Research progress on prevention and control of bio-fouling and early monitoring of reverse osmosis membrane in seawater desalination

Desalination plays a crucial role in clean water production, and Reverse osmosis (RO) is currently one of the most commonly used technologies in seawater desalination systems. However, during the operation of the RO system, various forms of pollution such as organic matter, inorganic matter, microorganisms, and other contaminants can accumulate on or within the RO membrane. These factors contribute to membrane flux and retention rate reduction, ultimately impacting membrane performance and reducing use cycle. Consequently, this significantly increases operational costs for projects, of which biological pollution is identified as the primary cause for the decline in membrane function. This paper provides a comprehensive review of different types of pollution affecting RO membranes used in desalination processes. Recent research and analysis conducted both domestically and internationally on early monitoring and control methods for biological pollution on RO membranes summarized. The paper describes various forms of microbial contamination, identifies causes for biological pollution, outlines relevant early monitoring techniques employed to detect contamination at early stage, proposes potential solutions to address these issues effectively and introduces new ideas for preventing fouling on RO membranes.