Water Treatment Solutions for the Pharmaceutical Industry

Amidst growing water stress, many countries struggle to provide their people with enough clean water thanks to a combination of rapidly expanding populations and the climate emergency. Industries like pharmaceutical, which depend on high-quality process water for use in manufacturing, may be severely affected by a declining water supply. The Indian pharmaceutical industry, valued at $50 billion, has been hailed as a game-changer in the field of healthcare, providing affordable, life-saving medications to millions of people around the world. Ironically, 3000+ pharma companies and about 10,500 manufacturing units spread across the country contribute to the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis that is estimated to result in a death toll of 10 million people across the world by 2050!

Industrial businesses are increasingly putting water treatment measures into practice to reduce risks associated with potential water shortages and increase their water security.

Significance of water treatment plants in the pharmaceutical industry

One of the most important and essential requirements in the pharmaceutical sector is water. The pharmaceutical manufacturing facility uses a number of water treatment techniques, such as distillation, reverse osmosis, UV disinfection, evaporation, and aerobic/anaerobic treatment, amongst others. To meet regulatory standards or prevent the problem of water scarcity, these techniques treat, recycle, reuse, or release water into the environment.

Water treated from a water treatment plant before using it in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals is essential. The typical source of water used to serve the pharmaceutical sector is underground water and water from nearby water treatment plants. While clean water from water supply facilities frequently falls short of the manufacturing quality assurance standards, groundwater water sources are often characterized by high levels of dissolved materials, primarily manganese, calcium, and magnesium, and may need a greater degree of treatment. Pharmaceutical businesses must treat their input water sources to get rid of any contaminants or pathogens that could lower the quality of their products.

In the pharmaceutical sector, purified water is used and applied in a wide range of ways at all stages of the manufacturing process. Let’s look at a few instances of how water is used in the industry.

Pharmaceutical Water Treatment Solutions

Purified Water for Pharmaceutical Use: For some medicines, water could be a critical component. Ordinary water, including drinking water, contains traces of pollutants and toxins, and hence cannot be used as a medicinal ingredient. For this use, purified and disinfected water must be supplied by a pharmaceutical water treatment plant.

Boiler Water Treatment and Cooling Water Treatment: Boiler water treatment and cooling water treatment are two of the primary industrial water treatment plants. Lack of adequate water treatment might cause bacteria and sediments in the boiler housing and pipes to interact. Scale deposits can also mean that more fuel is needed to heat the same amount of water due to a loss in efficiency. Poorly filtered, unclean water can support the growth of bacteria like Legionella, endangering public health. A sizeable part of an industrial site’s wastewater may be reusable with the right treatment. A cooling water system may develop scale, corrode, and stink, and it may become a home for harmful microorganisms without efficient water treatment. As a result, operations become unreliable and dangerous, efficiency is decreased, and plant life is shortened. Various water treatment technologies can be used to raise or improve the quality of water.

Water Treatment Solutions for the Pharma Industry

Pharmaceutical industries, which employ water as an ingredient or a process catalyst, place a high priority on the usage of purified and high-quality water from a water treatment plant. Pharmaceutical businesses also rely on filtered water, to eliminate dissolved solutes to save money and achieve their environmental aims. The following are a few of the popular water treatment options. For efficient outcomes, these solutions can be applied singly or in combination.

Distillation – To remove pollutants suspended in water, distillation uses the volatility (difference in vapor pressures) of the water. The water is heated to a boil in a specially designed multi-column distillation facility, and the fumes are then condensed to provide sterile water, which is commonly used for the manufacture of injectables.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) – Known as one of the most effective methods for removing dissolved salts and minerals and reducing TDS levels, reverse osmosis (RO) is extensively used in the pharmaceutical industry and other fields where water is a vital resource and raw material. In reverse osmosis (RO), a high-pressure pump pushes water through a semi-permeable membrane that traps microorganisms in the water while allowing the “clean” water to pass, eliminating dissolved pollutants.

UV disinfection is a rapid, effective, and inexpensive way to disinfect water for use in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes which require pathogen-free water. During this process, UV sterilizers are used to expose the water to UV rays of specific wavelengths, which kill pathogens present in the water such as bacteria, viruses, algae, molds, etc, and prevent them from replicating. One of the main applications of UV disinfection, aside from the manufacture of medical products, is Cleaning in Place (CIP), a method used in the pharmaceutical industry to clean the vessels, apparatus, pipelines, filters, and other accessories used in routine manufacturing activities. Not only does UV help pharmaceutical businesses to adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice requirements (GMP), but also ensures the safety of liquid orals and extends the shelf life of such products.

Role of UV in Water Treatment Solutions for the Pharma Industry

UV technology plays a crucial role in water treatment for the pharma processing industry. The pharmaceutical industry requires high-quality water for various processes, including drug manufacturing and testing. UV water treatment systems offer an effective and efficient way to disinfect water and remove contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.

Water is a critical component in the pharmaceutical manufacturing process and is used in various stages such as cleaning, cooling, and as an ingredient in medicines. Contaminated water can lead to significant health risks and damage to the final product, making it necessary to treat water to eliminate harmful contaminants.

UV radiation penetrates the cell walls of these organisms, destroying their DNA and preventing them from reproducing. UV water treatment systems are also highly effective in removing organic compounds such as endotoxins, which are harmful to human health and can negatively impact the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products.

UV water treatment can be used as a standalone system or in combination with other treatment methods such as reverse osmosis or activated carbon filtration to provide a complete water treatment solution. It is a safe, reliable, and cost-effective method that helps to maintain the quality and purity of the final product.

Alfaa UV Solutions

BioPure UV

WWR Series

Alfaa UV is the leading water and wastewater disinfection company in India, contributing to projects and services in the field of water and wastewater treatment. Alfaa UV provides water treatment solutions for municipal, industrial, and recreational water applications.

Alfaa UV’s range of UV water treatment systems for the pharma processing industry provides reliable and efficient disinfection, ensuring that the water used in pharmaceutical manufacturing and testing is safe, pure, and of high quality.

For the pharmaceutical sector, Alfaa UV offers a wide variety of water treatment products. In order to satisfy your application needs, we offer tailored solutions. With the use of Alfaa UV’s solutions, numerous pharmaceutical procedures can use water that complies with FDA regulations. Industry-leading companies like Torrent Pharma, Cipla, Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. Sanofi, Pharmazeil, Panacea Biotec, Sun Pharma, Baxter, Centaur, Indoco Remedies, Hetero Labs, Ipca, Alembic, Reckitt Benckiser amongst numerous other large and small pharmaceutical companies use Alfaa UV water treatment solutions.

Testimonial from Torrent Pharmaceuticals

Thank you for choosing Alfaa UV as your trusted partner in the water treatment industry.