Reverse osmosis (RO) is the largest promising and popular water treatment technology with a distinguished rank at the top of the list compared with other water treatment methods. Unfortunately, RO technology is adversely impacted by fouling, the most crippling obstacle to its spread use in water treatment industry. Membrane fouling known to be the process of undesirable matter accumulation on the membrane surface or inside its pores resulting in the reduction of the membrane permeate flux as well as its overall efficiency. This article comprehensively illustrates fouling sources, impacts, influencing factors, characterization, types of fouling, their formation mechanisms, and nature. Furthermore, membrane cleaning strategies, fouling control, prevention and mitigation are also covered. The article emphasized that membrane fouling is inevitable issue of RO technology and it must be controlled, minimized, and if possible overcome. Despite the big efforts made by researchers towards doing so, the need to further understand fouling issue and strategies to control and mitigate it are consequently in need of further research and investigation. Additionally, novel membrane materials and innovative manufacturing processes should also be adopted to reduce the fouling potential and to provide radical solutions for fouling.
عزام احمد محمد ابو حبيب | | 1577