| When trying to understand the concept of reverse | | | | To enable reverse osmosis, artificial pressure is |
| osmosis water filtration, it is important that one first | | | | applied to a quantity of polluted water. The pressure |
| understands what ordinary osmosis is. Osmosis is the | | | | that is applied must be in excess of that which allows |
| diffusion of a solvent through a selectively permeable | | | | regular osmosis. This pressure forces the dirty water |
| membrane. The solvent passes from low solute | | | | to pass through a semi-permeable membrane which |
| concentration through the membrane to solution with | | | | traps undesired pollutants and allows only pure water |
| the higher solute concentration. The process sounds | | | | to pass through. The successful application of |
| complex although like many scientific processes, it | | | | reverse osmosis has realized new levels of water |
| can be easier to understand when it is in practice. | | | | purity and more importantly, the technology is |
| The human body is the perfect place to begin looking | | | | applicable to a variety of scales for use. In fact, |
| at the process of osmosis and thus take our first | | | | reports that reverse osmosis systems are now |
| step toward understanding reverse osmosis. Osmosis | | | | packaged for use in everything from city water |
| is the primary means by which water is transported | | | | supplies to in home water coolers. Furthermore, such |
| for use in the human body. The process of osmosis | | | | home coolers have shown to be competitive in cost |
| is the way that water is able to enter and exit cells. | | | | comparisons with their conventional water filtration |
| Effectively, equilibrium is reached between the | | | | counterparts. |
| concentration of water within the cell and in the | | | | So far industry has proven that reverse osmosis can |
| blood. This application of osmosis is extremely | | | | be used in desalination and also for the purification of |
| functional although the process of reverse osmosis | | | | effluent, grey and brackish water. These applications |
| has become attractive for the purpose of water | | | | appear to be a bastion of hope for a world that is |
| filtration. | | | | clearly struggling to match the demand for water |
| Essentially the most significant difference between | | | | from a growing population. |
| normal osmosis and reverse osmosis lies in pressure. | | | | |