[Histonet] basic questions about purified water

[Priscilla Delventhal]

Not being a chemist, I hesitate to reply to this persons query, 
however, I don't feel any of the current posts really try to answer 
the question about distilled vs deionized water.  I don't really feel 
that it is a basic question, as I have asked that question over the 
years to other technologists and have had many explainations without 
finding anyone who really could explain or seemed to understand. 
 Having said that, I offer the following and hope to have my 
misunderstandings cleared up.

It is my understanding that distilled water removes all impurities, 
including the salts of metals that might interfere with the metals you 
are trying to stain or might combine with the metals in the stains you 
are using.

Deionization of water helps to remove all positive and negative ions 
from the different components in the water.  I'm not sure that it is 
possible to remove all ions as the Hydrogen and Oxygen in the water 
need ions to stay combined (I can hear some of you chemists now - 
probably laughing at this).  The basic rules of ionization are that 
like ions repel each other and unlike ions attract each other.  A good 
example of this useage is in our positively charged slides that are so 
popular now.

Having said all of that, depending upon what chemical you are using 
and what you are staining for, water that has all of these elements 
(distilled and deionized) removed would be better to use as it would 
prevent the unwanted combination of elements in your staining and 
produce a cleaner slide with the focus of your stain very clear and 
without precipitate.

I think that distilled and deionized water are used interchangably by 
many people without thinking that they are two separate procedures, 
many times combined in water purification systems.

OK Histonetters - have at it.  I know that some of this is probably 
incorrect.  I am now semi-retired and have broad shoulders. 
 Hopefully, I have helped the person who is studying for his exam.

Priscilla in Central Wyoming