Membrane Treatment

Membrane treatment for reverse osmosis systems

Membrane units, these days are widely used in the water pre-treatment preparation and are becoming one of the most important technologies in the production of highly purified water. Nevertheless, these systems often face problems with scaling and fouling and are therefore limited by frequent maintenance, downtime and high costs. Our membrane treatment solution programs are specifically designed for membrane units like reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration and nanofiltration and enable the removal or prevent scale and fouling deposits. Our main target is to run these plants under environmentally friendly and beneficial economic conditions. Special attention is given to an efficient utilization of energy as well as saving precious water. Kurita develops an efficient and effective treatment concept achieving an optimal economic operation and a maximum operational reliability of a plant.

Membrane units are used in various sectors of industry:

  • Surface technologies (cutting fluids, tooling oils, emulsions, cataphoresis baths, phosphating baths, painting, cleaning baths)
  • Seawater desalination
  • Waste water recovery system
  • Boiler water preparation
  • Biotechnologies
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Food and Beverage
  • Healthcare
  • Microelectronics
  • Metals and Mining
  • Municipal Drinking Water
  • Agriculture

What kind of products does Kurita offer?

Our comprehensive product range enables Kurita to specifically target contaminants that would otherwise impact system operation.

Antiscalants

Learn more

Cleaners

Learn more

Biocides control agents

Learn more

Membrane coagulants

Learn more

Chlorine scavengers

Learn more

Membrane preservatives

Learn more

OSCAR

Learn more

Why choose Kurita?

Our solutions prevent deposition, reduce the cleaning frequency and downtime and help you save costs. Our strength is our ability to offer you not only the chemicals but also procedures designed to give you the benefit of more than 65 years of experience. Our field experience and our technical facilities with the most advance equipment and facilities in membrane autopsy will help you to find a customized solution for your system. 

Consultancy and Service

A thorough understanding of the design and the operation of a reverse osmosis installation is the basis for a successful treatment concept. According to this principle, we perform the following investigations in our scientific research laboratories:

Based on these comprehensive preliminary investigations it is possible to select the most suitable biocides, antiscalants and cleaning chemicals, and thus to operate a plant in an economical and environmentally friendly way.

*Attention: Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

A regular monitoring of the operational plant performance, as well as a regular maintenance, are basic preconditions for a trouble-free operation. Scaling within reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is a serious matter, scaling can drastically reduce system performance and the abrasive scale deposits may case irreversible damage to the rejecting membrane surface. Furthermore, the membranes need to be protected against fouling and scaling in order to maximize their lifetime and avoid unnecessary and undesired stops.

We select the most effective antiscalant for each specific application and supply water quality. Our antiscalants offer excellent inhibiting effects for:

  • Colloids and suspended matter
  • Iron and manganese
  • Calcium carbonate
  • Calcium sulfate
  • Strontium sulfate
  • Barium sulfate
  • Silicate
  • Silica

Our product portfolio includes antiscalants with NSF certification.

Biological, organic and inorganic contaminants present in the supply-water deposit on the surface of membranes. The deposition of the contaminants from an impure supply water on a membrane surface is generally referred to as “fouling”. The adsorption of micro-organisms to the surface of membranes is designated as “biofouling”. Biofouling is particularly problematic since micro-organisms can reproduce and grow in an exponential way over the membrane surface. The consequences: the efficiency of the plant suffers significantly and can produce irrecoverable damage to the membranes.

In order to prevent the process of biofouling effectively, the addition of biocides and biofouling daily control agents are essential and highly recommended. Kurita has developed special biocides* which substantially contribute to the economical operation of reverse osmosis plants. Our technology is characterized by:

  • Low dosing rates
  • Dispersion of existing biofilms
  • Prevention of germ resistance

The stress-load of a plant should be reduced as much as possible by an effective pre-treatment of the feed water. Depending on the raw-water quality suitable pre-treatments are coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration etc.

Colloids and silt fouling are major causes of performance decline in RO membrane systems. As a result, many system designs include upstream Multimedia Filtration (MMF) to enhance particulate removal and improve the feedwater quality to downstream membranes systems. Membrane compatible coagulants improve efficiency of MMF equipment by increasing particulate removal.

Kurita has a broad and deep expert-knowledge as well as specifically developed and innovative products for these treatment steps. With various analytical methods, e.g. SDI-measurements, the appropriate products can be selected already in specific lab-tests.

An effective pre-treatment of water is the basis for a smooth operation of the reverse osmosis plant. However, it cannot completely prevent the membranes from fouling and scaling, which decreases the membrane’s performance. This, in turn, increases the energy demand of the plant substantially while the quality of the produced water diminishes. This performance loss results from colloidal and microbiological depositions as well as from deposits of metal hydroxides. Also, deposits of CaCO3, CaSO4, SIO2, BaSO4 and CaF2 reduce the yield of permeate.

