Desalination and environment: A critical analysis of impacts, mitigation strategies, and greener desalination technologies.

Autor: Ihsanullah I; Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: ihsankhan@kfupm.edu.sa., Atieh MA; Chemical and Water Desalination Engineering (CWDE) Program, College of Engineering, University of Sharjah, PO Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates., Sajid M; Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia., Nazal MK; Center for Environment and Water, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2021 Aug 01; Vol. 780, pp. 146585. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Mar 19.
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146585
Abstrakt: The desalination of seawater is perceived as one of the most viable processes to fulfill the mounting demand for freshwater. Despite enormous economic, social, and health benefits offered by desalination, there are several concerns regarding its prospective environmental impacts (EIs). The objective of this work is to critically evaluate the potential EIs of seawater desalination, and assess the prospects of greener desalination. The EIs of desalination on marine environment, land, groundwater, and air quality was systematically reviewed. An attempt has been made to analyze the actuality of these so-called impacts with reference to evidence from real desalination plants. The mitigative measures to counterbalance these unfavorable impacts are critically appraised. Furthermore, the brine management technologies for the disposal of reject stream, the recovery of precious materials and water, and the production of useful chemicals are also reviewed. Current challenges to minimize the adverse impacts of desalination and prospects of sustainable greener desalination to overwhelm global water scarcities are also discussed. The current desalination approaches have moderate and minor negative EIs. However, with proper mitigation and utilization of modern technologies, these impacts can be lessened. Furthermore, by employing various modern techniques, reject brine can be utilized for several useful applications while reducing its adverse impacts simultaneously. Recent advancements in desalination technologies have also offered many alternative approaches that provide a roadmap towards greener desalination. This review article will be beneficial for all the stakeholders in the desalination industry.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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