Water
As access to fresh-water sources is declining, conversations about water conservation are on the rise. Not only is water necessary for human health, but it is also necessary for research labs to function. In these spaces, water can be consumed in many sneaky ways. Different problems as well as proposed solutions are provided in the table below.
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What? |
The Problem? |
The Solution? |
Online Resource |
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Autoclaves |
As steam surrounds the items placed inside the autoclave, hot condensation is formed and needs to be drained. Sewer discharge temperatures must not exceed 140°F so running water is continuously flowing to cool the condensate as it hits the drain. In older models this water is running 24/7. Due to the design of autoclaves, there is 1-5 gallons of water waste produced per minute of the cycle. Considering that this is a commonly used piece of laboratory equipment, there are thousands of gallons wasted each year. |
To combat water waste in such an important piece of laboratory equipment, Retrofit kits can be installed to existing autoclaves to reduce water with a cooling chamber eliminating continuously flowing water to cool condensate. These kits collect the condensate and introduce small amounts of cold water to reduce condensate temperature before being drained. Electric autoclaves are an option when autoclaves need to be replaced. Batching autoclave runs are more efficient by having fewer autoclave cycles as the autoclave is only run when full. |
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Vacuum Aspirators |
These machines are designed to connect to a faucet or water source and allow water to flow through one of the tubes in the aspirator creating a vacuum. They typically need around 2 gallons per minute to run which is equivalent to around 50,000 gallons of water per year. |
The alternative, which is slowly becoming the new gold standard, is the vacuum aspirator pump. These pumps require no water to function, which eliminates the problem entirely and saves any harmful disposal that may have to occur. This can save about 238 gallons of water per hour of use |
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Molecular Grade (RNase and DNase free) Water Production |
Ordering molecular grade water uses more resources through the use of plastic containers and carbon emissions from the shipping process. |
By generating molecular grade water in the lab, the additional carbon and plastic resources used will not be consumed. |
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Sink Aerators |
Laboratory faucets are in constant use whether for rinsing and cleaning of glassware or washing vessels and hands. Typically, faucets run at 4.0 gallons/minute and, when they are on all the time, large amounts of water waste is produced. |
Sink aerators reduce the volume of water flowing through the faucet by breaking up the water into multiple small streams introducing air in between. Installing sink aerators can save up to half the water usage all while maintaining water pressure. Aerators on faucets reduce the flow to <1.5 gallons/minute. |
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Water Bath Alternatives: Oil |
Water baths are a huge source of water in the lab. They are typically cleaned every other week or once a month. This means water is constantly being dumped out and wasted. If labs switched to water alternatives on a large scale it would save thousands of gallons of water per year. |
Oil alternatives should be chosen on the temperatures you plan to use and the compatibility of the liquid with your equipment. Low viscosity oils can have a temperature range of -40 to 130°C whereas high viscosity oils such as silicone oil or mineral oil can have a temperature range between 25 to 230°C. There are also specially formulated bath liquids such as Polytherm and Polycool liquids that have different variations with a wide range of temperatures. |
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Water Bath Alternatives: Metal Beads |
Water baths are a huge source of water in the lab. They are typically cleaned every other week or once a month. This means water is constantly being dumped out and wasted. If labs switched to water alternatives on a large scale it would save thousands of gallons of water per year. |
Metal beads are another alternative to water baths and can offer a broader temperature range; the beads will heat up quickly, there is no evaporation or refilling required and cleaning is easy. The downside to this product is less contact with the vessel in which you are trying to heat, but this isn’t as noticeable when working with smaller vessels. |
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Water Bath Alternatives: Sand |
Water baths are a huge source of water in the lab. They are typically cleaned every other week or once a month. This means water is constantly being dumped out and wasted. If labs switched to water alternatives on a large scale it would save thousands of gallons of water per year. |
Sand baths are a great alternative; they have many advantages such as minimal and easy cleaning, no refilling, and more even heating due to uniform contact with the vessel. This option is also a lot more cost effective than oil or metal and would be more feasible to incorporate on a large scale. |
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Ice Alternatives |
Ice is used constantly within laboratories to provide a cold environment for samples or experiments. After it melts it no longer has a use and the water is dumped down the drain. Over time the amount of water used as ice accumulates to wasting a large amount of water. If labs switched to water alternatives on a large scale it would save thousands of gallons of water per year. |
First, the metal beads mentioned as a replacement in the water baths could also be used as ice alternatives. They can be stored in the freezer and used instead of ice when thawing reagents, performing experiments, etc. Ice packs are another good alternative, however there is much less uniform contact with the vessel, but they are reusable and still provide a cold environment. Many vendors also sell a variety of benchtop coolers that can fit tubes, plates, etc. These are first stored in the freezer and then used to keep samples cold out of the freezer. You can also use liquids as an alternative like the oil bath. Good liquids to use are non-viscous, non-corrosive, and have low freezing points, such as Ethanol and Methanol. Their only downsides are they typically evaporate quickly and are flammable. Lastly, switching from large (4.5L) ice buckets to smaller (2.5L) ice buckets to only use as much ice as you need can save a lot of water. |
Metal bead chill bucket:
Liquid alternatives:
Benchtop coolers: |
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Water Collection Site |
Sometimes water that is used in the lab is not contaminated when it is used, like when ice is used to keep samples cold. |
This non-contaminated water can then be used to do miscellaneous things around the lab, like water plants. |
N/A |
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Batch Cleaning Labware |
Clean labware is important in laboratory spaces, as dirty dishes could alter/ruin experiment results. For many labs there are special procedures in place to ensure that the labware is as clean as possible, which often means using several rounds of rinsing and or using a dishwasher. Both methods require a great deal of water. |
To reduce the amount of water that is used to clean labware, establish batch cleaning/washing protocols. Doing large batch runs and ensuring dishwashers and or sinks are always full ensures the water used in each cycle will be used in a more efficient manner. |
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Use appropriate water |
When performing experiments/general lab chores, using the appropriate level of purified water is important, as each type of water source requires additional resources. |
By using the correct type of water necessary for experiments, additional resources (i.e. energy, water, etc.) will not be wasted by over-purifying when not required. |
Authors: Kaitlynn Williams, Danara Flores, and Tillie Dunham