most labs require their water to
be purified to some degree, but the question of which
purification system is most appropriate for a given lab’s
needs might leave some scratching their heads.
The first question to answer when choosing a water
purification system is what level of quality is needed. The
three options are Type I, Type II, and Type III, with Type I
water being the purest.
when it comes to water grade—and that can lead to a
host of issues. If, for instance, Type II water is used in a
situation that requires Type I water, experimental results
may be inaccurate due to contamination. In a QC lab, that
could result in a product being released that shouldn’t have
been released. When substandard water is used to feed lab
support instruments, mineral residues may get deposited
onto important components and shorten equipment life
spans. The reverse situation may also occur. If a lab’s water
is too pure for its routine applications—for example, if the
water system is producing Type I water when only Type
III is needed—it is akin to pouring money down the drain,
because the purer the water, the more it costs.
The other question to ask when selecting a water purification
system is how much water is needed per day. Beyond water
type and amount, everything else is bells and whistles. Some
of those added extras include a user-friendly interface,
water-quality monitors, and customer support. Labs may
also opt for the more environmentally friendly water
purification systems that are becoming available.

Which level of purity a lab requires depends on the

instruments being used and the types of experiments being
run. Most commonly a lab will use Type III water, which
is often generated en masse and used to supply equipment
like glassware washers and autoclaves and as a source for
noncritical solution preparation. Among its applications,
Type II water may be used to make buffers, in microbiology
culture media, and to prepare reagents for chemical analysis.
Type I is generally reserved for more crucial applications,
such as HPLC, GC, ICP-MS, and other analytical
techniques, as well as PCR, genetic sequencing, and to
prepare media for mammalian cell culture and IVF.

A single lab may require more than one type of water. If

many different applications are being done in the same lab,

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LINDA Says...
Users should consider filter life. A water purification system might cost $5,000, but then you could end
up spending $2,000 a year on filters. To get the longest filter life, make sure that the inlet water is at least
of potable quality—ideally softened. Changing pre-filters early and often can also help add years to the
lifespan of a reverse osmosis membrane.

Meet LINDA
LINDA is a lab manager. Her job is to balance the
scientific needs of her staff with the business needs
of her lab. LINDA stands for:
Linda

Leadership
Informed
Negotiator
Decision-Maker
Accountable

Product
Spotlight
The ELGA PURELAB® Chorus is a modular water
purification system that allows users to configure a
customized solution based on their application, budget,
and configuration of their lab. The Chorus 1 delivers
type I+/I ultrapure water for laboratories that need high
volumes of water. When general laboratory grade water
is needed, the Chorus 2 is reliable and allows flexibility to
suit quality and volume demands. The Chorus 3 provides
type III general grade water direct from a potable tap
source for general water requirements. Recently released
are the Chorus 1 Complete, Chorus 2+ RO/DI, and Learn More
Chorus 2+ RO/EDI.

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EVAPORATORS INCUBATOR RESOURCE GUIDE

Is It Time to Upgrade Your System?

by Rachel Muenz

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
BEFORE BUYING:
• Always compare the cost for upgrading parts
to the cost of a new system, but also include
the value of the warranty
• Ask about reliability and available service for
the unit
• Find out the cost of consumables
• Costs will vary depending on the features
available with the system
• Some vendors offer systems that can be
“incrementally” upgraded, which can save you
Like other types of equipment, when the cost to repair the
money
unit starts to represent a significant portion of the price to
buy new, it’s probably a good time to upgrade your water • All “purified water” is not “equal”
purification system. The cost threshold will vary, but could • Be sure to establish repair vs. replace
be as low as 20 percent of the cost of a new ‘equivalent’ unit. thresholds for your equipment

Other drivers behind a new system purchase include:

regulatory influences, the system being used much more
than expected, or the system is no longer able to produce the that can be more costly than buying new and also carries the
grade of water quality needed. risk of contamination.

The average lifespan of a water purification system is seven
years. Asking when the last time the system was serviced and
calibrated and if the system is providing the correct water
quality data readings is also important when deciding when
to buy a new unit.
Overall, determining exactly what their current and future
needs are will help users make the best choice on whether or
not to upgrade, and get the highest value.

Of course, if the system is running well, is regularly

maintained without exceeding the manufacturer’s
recommended maintenance frequency, and parts are still
available for the unit, an upgrade probably isn’t necessary.
However, if the system is old, it may be wise to upgrade
before it fails and leaves the lab high and dry.

As with other types of lab equipment, the initial purchase

cost is the only real drawback to buying a new water
purification system, one that is fairly low when compared to
the overall costs of equipment and supplies for a renovated
or new lab. Users can just upgrade parts of their systems, but

