The Osmosis Process To understand reverse osmosis, you must first understand the naturally occurring process of osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane where a low concentration solution naturally moves to a high concentration solution until the osmotic pressures are balanced. To reverse this process, energy is applied to force water through the semi-permeable membrane. The membrane allows the passage of water molecules while rejecting 99% of salts, heavy metals, and chemicals. Total Dissolved Solids Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is a measurement of the total amount of dissolved inorganic compounds in water. TDS is made up of chemicals and heavy metals as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, chlorides, and carbonates. Where Do Contaminants Come From? Unnatural levels of TDS can accumulate in well, lake, and municipal water because of human activity. Since water dissolves more substances than other liquids, it is particularly vulnerable to contamination. Some water sources are contaminated naturally from organic sources like rocks, soil, and decaying vegetation, while other contaminants are manmade. Residential, industrial, and agricultural activities all release toxic substances into the environment, which enter lakes, streams, and oceans. These substances range from PFAS ("forever" chemicals) and radioactive waste, to pesticides and pharmaceuticals. All these contaminants can have a negative impact on the environment, like the creation of blue-green algae blooms, which can only be removed through the process of reverse osmosis or nanofiltration. Ingesting these contaminants can lead to both acute and chronic health effects including cancer.
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