| There are different types of water and each type is | | | | on. Such stains could affect the chemical nature of |
| used in a specific way. Most homes use plain water | | | | whatever is placed in the laboratory apparatus. Hence, |
| that has undergone a considerable level of purification. | | | | any glassware, such as pipette, burette, graduated |
| However, this is not used by many companies | | | | cylinder, test tube, flasks, and beakers, should be |
| because plain water still contains some impurities only | | | | washed or rinsed in pure water. In hospitals, the |
| removed through a more thorough process of | | | | sterilization of instruments is done through autoclaving, |
| demineralization. Indeed, plain water contains some | | | | which use DI pure water to avoid stain deposition on |
| metallic minerals and carbonates and chlorides. The | | | | surfaces of instruments and on the inner walls of the |
| only way to remove these is through deionization. | | | | autoclave machine. |
| Water that has undergone ultra-filtration and | | | | 4. Carwash/Glass window cleaning - People do not |
| deionization is what most chemical companies and | | | | realize that even something as typical as washing cars |
| laboratories need. But the applications can be very | | | | and window panes make use of demineralized water. |
| extensive. | | | | Just as mentioned earlier, ordinary water leaves a |
| 1. Chemical analyses - Chemical analysts and scientists | | | | mess of spots upon drying, and this is not a good |
| cannot use just any kind of water when observing | | | | scene, as it destroys the aesthetics of windows and |
| chemical reactions taking place under controlled | | | | doors made of glass. Cars would look dull with all |
| conditions. For instance, determining solute | | | | those stains left by tap water. This is why carwash |
| concentrations always commands accuracy in | | | | shops use DI water during the final rinsing. |
| measurement. The same thing is needed during | | | | 5. Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics - Imagine if the |
| measurements of chemical contents of substances. | | | | water used in medicine syrups or perfumes is ordinary |
| For instance, identification of the composition of a | | | | tap water. Now, that is outrageous. Pharmaceutical |
| mixture could mean diluting it in pure water. Ordinary | | | | and cosmetic companies cannot sacrifice the value of |
| water has minerals and ions that may alter the | | | | their products with the use of ordinary tap water. In |
| precision of the result. This is why DI water is used in | | | | most cases, water that is not pure enough could |
| chemical labs. | | | | affect the chemical composition or chemical mixture of |
| 2. Microbiology/Tissue culture/Specimen preparations - | | | | the drug or cosmetic preparation. Ions present in plain |
| Biological laboratories are concerned about sanitation | | | | water could affect the chemistry of a product by |
| and all equipment and apparatuses should be in their | | | | reacting with other ingredients. |
| pristine, spot-free condition upon usage. Moreover, the | | | | 6. Vehicle batteries - Could you actually believe that |
| medium should be free from bacteria and viruses and | | | | even car batteries should use pure water. They |
| other chemically altering agents. Thus, water used in | | | | actually call it battery or vehicle water which is an |
| any biological experiments must be clean, ion-free, and | | | | extremely pure water very similar to DI water. Wet |
| microbe-free. This type of water is only achieved | | | | cells rely on ionic integrity and tap water could only ruin |
| through ultra-purification that involves deionization | | | | the ionic/electrolyte balance inside the cells. This could |
| demineralization. | | | | affect battery life span. Hence, manufacturers |
| 3. Rinsing of laboratory instruments - Whether | | | | recommend that only pure/DI or distilled water must be |
| laboratory instruments are used in hospitals, medical | | | | added to car batteries. |
| facilities, or science labs, they should be rinsed in DI | | | | The known application of DI water is extensive. |
| water because ordinary water leaves stains on the | | | | Though it may be impractical to use it at home, |
| surfaces of these objects. Ion deposits on beakers | | | | considering its cost, it is basically an important feature |
| and flasks, for instance, could lead to ugly stains later | | | | in a wide array of industries. |