Hemodialysis water treatment isn’t just RO—it’s a team effort, with RO systems relying on pretreatment to work effectively. But how exactly do these steps collaborate?
Pretreatment (sand filters, carbon filters, softeners) handles “big” impurities first: sand filters remove sediment, carbon filters adsorb chloramine and organics, and softeners reduce calcium/magnesium to prevent scaling. This lightens the load on RO membranes—without pretreatment, debris would clog RO, lowering efficiency and shortening its lifespan.
RO then takes over for deep purification: it removes >95% of dissolved solids, >98% of heavy metals, and >99% of microbes—contaminants pretreatment can’t eliminate. For example, carbon filters reduce chloramine but may miss traces; RO catches these, ensuring compliance with AAMI standards.
Pretreatment also protects RO’s performance: softeners stop mineral buildup on membranes, which would otherwise force the system to use more energy. Together, they create a seamless line: pretreatment prepares water, RO polishes it, and post-filters finalize it. This collaboration isn’t optional—it’s what makes dialysis water safe and RO systems cost-effective long-term. Click here to know more.
