High purity water experts Veolia Water Technologies has completed installation of laboratory water purification systems at the National Institute for Health Research’s National Biosample Centre in Milton Keynes.

The £24m Centre, which is managed by UK Biocentre on behalf of the University of Oxford and the NIHR, has the capacity to store up to 20 million biological samples and provides laboratory facilities for research into treatments for conditions such as dementia and diabetes.

The NBC facility has several laboratories, each requiring two grades of water: Type II water for general laboratory applications such as; media preparation and buffer solutions, and ultrapure Type I⁺ water for critical processes including DNA/RNA extraction, sequencing and tissue sample preparation.

The two largest laboratories each require up to 100 litres per day of Type II water with a maximum instantaneous demand of 70 l/h. Veolia installed a PURELAB Option-R 15 in each laboratory to provide Type II water, which is then polished to Type I⁺ water by using PURELAB Ultra Genetic Units. In the other laboratories the demand is lower, at 40 litres per day, and  purification to Type II water is produced by using a PURELAB Option-R 7 with a PURELAB Flex 2 to provide final polishing to Type I⁺.

Veolia’s PURELAB Option R treats mains water to Type II standard using a combination of prefiltration, reverse osmosis, UV disinfection and ion exchange. The PURELAB Ultra Genetic polishes Type II water to Type I+ ultrapure quality using two ion exchange cartridges with intermediate combined 254/185nm UV for disinfection and organics destruction, followed by ultrafiltration for nuclease removal. The PURELAB Flex2 uses similar technology to the PURELAB Ultra Genetic however it includes a point of use biofilter integrated into the flexible dispense head.

Veolia Water Technologies specialises in technological solutions and design and build projects for water and wastewater treatment, serving industrial and municipal clients.

Veolia groupis the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 179,000 employees* worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them.

In 2014, the Veolia group supplied 96 million people with drinking water and 60 million people with wastewater service, produced 52 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 31 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of €24.4 billion* in 2014.

more about veolia water technologies