water treatment chemicals deionized water

Differences Between Deionized Water and Distilled Water

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Water is a tricky topic. From filtration method to purity level, it’s hard to know exactly what type of water is right for your needs. Two specific kinds of water, deionized and distilled, are very similar in some ways but also hold several key differences. Both deionized water (aka DI water or demineralized water) and distilled water are extremely pure types of water.

deionized water

However, their production is very different. Depending on what water is selected for purification, DI water may actually be less pure than distilled. That being said, purity does not always equal better water, and there are pros and cons to choosing deionized water versus distilled water for certain processes. 

What is Distilled Water? 

This type of water is boiled into purification and thus contains no impurities or contaminants. Unpurified water contains things like: 

  • chlorine 
  • iron 
  • sulfates 
  • dissolved solids 

While this sounds like a great idea for safer drinking water, it may actually do more harm than good in the long run. The distilling process removes most of the natural, helpful minerals from water, making this an unideal candidate for daily consumption.  

Although it’s not the best option for daily drinking, distilled water can be used around the house for many things. Some common uses include: 

  • health equipment, like CPAP machines 
  • humidifiers 
  • irons 
  • aquariums 
  • watering houseplants 
  • car care 

What is Deionized Water? 

Like distilled water, DI water is very pure. Demineralized water is stripped of all ions. This is done through a process involving electrically charged resins and involves rinsing the water through these resins to completely remove all cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negatively charged ions). Usually, DI water is created using both the charged resins and a process called reverse osmosis to completely eliminate the desired contaminants.  

DI water is sometimes referred to as demineralized water because, like its distilled counterpart, most of the minerals found in water are stripped during the deionization process. This means that this type of water, like distilled, is not the best option for drinking use because it does not contain the beneficial nutrients we get from unprocessed water.  

Demineralized water is typically used in laboratory settings or pharmaceutical settings when it is necessary that the water be 100% pure. The reason for this is that pure water yields predictable and repeatable results. It can also be used in the home in the same ways as distilled water.  

What’s the Difference between Deionized Water & Distilled Water? 

Even with all this information, it can still be tricky to pinpoint the exact differences when it comes to deionized water versus distilled water. The main difference is that distilled water contains fewer organic impurities and contaminants because the boiling process kills molecules like viruses and bacteria. Deionized water also has a cleaner production process and leaves behind less residue when used in the desired applications.  

Need Water Treatment Chemicals for Deionized Water? 

Ecolink offers the highest quality products at affordable prices in bulk, eco-friendly quantities. For more information, contact our team here! 

oil dissolving solvents

What Dissolves Oil Sludge

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What dissolves oil sludge? Oil sludge can build up on industrial machinery with use, and over time this sludge can cause the machinery to malfunction or break. If you are looking for chemicals that dissolve oil sludge and are safe to use on industrial machinery and print equipment, you have several options. Two of the most popular and affordable industrial degreasers that can dissolve oil sludge and build up are acetone and IPA. 

Acetone is a great industrial degreaser for a few reasons. Acetone can break up both oil build up and harden resins, meaning it can be used on 3D printing equipment as well. Acetone also has a high evaporation rate, so there is no need to worry about leftover chemicals causing moisture damage to your equipment.

Much like acetone, IPA also has  a high evaporation rate. This is especially helpful when cleaning intricate equipment that has many small crevices and components. IPA can get into the small spaces, dissolve the oil build up, and then evaporate. Therefore you don’t have to worry about reaching into these intricate areas to dry leftover product, as it will quickly dry on it’s own.

If you need help figuring out what dissolves oil sludge, and what the best chemical solution for your needs is, Ecolink can help! Ecolink is a trusted chemical supplier who has 30 years of knowledge and experience to help you find the best chemical cleaning agents for your practice.

