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Hemodialysis reverse osmosis (RO) water purification systems designed to deliver water pure enough for hemodialysis procedures that can be transported on wheels or that are compact and lightweight enough to permit manual carrying or wearing by one person (i.e., portable). These systems typically consist of a small container with a central semi-permeable membrane separating the contaminated water from the purified water. Hydrostatic pressure high enough to exceed the osmotic pressure is then applied to the contaminated water section. The membrane is permeable to water but impermeable to the solutes thus providing purified water on the other side of the membrane. Appropriate tubing (e.g., hoses) to connect the system to the water supply and the hemodialysis unit respectively is also needed. RO systems used in hemodialysis remove salts, bacteria, metal ions, and particulates to a greater degree than standard RO systems. Water obtained after the procedure should be tested periodically due to the high volume of water that patients are exposed to during hemodialysis in which even trace quantities of contaminants (e.g., aluminum) may be dangerous. The elimination of chloramines (e.g., using a carbon bed) present in tap water is also essential. Reverse osmosis systems may be used after filtration of the incoming water is performed, especially if the water is highly contaminated with particulates. Deionization, ultrafiltration, and/or disinfection with ultraviolet radiation may be needed after reverse osmosis if the presence of contaminants is high due to the fact that RO removes percentages (e.g., 95 to 99 percent) rather than fixed quantities of contaminants.
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