Examination of Discolored DI Water

Tube
Pardeep Sharma, and Terry Kung
RQC-A, NXP, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
05, 09, 2014

Summary (Findings)
1. DI water tube of chemical room shows discoloration. Lower side of tube looks brownblack, but, upper side has blue-green deposits. Besides, algae-diatoms are present in
brown-black and blue-green colour parts of tube. Blue-green coloured part have many
micro particles rich in Fe, S, Na, Al.
2. EDX of new DI water tube shows C, O, Si. Surface of new tube is clean. No algae like
features.
3. EDX of discoloured DI water tube shows following:
Black-brown area: C, O, Si, Fe; Blue-green area: C, O, Si, Fe, Na, S, Al,
4. Blue-green colour of discoloured DI water tube resembles with FeSO4.7H2O, which is
very common Fe mineral.
5. Bacillariophyta/ Algae/ Diatom were found everywhere on discoloured DI water tube.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL2
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15

Discussion and Suggestions

Presence of trace metal (ppm) contamination in DI water need to be verified. Or data
from last several months can be used to access the situation.
If for given volume (example 1 L, or 10 L) of DI water, that is used at a time, the metal
contamination is found to be within technical spec of DI water, then no action is
needed.
If metal contamination in DI water is within spec, then that discoloration can be
attributed to following:
(1) trace metal contamination from fumes of HNO3 or H2SO4 or other
chemicals. Or
(2) over a long period of time, the accumulation of metal impurities by algae like structure
formed onto inner surface of DI water tube
If metal contamination is beyond spec of pure DI water, then corrective action is
needed.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL3
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15

Optical Microscope Image of Discolored Tube

Black-brown discoloration

Blue-green discoloration

Both (black-brown, & blue-green) type of discolored areas show presence

of algae and diatoms, and brown colored micro-particles (shown above).
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL4
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15

SEM Image of Inner Surface of DI Water Tube

New Tube

No algae type structure in

new tube

Discolored Tube with Algae

Blue-Green area has lots

of such micro-particles.
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL5
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15

Bacillariophyta/ Algae/ Diatom on Discolored DI

Water Tube
Algae

Diatom/ Bacillariophyta

Diatoms as shown above are known to found in fresh water with high
mineral concentration.
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL6
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15

EDX of new DI Water Tube

Pt is from sputter coating on sample.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL7
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15

EDX of Discolored DI Water Tube

Pt is from sputter coating on sample.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL8
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15

EDX Micro-Particle of Discolored DI Water Tube

Pt is from sputter coating on sample.

COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL9
Subject / Department / Author -

7/29/15