Water purification system is used to produce high-quality water that is free from impurities and suitable for various laboratory applications. The most common types of purified water used in laboratories are reverse osmosis (RO) water and deionized (DI) water.
Reverse osmosis (RO) is a process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove impurities from water. Water is forced through the membrane under pressure, which allows only pure water molecules to pass through while blocking impurities such as minerals, bacteria, and viruses. The purified water produced by the RO system is commonly used in a laboratory as a primary source of pure water.
Deionized (DI) water is water that has had all of its ions removed, including minerals, salts, and other impurities. DI water is produced using a combination of ion exchange resin beds, which remove ions from the water, and other purification methods such as carbon filtration, which removes organic compounds. DI water is commonly used in laboratory applications where water with low levels of impurities is required.
Laboratory water purification systems may use a combination of different purification technologies, including sediment filters, pre-filters (PF), activated carbon filters (AC), RO systems, and DI systems. The sediment filters and pre-filters are used to remove large particles and debris from the water, while activated carbon filters are used to remove organic contaminants such as chlorine and chloramines.
The RO system is used to remove dissolved minerals and other impurities, while the DI system is used to further purify the water by removing any remaining ions. The quality of the purified water produced by a laboratory water purification system is typically measured in terms of its resistivity, which is a measure of the water's ability to resist the flow of electricity. High-quality purified water should have a high resistivity value, indicating that it is free from impurities that can conduct electricity.
Uses
The uses of RO water and DI water in laboratories vary depending on the specific applications, but some common uses include:
Analytical chemistry: RO water and DI water are used as a solvent in many chemical and analytical procedures, including HPLC, GC, and AA, where the presence of impurities can interfere with accurate measurements.
Cell culture and microbiology: RO water and DI water are used in the preparation of cell culture media and microbiological growth media, where the presence of impurities can affect cell growth and the results of microbiological assays.
Molecular biology: RO water and DI water are used in various molecular biology techniques, including PCR, DNA sequencing, and cloning, where even trace amounts of impurities can affect the accuracy of the results.
Histology: RO water and DI water are used in histology applications, including tissue fixation, staining, and processing, where the presence of impurities can affect the quality of the tissue samples.
Environmental testing: RO water and DI water are used in environmental testing to avoid contamination of the samples and ensure accurate measurements.
