| − | Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a membrane separation process designed to treat wastewater containing a variety of contaminants including [[organic]] compounds. | + | Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a membrane separation process designed to treat wastewater containing a variety of contaminants including [[organic]] compounds. In regular osmosis, water flows across a membrane so that the concentration of impurity on each side of the membrane is equal. In reverse osmosis, the opposite occurs. Pressure is applied to one side of the membrane so that the ending concentration on either side of the membrane is uneven. By employing reverse osmosis, one can take water containing some impurity (such as saltwater) and pass it through a series of filters to achieve drinkable water. |