ELGA PURELAB QUEST Brochure

Importance of the Topic

High-quality laboratory water is a foundational requirement for a wide range of analytical and life science applications. Impurities in water can compromise chromatographic separations, interfere with molecular assays and cell culture, and increase maintenance costs on critical instruments. A modular, reliable purification system that delivers multiple grades of water from a single unit addresses practical laboratory constraints such as space, budget and workflow efficiency.

Study Overview and Objectives

This document introduces a compact water purification platform capable of producing three distinct water types (Type I, II and III) from tap water. The objectives are to demonstrate its performance, evaluate its reliability under extended use, and highlight key design features such as remote monitoring, sustainability and ease of operation.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The system integrates reverse osmosis, ion-exchange, UV photooxidation and ultrafiltration in a single bench-top unit. Key components include:

• Pre-treatment cartridge for chlorine and particulate removal
• Reverse osmosis membrane for bulk desalination
• Mixed-bed polishing cartridges to achieve ultrapure resistivity of 18.2 MΩ·cm
• UV lamp for TOC reduction and biofilm control
• 0.2 µm final filter for bacterial and particulate removal
• Integrated sensors to monitor conductivity, TOC and flow rates

Main Results and Discussion

Performance testing over 150 000 dispensing cycles (equivalent to two decades of typical use) demonstrated that water quality remained within specification. Type I water consistently met ultrapure criteria: resistivity ≥18.2 MΩ·cm, TOC <5 ppb, bacterial counts <0.1 cfu/mL and endotoxin <0.001 Eu/mL. Type II and III grades also met international benchmarks for reagent preparation and glassware rinsing. A built-in recirculation loop suppressed biofilm growth, maintaining bacterial loads below 2.1 cfu/mL in the recirculating reservoir compared to over 1000 cfu/mL under static conditions.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The system’s compact footprint (232 × 510 × 421 mm) and option for wall-mounting optimize laboratory space. IoT connectivity enables remote performance monitoring and proactive maintenance, reducing downtime and service costs. Volumetric dispensing at 1.2 L/min with programmable volumes (100 mL to 7 L) streamlines workflows and frees researchers from manual monitoring. Annual sanitization procedures are automated, minimizing user exposure to chemicals.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Advances in sensor integration and digital analytics will further enhance real-time water quality assurance and predictive maintenance. Expansion of modular add-ons (e.g., endotoxin removal, virus filtration) could meet emerging needs in biopharmaceutical production and single-cell genomics. The trend toward networked laboratory instruments offers opportunities for centralized data management and AI-driven optimization of resource use.

Conclusion

The described water purification platform delivers reliable, multi-grade water with minimal footprint and operational complexity. Proven durability, integrated quality monitoring and sustainable design make it well suited for contemporary analytical and life science laboratories seeking to maximize efficiency while ensuring uncompromised experimental results.

Instrumentation Used

• PURELAB Quest and PURELAB Quest UV purification systems
• Reverse osmosis membrane module
• Mixed-bed ion exchange cartridges
• UV oxidation lamp
• 0.2 µm sterilizing-grade filter
• Conductivity, TOC and flow sensors
• IoT gateway for remote monitoring