Reverse osmosis is a process used to separate dissolved solutes from water. It is a water purification process that removes ions, unwanted molecules, and larger particles from drinking water using a partially permeable membrane. In reverse osmosis, an applied pressure is used to overcome the osmotic pressure and push the water from high concentration of contaminants to low concentration of contaminants. The process of movement of solvent through a semipermeable membrane from the solution to the pure solvent by applying excess pressure on the solution side is called reverse osmosis.
Some key points about reverse osmosis include:
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Semipermeable membrane: A reverse osmosis membrane is a semipermeable membrane that allows the passage of water molecules but not the majority of dissolved salts, organics, bacteria, and pyrogens.
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Process: Reverse osmosis takes place when the solvent passes through the membrane against the concentration gradient, moving from a higher concentration to a lower concentration.
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Applications: Reverse osmosis is most commonly known for its use in drinking water purification, particularly with regard to removing salt and other effluent materials from water molecules. It is also used for water desalination, recovering contaminated solvents, cleaning up polluted streams, and desalinizing seawater.
Reverse osmosis is an effective means of concentrating impurities and is often used as an alternative to distillation for water purification.
