Skip to main content
  • About ELGA
    • About ELGA
    • Ultrapure Water
    • Purification Technologies
    • Impurities In Water
    • Guides & White Papers
    • Approved Partners
    • ELGA's History
    • Sustainability
    • Careers
    • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Language
    • Deutsch
    • English
    • Español
    • Français
    • Italiano
    • Português
    • 日本語
    • 中文
  • Other Veolia Sites
    • Veolia
    • Veolia Fondation
    • Veolia Water Technologies
Home ELGA LabWater
  • Products
  • Applications
  • Case Studies
  • Support
  • Products
    • PURELAB
    • CENTRA
    • MEDICA
    • BIOPURE
    • ELGA Full Product Range
  • Applications
  • Case Studies
    • Unlocking the secrets of the Antarctic with the aid of ultrapure water
    • Abbott Diagnostics chooses ELGA MEDICA systems in South Asia
    • DASA: The biggest medical diagnostics company in Brazil
    • ELGA helps immuneserology labs maximize uptime
    • Importance of ultrapure Type 1+ water for the development of generic medicines
    • MEDICA® Pro selected for Siemens ADVIA® analyzers at City General Hospital
    • Optimale Wasserqualität für mikrobiologische Forschung und Lehre
    • PURELAB® flex: an ideal training system for today's research method
    • Sichere Reinstwasserversorgung für präzise Produkttests
    • Zentrale Reinstwasser-Aufbereitung für Analyser
  • Support
    • Support & Services
    • Laboratory Planning
    • Register a Product
    • Register Your Product (USA & Canada Only)
  • Products
    • PURELAB
      • PURELAB® flex 3 & 4
      • PURELAB Chorus 1 Complete
      • PURELAB Chorus 2+
      • PURELAB® Chorus 1
      • PURELAB® Chorus 2
      • PURELAB® Chorus 3
      • PURELAB® flex 1 & 2
    • CENTRA
      • CENTRA® 60/120
      • CENTRA® RDS
      • CENTRA® R200
    • MEDICA
      • MEDICA® 7/15
      • MEDICA® EDI 15/30
      • MEDICA® Pro EDI 60/120
      • MEDICA® Pro-LPS
      • MEDICA® Pro-R and Pro-RE
      • MEDICA® R200
    • BIOPURE
      • BIOPURE 7/15
      • BIOPURE 60/120
      • BIOPURE 200/300/600
    • ELGA Full Product Range
      • PURELAB® Classic
      • PURELAB® Option-Q
      • PURELAB® Option-S/R 7/15
      • PURELAB® Prima
      • PURELAB® Pulse
      • PURELAB® Ultra
  • Applications
  • Case Studies
    • Unlocking the secrets of the Antarctic with the aid of ultrapure water
    • Abbott Diagnostics chooses ELGA MEDICA systems in South Asia
    • DASA: The biggest medical diagnostics company in Brazil
    • ELGA helps immuneserology labs maximize uptime
    • Importance of ultrapure Type 1+ water for the development of generic medicines
    • MEDICA® Pro selected for Siemens ADVIA® analyzers at City General Hospital
    • Optimale Wasserqualität für mikrobiologische Forschung und Lehre
    • PURELAB® flex: an ideal training system for today's research method
    • Sichere Reinstwasserversorgung für präzise Produkttests
    • Zentrale Reinstwasser-Aufbereitung für Analyser
  • Support
    • Support & Services
    • Laboratory Planning
    • Register a Product
    • Register Your Product (USA & Canada Only)
  • Language
    • Deutsch
    • English
    • Español
    • Français
    • Italiano
    • Português
    • 日本語
    • 中文
  • Other Veolia Sites
    • Veolia
    • Veolia Fondation
    • Veolia Water Technologies
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Global Legal Compliance
  • Patents
  • Sitemap
  • Impressum

Let's talk about lab water

  • Categories
    • Analytical Chemistry
    • Clinical & Pharma
    • Cool Science
    • Environment & Sustainability
    • Lab Water Tutorials
    • Life in The Lab
    • Life Science Results
    • PURELAB Product Design
    • Ultrapure Water In Action
    • Water In The Lab
    • Water Purity
  • Authors
    • ELGA Editorial Team
    • Natasha Zarach
    • Dr Paul Whitehead
    • Dr Alison Halliday
Cool Science

The Mysterious Origins of Water

6 Feb 2018
- by Dr Paul Whitehead

All This Water – Where Does It Come From?

Water FormationWe all know that water is vital for life and, when purified, for laboratories, but where does it all come from? It is widely thought that the water originated in ice-rich comets or asteroids which collided with Earth but a recent computer simulation has added more weight to the so-called “native water hypothesis” – that water was present when the Earth was formed or was produced in-situ. 

Native Water Formation Hypothesis

In some earlier work, researchers from the University of Hawaii analysed rocks from Baffin Island and found glass crystals that have trapped droplets of water. The rocks come directly from the Earth’s mantle and have not been affected by the crust. This water has the same hydrogen/deuterium ratio as water at the surface. The ice on comets has shown a significantly higher ratio of deuterium to hydrogen. This suggests strongly that the water we drink could have been present deep within the Earth.

