ABSTRACT
The dialysis machines use the RO water provided by the loop to prepare dialysate from treated water and concentrated salts. Salt concentrates, in particular liquid bicarbonate concentrates, may be heavily contaminated with microorganisms such as Pseudomonas. Furthermore, bicarbonate promotes growth of bacteria present in RO water. The recent introduction of solid bicarbonate cartouches for dialysate preparation is an important step in reducing this latter problem. Taken together, preparation of dialysate in the dialysis machine from RO water and concentrated salts is an important source of bacterial and pyrogen contamination of dialysate.