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Lab Water Purification Techniques:
Pros and Cons
by Trevor Henderson, PhD
There are a number of technologies available to remove
contaminants from water, each with their specific advantages
and limitations. Ultrapure laboratory grade water, required
for critical applications, may require multiple steps and a
combination of technologies.
Distillation
Perhaps the oldest form of water purification, distillation
involves the boiling of water followed by condensing the
water vapor back to a liquid so it can be collected and stored.
Pros:
• Removes a broad range of contaminants
Cons:
• Organics with boiling points less than 100 °C will
necessarily be transferred to the distillate, while
organics with higher boiling points may also dissolve
into the water vapor and be transferred into the final
product
• The process may generate organochlorates as chlorine
in tap water reacts with other organics
• Inorganics, such as silica, tin, and copper may be
leached from the boiling containers and transferred to
the distillate
• Requires a large amount of energy and water to operate
and is subsequently expensive
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• Distillation is generally slow and requires storage of
water which can become recontaminated from ambient
air or leaching from storage containers
Ion Exchange
During the ion exchange process, unpurified water is
percolated through specific ion-exchange resins. These
porous, spherical beads exchange ions in the water for
other ions fixed to the beads. In water softening, the beads
exchange two sodium ions for every calcium or magnesium
ion removed from the softened water. In the case of
deionization, the beads exchange either hydrogen ions for
cations, or hydroxyl ions for anions.
Pros
• Effectively removes ions from water and can be used
as a pretreatment step for other methods to produce
ultrapure laboratory water.
• Resins can be regenerated by elecrodeionization or by
acid and bases.
• Relatively low capital costs
Cons
• Does not remove most organics or microorganisms.
• Microorganisms may attach to resin beads creating
a culture media for bacterial growth and subsequent
pyrogen contamination.
• Capacity is based on the number of available binding
sites in the resin, once all are occupied ions are no
longer retained.
Activated Carbon
Activated carbon, sometimes called activated charcoal, is a
process form of carbon with very low-volume pores that
increase the surface area available for adsorption. Due to
its high microporosity, one gram of activated carbon has a
surface area in excess of 3,000 m2 (32,000 sq ft). As water
passes through the carbon filter, dissolved organic molecules
enter the pores and bind to the walls via van der Waals
forces.
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Pros
• Effectively removes dissolved organics and chlorine
• Due to the very high binding capacity, activated carbon
filters have a relative long life.
Cons
• Does not remove ions and particulates from water
• Although the capacity is high, it is limited to the
number of available binding sites and will require
replacement at some point.
Microfiltration
Microfiltration is a type of physical filtration where
contaminated water is passed through a matrix that retains
particles my adsorption or entrapment. Microfiltration may
also be performed by passing water through screen filters
that retain particles larger than the pore size of the filter.
Pros
• Efficient removal of particles above specific pore size
• Long usage period with maintenance limited to
replacement
Cons
• Will not remove dissolved organics or inorganics, or
pyrogens
• Will clog if covered with contaminants
Ultrafiltration
A type of membrane filtration which causes a separation
through a semipermeable membrane. Suspended solids
and solutes of high molecular weight are retained in the
retentate, while water and low molecular weight solutes pass
through the membrane in the permeate.
Pros
• Removes most particles and biologics above their rated
size.
• Long usage period and can be extended by regular
flushing with water at high speed.
Cons
• Does not remove dissolved organics or inorganics
• Excessive contaminants may clog the filter membrane
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is the most economical method to
remove up to 99% of all contaminants in water using a
semipermeable membrane to remove particles larger than
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200 da. molecular weight. In reverse osmosis, an applied
pressure is used to overcome osmotic pressure that is driven
by chemical potential differences in the solvent. The result
is that the solute is retained on the pressurized side of the
membrane and pore solvent is allowed to pass to the other
side.
Pros
• Effectively removes all types of contaminants to some
extent
• Easily monitored
• Useful as a first step in purification
Cons
• Limited flow rate often requires intermediate storage to
satisfy user needs
• Membrane can be damaged by contaminants resulting in
scaling, fouling, or piercing.
Ultraviolet Radiation
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation is a disinfection method
employing short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill
microorganisms by disrupting their DNA, leaving them
unable to perform vital cellular functions. UV light is
generated by mercury low pressure UV lamps with a quartz
sleeve and generate light at 185 and 254 nm.
Pros
• Effective at destroying a variety of microorganisms
• Can oxidize organic compounds to reach water TOC
levels < 5 ppb
Cons
• UV light does not affect ions, particulates, or colloids.
• Photooxidation is a polishing step and will only reduce
TOC level by a small amount.
• May increase the water’s resistivity as CO2 in produced
during oxidation.
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Featured
Manufacturers

MilliporeSigma
The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada,
has 20,000 employees and 60 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling
scientific discovery. Udit Batra is the global chief executive officer of MilliporeSigma.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany completed its $17 billion acquisition of Sigma-Aldrich in November 2015, creating a
leader in the $125 billion global life science industry.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life
science and performance materials. The company has five businesses – Biopharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, Allergopharma,
Life Science and Performance Materials – and generated sales of €15 billion in 2016. Around 50,000 employees work in 66
countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to help meet global challenges.

www.milliporesigma.com

Elga
ELGA LabWater, a division of Veolia Water Technologies, has been a trusted name in water purification for over 80 years,
pioneering innovative technologies and award-winning product design. Our systems provide water quality ideal for clinical,
research, laboratory, and any other high purity requirements. ELGA’s range of pure and ultrapure water purification systems
offer either a few liters or up to thousands of liters of water per day. Trusted manufacturer of PURELAB ® , MEDICA ® , and
CENTRA ® .

www.elgalabwater.com

Thermo Fisher Scientific

For more than 150 years, Thermo Scientific™ BarnsteadTM lab water systems have been a trusted resource for science
and industry. Our complete line of water purification technologies includes solutions for your most critical and everyday
application needs, from electrodeionization to reverse osmosis and distillation. Please visit our website to learn more about our
comprehensive water purification portfolio.

www.thermofisher.com/purewater

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