The recent work suggested one route by which such water could be formed. Silica is generally fairly inert but it can react with liquid hydrogen to form water and silicon hydride. Unfortunately, it only does so at about 1400 C and pressures of 20,000 bar (2 GPa). Fortunately, these temperatures and pressures are found in the upper mantle at 40 to 400 kilometres below the Earth’s surface.

Strange Water Forming Processes Deep Within The Earth

The processes involved are even stranger. The hydrogen fluid can diffuse through the open silica lattice into the quartz particles to form water not on the surface but within the bulk of the material. A liquid water layer can build up and the water formed cannot escape easily producing pressures as high as 200,000 bar (20 GPa). Its subsequent explosive escape could be a cause of deep earthquakes. The Earth’s mantle may contain water throughout its structure.

There is no information about the purity of water from the mantle but it seems unlikely to be suitable for trace silica analysis! Taste tests are awaited but it seems somehow reassuring that the Earth came with its own water supply or a means of making it. 

Add new comment

About text formats

You may also be interested in...

18 Jan 2019
Cool Science
What’s in your cup of coffee?
Dr Alison Halliday
Drinking coffee is linked with a range of health benefits – but processing methods may impact on its bioactive compound profile and antioxidant activity. A new study explores the effects of steam treatment on defective roasted coffee beans.
Coffee Steam Treatment
16 Jan 2019
Cool Science, Ultrapure Water In Action
Could vegetable seed flours help improve our gut health?
Dr Alison Halliday

Lab man holding test tube with solution

Lab man and test tube with solution

Highlights

18 Jan 2019
What’s in your cup of coffee?
17 Dec 2018
Healing wounds with 3D technology
13 Nov 2018
Analysis of the polyhalogenated compounds in sperm whale blubber tissue
29 Oct 2018
Creating 'sticky' spider silk proteins
22 Oct 2018
Improving treatment for patients with kidney disease
19 Oct 2018
Drug testing of hair samples in clinical and forensic toxicology
1 Oct 2018
The Chemo-preventive Effects of Ginnalin A on Colorectal Cancer

Categories

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Clinical & Pharma
  • Cool Science
  • Environment & Sustainability
  • Lab Water Tutorials
  • Life in The Lab
  • Life Science Results
  • PURELAB Product Design
  • Ultrapure Water In Action
  • Water In The Lab
  • Water Purity

Video

  • Contact Us
  • Get a Quote
  • Book a Demo
  • Find an Approved Partner

Contact Us

At ELGA LabWater, we have exciting offers and news about our lab water purification products that we hope you’d like to hear about. We will use your information to predict what you might be interested in. We will treat your data with respect and you can find the details in our Privacy Policy here.

ELGA Labwater works with a network of Approved Partners. In order to answer your questions or inquiries, we may pass your contact details to an Approved Partner, who may contact you directly. You can find a list of our Approved Business Partners here.

If you would like to receive updates from ELGA and our Approved partners please tick the box below:

YES I'd like to receive updates from ELGA LabWater & Approved Partners based on my details

Get a Quote

At ELGA LabWater, we have exciting offers and news about our lab water purification products that we hope you’d like to hear about. We will use your information to predict what you might be interested in. We will treat your data with respect and you can find the details in our Privacy Policy here.

ELGA Labwater works with a network of Approved Partners. In order to answer your questions or inquiries, we may pass your contact details to an Approved Partner, who may contact you directly. You can find a list of our Approved Business Partners here.

If you would like to receive updates from ELGA and our Approved partners please tick the box below:

YES I'd like to receive updates from ELGA LabWater & Approved Partners based on my details

Book a Demo

At ELGA LabWater, we have exciting offers and news about our lab water purification products that we hope you’d like to hear about. We will use your information to predict what you might be interested in. We will treat your data with respect and you can find the details in our Privacy Policy here.

ELGA Labwater works with a network of Approved Partners. In order to answer your questions or inquiries, we may pass your contact details to an Approved Partner, who may contact you directly. You can find a list of our Approved Business Partners here.

If you would like to receive updates from ELGA and our Approved partners please tick the box below:

YES I'd like to receive updates from ELGA LabWater & Approved Partners based on my details

ELGA LabWater Head Quarters

Lane End Business Park
Lane End, High Wycombe
HP14 3BY
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0) 203 567 7300
F: +44 (0) 203 567 7205

The Ultrapure Water Specialists

  • Company History
  • Support & Services
  • Events

Case Studies

  • Abbott Diagnostics
  • DASA Medical Diagnostics
  • NeoDIN Medical Institute
  • North Staffordshire NHS Trust
  • Olsberg Vocational College

Resources

  • Learn About Ultrapure Water
  • Guides and White Papers
  • Purification Technologies
  • Applications
  • Impurities In Water

Follow Us

  • Language
    • Deutsch
    • English
    • Español
    • Français
    • Italiano
    • Português
    • 日本語
    • 中文
  • Other Veolia Sites
    • Veolia
    • Veolia Fondation
    • Veolia Water Technologies

© VWS (UK) Ltd. trading as ELGA LabWater. 2019 - All rights reserved.
ELGA is the global laboratory water brand name of Veolia.

  • Privacy policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Global Legal Compliance
  • Patents
  • Sitemap
  • Impressum
Elga Veolia
TOP

© 2017 ELGA Veolia