Suitability of Laboratory Water Grades for different Laboratory Applications

A laboratory uses large quantities of water for numerous activities. Water grades for laboratory use discussed the different grades of water which are commonly used in the laboratory. Further, the parameters used to define purity have been discussed in the article建立实验室用水纯度的技术. The present article explores the typical applications for different types of water defined by ASTM.

Untreated Tap Water

Untreated tap water contains numerous impurities and is not covered under the ASTM classification. It is put to use for primary washing and cleaning of laboratory glass and plastic ware along with detergents or other agents. It also finds used for cooling in water distillation and for reflux cooling in laboratory extractions.. It is also used as a coolant in some instruments but it is recommended to use it only after demineralization and addition of anti- corrosive agents.

Distilled water

Distilled water has sufficient purity for most laboratory applications such as secondary washing and rinsing of laboratory ware, preparation of standard solutions and buffers and for use as blank in titrimetric and spectroscopic determinations.

Type – I water

Type- I water is also referred to as ultrapure grade water. It is used in analysis involving high sensitivity detection at low ppb or ppm levels where even trace level impurities can contribute to significant errors in analytical results. Some of the techniques for which Type- I water is recommended are:

• HPLC
• ICP - MS和ICP - AES
• GC – MS
• LC – MS – MS
• AAS using graphite furnace analysis
• Ion chromatography
• Preparation of ultrapure buffer solutions
• Total organic Carbon determinations
• 制备上述确定的空白和标准
• Life science applications such as electrophoresis,endotoxin analysis in dialysis solutions and injectables and clinical studies

Type-II water

Type- II water is used for common laboratory applications and determinations carried out in ppm levels. Examples of such applications are:

• Preparation of pH standards and buffers
• 作为给水的给水，用于制备类型 - 我的水
• 电化学分析使用电位滴定,卷tammetry, polarography and amperometry
• 火焰原子吸收光谱
• Spectrophotometric analysis
• Media preparation for cell cultures
• 制备试剂及分析水样的标准，如饮用水，湖泊和河流水域。

Type- III water

III型水适用于常见的实验室应用，例如：

• 玻璃器皿洗涤
• Use in humidity chambers and environmental chambers
• Water baths
• 用于高压釜和灭菌器的蒸汽发电

今天的水已经被视为实验室中不可或缺的资源，但它对于不同的应用程序需要明智地决定，而不会影响结果质量，同时考虑到高纯度水分中所涉及的成本。