It is, therefore, necessary to clean the membranes regularly. Cleaning membranes in RO systems removes mineral scale, organic matter, biological growth, colloidal particles, and/or insoluble constituents which build on or in a membrane element. Specific demands require individual solutions for the proper cleaning procedure. Kurita performs a range of preliminary investigations, like membrane autopsy, in order to develop a suitable cleaning procedure for your system in order to extend reverse osmosis membranes live and avoid unnecessary replacements. The following aspects are of importance:

  • Avista Membrane Autopsy
  • Performance tests
  • Analyses of water
  • Purification tests
  • Analyses of deposits
Tetsuya Teramoto

Tetsuya Teramoto

Managing Director, Kurita R&D Asia Pte. Ltd.

Mr. Tetsuya Teramoto has served as Managing Director of Kurita R&D Asia Pte. Ltd. since 2024. Since joining Kurita Water Industries in 2006, he has accumulated nearly 20 years of experience in technology strategy, research and development, and business innovation, including investments in startup companies.

Throughout his career, Mr. Teramoto has led development projects across Japan, China, and the United States. Since 2023, he has been based in Singapore, where he has focused on accelerating technology development aligned with ASEAN market needs, strengthening partnerships with startups, universities, and other ecosystem stakeholders, and driving the creation of emerging solutions that contribute to the Kurita Group’s growth.

Mr. Teramoto holds a Master’s degree in Biosystem Studies from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. Leveraging his expertise in both research and development and business strategy, he is committed to driving innovation that transforms technology into business value and sustainable growth opportunities.

Zackariya

Mohamad Zackariya

Managing Director, Kurita (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Mr. Mohamad Zackariya has served as Managing Director of Kurita (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. since April 2023, capping a distinguished career of more than 25 years with the company. A Singaporean national, he joined Kurita Singapore in 1998 as a Design Engineer in the Plant Division and progressed through a series of leadership roles, including Manager, General Manager, Director, and ultimately Managing Director. His extensive experience has played a key role in strengthening the company’s technical capabilities, customer partnerships, and business growth across the region.

Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from Singapore Institute of Management, Mr. Zackariya combines deep technical expertise with strong business leadership. He is committed to advancing Kurita’s mission of creating shared value through innovation, operational excellence, and sustainable water solutions that support customers and industries throughout Southeast Asia.

Masato Hirai

Masato Hirai

Chief Administration Officer, ASEAN Regional

Mr. Masato Hirai serves as ASEAN Regional Chief Administration Officer at Kurita, a role he has held since 2023. With more than 25 years of experience in corporate administration, financial planning, and business operations, he brings extensive expertise in supporting organizational growth, strengthening governance, and driving operational excellence across international business environments.

Mr. Hirai joined Kurita Group in 2021 and has held leadership positions in Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for financial planning and analysis, business administration, and the management of cross-functional corporate operations. He has also supported overseas subsidiaries across Asia, Europe, and North America, contributing to the development of effective business practices and strong stakeholder relationships. Prior to joining Kurita, he held management and planning roles at several multinational manufacturing and chemical companies.

Known for his strategic vision and collaborative approach to leadership, Mr. Hirai is committed to strengthening organizational performance and creating long-term sustainable growth. Currently based in Indonesia, he leverages extensive international experience to support Kurita’s regional development and business transformation initiatives. He graduated from Hitotsubashi University, Japan, with a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in 1999.

Toshiaki Nakai

Toshiaki Nakai

General Director, Kurita-GK Vietnam Co. Ltd.

Mr. Toshiaki Nakai serves as General Director of Kurita-GK Vietnam Co. Ltd., a position he has held since April 2026. With more than 20 years of experience at Kurita, he has developed extensive expertise in water treatment solutions, business development, and customer partnership management across a wide range of industrial sectors, including general manufacturing, oil refining, and steel production.

Since joining Kurita Water Industries Ltd. in 2004 as a Sales Engineer, Mr. Nakai has supported customers in optimizing water use, enhancing operational efficiency, and advancing sustainability initiatives. He later expanded his leadership responsibilities in Indonesia, serving as General Manager of PT. Kurita Indonesia from 2022 to 2025 and Senior General Manager from 2025 to 2026, where he contributed to the company’s growth and strengthened its market presence.

Mr. Nakai holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from Kobe University, Japan, graduating in 2004.

Toshinori Maema

Toshinori Maema

President Director, P.T. Kurita Indonesia

Mr. Toshinori Maema has served as President Director of PT. Kurita Indonesia since 2025, bringing over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, technical, and business leadership within the water treatment industry. Having worked across Asia, Europe, and North America, he offers a global perspective on customer engagement, organizational development, and sustainable business growth.

Since joining the Kurita Group in 2004, Mr. Maema has held leadership positions at various Kurita companies in China, Europe, Japan, and Avista Technologies in the United States, where he served as President & CEO from 2023 to 2025 to focus on global initiatives to expand the Kurita reverse osmosis chemicals business. With more than half of his career spent outside Japan, he has developed extensive experience in leading multicultural teams and driving business growth across diverse markets.

Mr. Maema holds a degree in Biochemistry from Aoyama Gakuin University and completed the Leadership on Change program at IESE Business School. Fluent in Japanese, English, and Chinese, with elementary proficiency in German, he is passionate about fostering collaboration across cultures. Outside of work, he enjoys a wide range of sports, including golf, baseball, soccer, and basketball.