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How to Make High Purity Water in a Lab

Lab work typically requires high purity water to carry out experiments. Tap water contains a number of contaminants and ions that can interfere with results. This water must be purified before it can be used. Boiling tap water and condensing the vapors into a clean container purifies the water for use.

Things You'll Need

Autoclave
Round-bottomed flask
Ring stand
Bunsen burner
Gas lighter
Rubber stopper
Condenser
Lab faucet and sink
2 rubber tubes
Volumetric flask
Parafilm

Instructions

- 1
  Place the glassware into the autoclave. Sterilize the glass and allow it to cool inside the autoclave. Fill the round-bottomed flask with water. Put the rubber stopper in the hole and place the apparatus on the ring stand over the Bunsen burner.
- 2
  Attach the rubber tubes to the condenser and insert the condenser into the flask and place the volumetric flask under the condenser spout. Connect a tube to the faucet and place the other tube into the sink.
- 3
  Turn on the gas feed to the Bunsen burner and light it with the gas lighter. Turn on the faucet and boil the flask until all the water collects in the volumetric flask. Cover the volumetric flask with parafilm to prevent contamination.

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