The influence of various monovalent cations and of divalent calcium ions on colloidal fouling strength was investigated quantitatively on a bench-scale ultrafiltration device. A higher colloidal fouling potential (k) was consistently observed with lithium chloride compared to the same ionic strengths of chlorides of other monovalent cations (Na+, K+, and Cs+). This observation was attributed to the formation of an impervious layer around the colloidal particle by lithium ions that prevented the repulsive forces due to the interaction of the silica hairs formed on the particles in the presence of water. The impact of the divalent calcium ion on the fouling potential was more complex. The fouling potential first increased with calcium ion concentration and then decreased. The maximum value of fouling potential occurred at the ionic strength corresponding to the critical coagulation concentration, which decreased with increasing colloid concentration. The colloidal fouling potential was well correlated by a bilinear relationship with colloid concentration and ionic strength for all salts tested under the critical coagulation concentration. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.