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How does bacterial contamination affect the quality of reverse osmosis (RO) water? 


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Bacterial contamination can significantly affect the quality of reverse osmosis (RO) water. The presence of microorganisms in the feed water can lead to membrane fouling, scaling, and degradation, which can reduce the efficiency and performance of the RO system . Biofouling, a common issue in RO systems, occurs when microorganisms attach and grow on the membrane surface, leading to reduced water flow and increased pressure drop . Disinfection processes used to control bacterial growth can also have an impact on biofouling potential. Certain disinfection methods, such as NaClO and ClO2, have been found to select undesirable disinfection-residual bacteria (DRB), which can contribute to long-term biofouling . The biofouling behavior of DRB is influenced by factors such as biofilm thickness, density, and the presence of specific bacterial genera, such as Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, and Acinetobacter, which are associated with biofouling . Overall, bacterial contamination can have detrimental effects on the quality and performance of RO water, highlighting the importance of effective disinfection and biofouling prevention strategies .

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Papers (4)Insight
The provided paper does not directly address the question of how bacterial contamination affects the quality of reverse osmosis (RO) water. The paper focuses on investigating the interaction between microorganisms and calcium sulfate in reverse osmosis systems.
Book ChapterDOI
Syed Javaid Zaidi, Haleema Saleem 
01 Jan 2022
2 Citations
Bacterial contamination can affect the performance of the RO membrane by causing membrane fouling, which can lead to decreased efficiency and the need for frequent cleaning or sanitization.
The provided paper does not directly address the impact of bacterial contamination on the quality of reverse osmosis (RO) water.
OtherDOI
05 May 2023
The provided paper does not directly address the impact of bacterial contamination on the quality of reverse osmosis (RO) water.

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