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A simplified method for the quantification of fouling on reverse osmosis membranes: implication for the selection of effective cleaning chemicals

Reverse osmosis (RO) is the most popular technology for seawater desalination. A critical RO disadvantage is membrane fouling, which increases the operational cost of treatment and entails frequent chemical cleaning. Quantifying membrane fouling can be used as a tool for the selection of cleaning chemicals, development of cleaning procedures, and more, but it is challenging to perform. This study presents a simple method for fouling quantification at the lab scale. It employs an optical microscope to magnify and photograph fouled membrane coupons. The photomicrographs are then analyzed with optimized ImageJ software (an image-analysis software) to quantify fouling coverage through differences in surface toning. The method developed was successfully applied to quantifying membrane fouling before and after cleaning with 13 different chemicals, and to identify the most effective among them. Lab results were further validated at the pilot-scale, emphasizing the potential of this method as an effective tool for full-scale RO facilities and desalination researchers.