CU Boulder researchers have introduced a solution to improving the performance of large-scale desalination plants: stimulated Raman scattering (SRS).

Published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the laser-based imaging method allows researchers to observe in real-time membrane fouling, a process where unwanted materials such as salts, minerals and microorganisms accumulate on filtration membranes.

Worldwide, 55% of people experience water scarcity at least one month a year, and that number is expected to climb to 66% by the end of the century.