Benefits of Working With Ecolink:

  • Knowledgeable – Ecolink has a dedicated team of chemical experts who are happy to work closely with you, to understand your business and needs. Ecolink will also provide you with the necessary information to safely use and store your chemical products.
  • Bulk Sizing – Ecolink offers convenient bulk sizing from 5 – 55 gallon drums to accommodate facilities of all sizes. 
  • Eco Friendly – Ecolink also offers a large selection of green chemical alternatives to help reduce the carbon footprint of the chemical industry. Ecolink also offers chemical recycling resources.

Need Help Figuring Out What Dissolves Oil Sludge?

For more information about chemicals that can cela and dissolve oil slide, contact Ecolink here! Ecolink and their dedicated team are ready to answer your questions and find the best chemicals for your needs. 

 

cost saving industrial solvents

Find Better, Cost Saving, Industrial Cleaners

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If you were to talk to a professional working for an industrial company that uses industrial cleaners to rid parts, metals, and materials of dirt, grime, grease, oil, stains or any type of particles that could hinder its effectiveness, he or she would likely describe the solvent as a vital resource, despite the exorbitant expense of use. In fact, it would be surprising to hear someone describe industrial cleaners any other way. The truth is industrial businesses cannot function without industrial cleaners. Industrial products have to be cleaned and degreased before being placed into operation, otherwise dire consequences could unfold, including the inability to continue or complete a project that needs the product in order toEcolinkImage fully function. Even though they should not be, some industrial companies try to process materials without degreasing or cleaning the product in order to save money. This, however, never turns out good, as more time and money is usually lost when the part is rendering ineffective and must be replaced.

Instead of frustrating your clients with materials that have not been cleaned, or your own business with drastic overhead expenses, you need to find better, cost saving industrial cleaners. Easier said than done you might say, but with recent advancements in industrial solvents, there now exists options for industrial cleaners that will not break the bank.

Companies involved with finding and providing eco friendly, green alternative, safe industrial cleaners, such as Ecolink, can claim superb success with the new chemical agents now being used that are note only cheaper, but a more efficient cleaner. Chemical solutions synthesized and developed for use in cleaning parts, meals, and materials are now safer than older chemical compounds, and are less expensive to purchase and use. The advantages to making the switch to a newer, safer, and less expensive chemical solvent are astounding:

  • You are switching to an eco friendly, green alternative solution that is safer for those who come into contact or are in close proximity to the industrial cleaners, and the chemicals are safe for the environment.
  • The chemicals used for industrial cleaners are cheaper to design and produce, which means they are put on sale on the market at a reduced expense than previous industrial cleaners.

Ecolink, a company responsible for the push and success of creating newer, safer, and less expensive industrial cleaners can provide you with more information on the solvents, and can help you make the transition from your old cleaner to a new and improved one. Our representatives are ready to help you begin realizing the incredible advantages to changing to a greener alternative solution. Contact us today!

osha compliant chemicals

Are your Industrial Cleaners OSHA Compliant?

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Mixing chemicals to devise a solution used for cleaning has been performed for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, that is how long people have been unknowingly exposing themselves to the harmful side effects emitted by the noxious gases of chemical compound solutions. The discovery of certain gases as harmful to human beings was discovered thousands of years ago. In fact, history records state that Hippocrates, in four hundred years B.C., noticed lead toxicity involved in the mining industry. In the last fifty years, people have developed the ability to conduct tests through science to identify what chemical compounds can be detrimental to a person’s health. This is why he U.S. Congress passed three EcolinkImagelandmark pieces of legislation relating to safeguarding workers’ health: the Metal and Nonmetallic Mines Safety Act of 1966, the Federal Coal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1969, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

OSHA Compliant

Today, almost every employer is required to implement the elements of industrial hygiene and safety, occupational health, or hazard communication programs, as well as to be responsive to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the OSHA Act, and its regulations. Under the Act, OSHA develops and sets mandatory occupational safety and health requirements applicable to the more than six million workplaces in the U.S. OSHA relies on industrial hygienists to evaluate jobs for potential health hazards. Developing and setting mandatory occupational safety and health standards involves determining the extent of employee exposure to hazards and deciding what is needed to control these hazards, thereby protecting the workers. More than forty percent of the OSHA compliance officers who inspect America’s workplaces are industrial hygienists.

