Last week we talked about microbial fouling. If you missed it, click here to read it.

Microbial fouling of reverse osmosis membranes!

Today let’s move on to organic fouling. First‑off, what unusual signs can we spot from the system without pulling out the RO membranes?

While microbial fouling and organic fouling are two completely different issues, they trigger nearly identical symptoms: rising operating pressure, increased stage differential pressure and heavier membrane weight, alongside a noticeable drop in permeate flow and salt rejection.

If you are still unsure, you can open the pressure vessel and inspect the membranes, as shown in the picture.

Issues rarely stay away during RO operation. It is completely normal to run into problems. Feel free to leave a message on XBYMC if you have any trouble you cannot sort out.