Picture a human hair. It’s about 70 microns thick. Now, divide that by 700,000. That’s your RO membrane pore. It’s so small that water molecules have to line up single-file to get through. I’m not exaggerating—I promise. Hydrogen and oxygen atoms hold hands and whisper, “Okay, your turn.”
Compare that to a microfiltration membrane, which is around 0.1 to 10 microns. That catches sand and silt. It’s like a window screen for water. Reverse osmosis is a different beast. It catches dissolved salts, heavy metals, and even that weird taste from chlorine. It’s the bouncer with the muscle memory of a dozen chemistry degrees.
Here’s the funny part: pore size isn’t everything. RO works partly by size exclusion (physical blocking) and partly by diffusion (the bad stuff gets repelled by the membrane’s charge). So even if a molecule is smaller than that 0.0001 micron gap, it might still get kicked out. Science is basically magic with a budget.
What Gets Through? (Spoiler: Almost Nothing)
Water. That’s the main thing. Pure, delicious H2O. Some dissolved gases—like oxygen and carbon dioxide—sneak through because they’re tiny and moody. That’s why RO water can taste a little flat at first. It’s not the membrane’s fault; it’s the gas playing hide-and-seek.
But things like sodium, fluoride, and arsenic? Blocked. Stopped. Rejected. The membrane doesn’t care if you want those minerals for your teeth. It’s just doing its job. You can always add minerals back in if you miss them. Or, you know, eat a salad. Your call.
Love that your water has no lead? Thank the 0.0001 micron pores. Hate that your water is basically distilled and tastes like nothing? Blame the same pores. It’s a trade-off, like having a super-clean house but missing the dust-bunny art exhibits.
Teknologi Reverse Osmosis ~ PT DELTA PURO INDONESIA
