The EASYpure RF water purification system from Barnstead/Thermolyne is ideal for laboratories that need smaller quantities (less than 15 liters per day) of reagent grade water with extremely low organic carbon content. The EASYpure RF is batch-fed with pre-treated water, either previously distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis, and produces water with a resistivity of up to 18.3 megaohms-cm and a total organic carbon (TOC) content of less than 5 ppb. There is a fitting for a 0.2 micron filter so the output water is sterile as well. The EASYpure RF can supply 0.8 liters water free of organics, inorganics, and bacteria per minute, so processing is quick and water purity high.
The reservoir can hold and process up to 6.5 liters of water, and the continuous stand-by setting recirculates the purified water for 10 minutes each hour to ensure pure water as needed. This setting works well if you need water on demand throughout the day. Alternatively, you can collect the purified water for later use. During output, the resistivity is clearly displayed digitally on the front of the unit.
There are three filter cartridges installed in the EASYpure RF system, and there are several choices to provide flexibility in the exact specifications of water purity that you need for your lab. For example, there are two choices for the pretreatment cartridge, one for deionized pretreated water input and another for reverse osmosis or distilled pretreated water input. Barnstead/Thermolyne recommends the used of an Ultrapure mixed bed cartridge for the second cartridge, but there are two choices for the third cartridge, either the EASYpure High Purity/Low TOC cartridge or another Ultrapure mixed bed cartridge. The cartridges are easy to install, and the unit does not require much maintenance beyond the typical replacement of cartridges and 0.2 micron filters, and sanitization is required only when the input water begins to leave residual deposits. Because we use glass distilled water as our input water, we really haven’t had to sanitize the system yet, however the procedure basically involves running a small amount of chlorine bleach to water in the reservoir, and recirculating this solution through empty cartridges, followed by rinsing. Since it is easy to fill the reservoir through the plugged opening at the top of the unit, this sanitization procedure will not be much of a hassle for anyone in the lab.
The EASYpure RF unit has a small footprint, and is very quiet. Since it is reservoir-fed, the unit can be placed in any convenient location, not necessarily near the input water source. It is also lightweight when empty, so it is easy to move as needed.
In conclusion, the EASYpure RF system provides very pure reagent grade water that has an incredibly low total carbon content and bacteria-free as well. This system is very easy to use, and requires little maintenance. It is ideal for labs that require less than 15 liters per day of very high quality water.
Jennifer Leigh Myka, Ph.D.
Biology Department
Brescia University
Owensboro, Kentucky