Ecolab Inc. has reached a deal to buy Purate, a small Swedish antimicrobial water treatment division from AkzoNobel, according to a company news release.

The St. Paul-based cleaning products giant didn't indicate how much it was paying for the Purate business -- which provides patented chlorine dioxide programs for a wide range of water treatment applications.

“Our plan is to take [Purate] globally and use it more in the United States," an Ecolab spokeswoman told the Star Tribune. "We are excited about the offering."

The agreement is Ecolab's third purchase in less than a year and a half.

Ecolab finally closed its planned acquisition of Houston-based Champion Technologies earlier this month after resolving federal antitrust concerns.

In December 2011, Ecolab completed its $8.3 billion deal to acquire Nalco Holding Co., an Illinois-based water treatment provider.

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