Industrial Hygienists

Industrial hygienists play a major role in developing and issuing OSHA standards to protect workers from health hazards associated with toxic chemicals, biological hazards, and harmful physical agents. They also provide technical assistance and support to the agency’s national and regional offices. OSHA also employs industrial hygienists who assist in setting up field enforcement procedures, and who issue technical interpretations of OSHA regulations and standards. Industrial hygienists analyze, identify, and measure workplace hazards or stressors that could cause sickness, impaired health, or significant discomfort in workers through chemical, physical, ergonomic, or biological exposures. Two roles of the OSHA industrial hygienist are to spot those conditions and help eliminate or control them through appropriate measures.

Looking for an Eco-Friendly Chemical Supplier?

Companies need to make sure their industrial cleaners are OSHA compliant. Ecolink is a company that can help industrial businesses ensure their industrial cleaners are OSHA compliant. Ecolink knows the mandated requirements to become OSHA compliant, and can make sure your industrial cleaners are safeguarded when used by workers. Once Ecolink evaluates your industrial cleaners, they will help you make the transition to a safe industrial cleaner, if need be. Contact us today!

Selecting Metal Cleaning Solutions in 6 Steps

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For many companies and organizations, using metal cleaning solutions is an inevitable part of supporting industrial work processes. However, while there may be plenty of metal cleaning solutions to choose from, choosing the right ones for your applications requires some important considerations. Below are six considerations that can help you choose metal cleaning solutions that are right for the metal you must clean and the kinds of soils you need to remove.

  1. Type of Metal

Most important of all is selecting a cleaning solution whose formulation will clean the metal without degrading its surface quality. The appearance of the metal you’re cleaning may not be overly important. But it’s crucial to note that what are considered blemishes are often the beginning of corrosion that can progress until it weakens the dimensional stability of parts.

  1. Type of Soils

Once you’ve clearly identified the metal (i.e. the grade of stainless steel), you can target metal cleaning solutions specifically formulated for removing certain soils from your metal. This is typically the easiest step. You match information about the metal with information about the soils to generate a list of cleaner options that will be further refined by the four steps below.

  1. Machine or Manual Washing?

If you clean metal parts in a parts washing system, step three is choosing cleaners that are compatible with your parts washer concerning the type of cleaning process it performs (e.g., vapor degreasing) and the material construction of the washing chamber.

Also, if you use a machine, and the washer has a value-added benefit such as solvent recycling, you may wish to choose a cleaner that lets you take advantage of the special feature.

  1. Geometry of Parts

If you use a parts washer, the geometry of your parts shouldn’t be of much concern. The washer is presumably designed to clean parts whose geometries range from simple to complex.

However, if parts are cleaned manually using wipes, aerosol, spray, etc., it’s important to choose a cleaner whose formulation and method of application support soil removal. Speaking with one of our chemists can be of great help for choosing a cleaner under these considerations.

  1. Stock or Custom Cleaner?

You shouldn’t have trouble finding a solvent that offers the basic performance properties you need (e.g., good efficacy, non-residue, highly evaporative, low flashpoint, etc.), but it isn’t uncommon to experience a special need that eliminates stock solvents from your range of options (e.g., concurrently removing multiple soils not often found in unison).

In this situation, ordering a custom solvent is the best option. In case you end up needing the option, it’s a good idea to start out shopping for cleaners at suppliers that offer it.

  1. EPA Regulations

Some metal cleaning solutions available today may not be available in the near future due to toxic ingredients the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scheduled to regulate or ban. Using these cleaners is essentially living on borrowed time. Visit the EPA to learn about chemicals that are scheduled for regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

About Ecolink

Ecolink is a supplier of environmentally preferred, industrial grade solvents, including a wide selection of cleaners for metals. Providing readymade and custom solutions to companies and organizations of various sizes, in numerous industries, we make it easy to know you’re getting the right cleaners by supplying product samples you can try for free, with no obligations.

For more information, call us today at 800-563-1305, or send us an email using our contact form. We’d love to talk!