Laboratory Water Purification Systems (Lab Water)

The most commonly used solvent in laboratories is water; it is regularly used for cleaning and is the basis for cell cultures, buffers and reagents, making the quality of water critical to the success of experiments. Although tap water may be considered fairly pure there are 5 classes of contaminants that may pose a problem for laboratory tasks. This includes; inorganic ions, organics, particulates/colloids, bacteria and gases. Water grades (Types 1–3) help to define different levels of water quality for technical and economical reasons. This helps the user choose the correct water quality for a specific application. Water quality is determined by the technologies used to remove contaminants. Commonly used purification techniques include; distillation, ion exchange, activated carbon, microporous filters, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, elix continuous deionization and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.