Medical & Personal Care

Pharmaceutical water systems fall into two classifications defined as purified water (PW) and water for injection (WFI). The WFI system is more stringent and specific for design, operation, and maintenance. For the medical device industry, purified water (PW) quality is normally required. Personal Care Product (PCP) manufacturing uses similar pure water production practices to produce cosmetics, toiletries and other health and hygiene products.

A wide variety of feed water is used to produce this high purity water. Possible water sources include surface, well, municipal potable water or a blend of these sources. The water purification system design as well as the equipment type and size is determined by the feed water quality. Water "contaminants" such as dissolved organic and inorganic compounds, suspended solid particulates and microorganisms must be removed in pure water treatment systems.

Ultraviolet light is used extensively in purified water and water for injection water systems to prevent microbiological contamination and growth. UV is also used for residual ozone destruction in pure water loops where ozone is employed as a "system sanitizer" to purify pipe and tank surfaces.

An important area of use of ultraviolet technology is in the production of purified water for Semiconductors. Hydrocarbon compounds (TOC) in water can be reduced by a combination of using ultraviolet light with a 185 nm wavelength and other processes. This particularly high degree of purity is essential in the electronics industry and specifically manufacturing of semiconductors.