The ELGA PURELAB Range

Importance of the Topic

High-purity water is a foundational requirement in analytical chemistry, life science research and quality-controlled environments. Impurities such as ions, organic compounds, particulates and microorganisms can compromise the reliability of techniques like HPLC, GC-MS, ICP-MS, spectrophotometry and molecular biology assays. Implementing robust water purification systems ensures reproducible results, extended instrument lifespan, minimized background noise and regulatory compliance in pharmaceutical and industrial laboratories.

Study Objectives and Overview

This document presents an overview of the PURELAB® laboratory water purification range by ELGA, detailing the system configurations designed to deliver Type I (ultrapure), Type II (pure) and Type III (general-purpose) water qualities. The objectives include:

• Characterizing each PURELAB product’s intended laboratory applications.
• Summarizing core purification technologies and module arrangements.
• Highlighting performance specifications, dispensing options and compliance features.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The PURELAB range employs a modular combination of technologies optimized for specific water quality requirements:

• Reverse Osmosis (RO) modules remove >95% of ions, organics, particulates and microbes via high-precision membranes.
• Ion-Exchange (single-use or electrodeionization packs) to achieve resistivity up to 18.2 MΩ·cm by exchanging H+ and OH– ions.
• Activated Carbon treatment for adsorption of organic molecules and catalytic degradation of chlorine and chloramines.
• Ultraviolet (UV-C) oxidation at 185/254 nm to photo-oxidize organics (TOC <5 ppb) and inactivate microorganisms.
• Depth pre-filters (5–10 µm) and sub-micron/micro-ultrafiltration (30–3000 nm) to protect downstream modules and remove colloids, bacteria, endotoxins and enzymes.

Instrumentation Used

Systems are built around the following key instrument modules:

• RO Membrane Units (10–30 L/hr capacity).
• Electrodeionization Cells (recirculating EDI for consistent >10 MΩ·cm pure water).
• Ion-Exchange Pack Cartridges (PURELAB Quest, Flex, Chorus series).
• UV Reactor Chambers with power-regulated lamps.
• Reservoirs (15–100 L polyethylene tanks with advanced vent filtration).
• Remote Dispensers including Halo, Advanced Halo and Flexible Dispensers with point-of-use purity sensors.

Main Results and Discussion

PURELAB solutions provide three tiers of water quality:

• Type I (18.2 MΩ·cm, TOC <5 ppb, bacteria <1 CFU/ml) for critical applications: HPLC, GC-MS, ICP-MS, cell culture, molecular biology and ultra-trace analytics.
• Type II (>1 MΩ·cm, TOC <50–100 ppb, bacteria <100 CFU/ml) for media prep, pH buffers, general lab tasks and feed to Type I systems.
• Type III (<20 µS/cm, RO grade) for glassware rinsing, water baths, autoclaves and feedstock to higher-grade systems.

The Flex series (Flex 1–3+) integrates RO feed and recirculation loops to supply continuous ultrapure water at the bench, offering real-time TOC monitoring, ECO mode energy savings and up to 70% reclaimed plastics. The Chorus range (Chorus 1–3, 1 Complete, 2+, Pharma Compliance) caters from standalone ultrapure dispensers to fully validated systems meeting USP 643/645 and FDA 21 CFR 11 with digital record-keeping, audit trails and software validation. The Quest system uniquely delivers all three grades from a single compact wall-mounted or bench unit.

Benefits and Practical Applications

Key advantages of the PURELAB portfolio include:

• Flexible deployment: bench-top, wall-mounted or integrated floor systems.
• Modular expansion: duplex and networked dispensers feeding multiple points of use.
• Cost efficiency: optimized consumable life, lower water waste, CO₂ stripping options and reclaimed material construction.
• Operational assurance: PureSure® deionization monitoring, remote digital performance tracking and automated sanitization.
• Regulatory compliance: built-in qualification support, GMP software and pharmaceutical grade validation packs.

They are applied in analytical laboratories, clinical QC, pharmaceutical R&D, molecular biology facilities and industrial process control.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Emerging directions in laboratory water purification include integration with IoT-enabled telemetry for predictive maintenance, further miniaturization of point-of-use dispensers, circular economy design with fully reclaimed polymers and enhanced hybrid membranes for selective contaminant removal (e.g. PFAS). Coupling machine-learning models to water quality data streams may allow dynamic optimization of module sequencing and reagent consumption. The expansion into single-use and mobile labs will drive development of portable ultrapure units with rapid deployment features.

Conclusion

The PURELAB range by ELGA offers a comprehensive suite of water purification systems tailored to varied laboratory demands—from general rinse-grade RO water to ultrapure Type I water for critical analytical and life science applications. Its modular technologies, flexible dispensing options and rigorous compliance features enable consistent quality, operational efficiency and regulatory readiness. Ongoing innovation in smart monitoring, sustainability and system integration positions PURELAB as a leading solution for uninterrupted discovery in analytical chemistry.

References

No formal literature references were provided in the original document.