Reverse osmosis (
RO) is a water purification technology that uses a
semipermeable membrane to remove larger particles from drinking water. In reverse osmosis, an applied pressure is used to overcome
osmotic pressure, a
colligative property, that is driven by
chemical potential, a
thermodynamic parameter. Reverse osmosis can remove many types of
molecules and
ions from solutions, including bacteria, and is used in both industrial processes and the production of
potable water. The result is that the
solute is retained on the pressurized side of the membrane and the pure
solvent is allowed to pass to the other side. To be "selective", this membrane should not allow large molecules or ions through the (holes), but should allow smaller components of the solution (such as the solvent) to pass freely.