Impacts of Desalination Brine Discharge on Benthic Ecosystems
Ryan Sirota1,2,3,4, Gidon Winters2,5, Oren Levy6
1Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer 84990, Israel.
Environmental Science & Technology
|March 22, 2024
Summary
Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination brine harms benthic ecosystems, affecting organisms and biogeochemical processes. Minimizing brine discharge and using eco-friendly additives are crucial for marine habitat protection.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Oceanography
Background:
- Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) facilities produce freshwater but discharge hypersaline brine, often containing chemical additives.
- This dense brine can travel significant distances over the seabed, impacting benthic habitats.
- Existing reviews focus less on benthic impacts compared to broader marine ecosystems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review the effects of SWRO brine discharge on marine benthic fauna and flora.
- To analyze impacts on benthic organisms, community composition, and biogeochemical processes.
- To highlight the need for sustainable desalination practices.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on SWRO brine impacts.
- Analysis of research on effects on bacteria, seagrasses, polychaetes, and corals.
- Examination of modeling work on brine spread and sediment-water column interactions.
Main Results:
- SWRO brine causes impaired activities, morphological deformations, and altered community composition in benthic organisms.
- Brine can spread tens of kilometers, affecting nutrient fluxes and infiltrating sediments.
- Chemical additives in brine can alter redox zones and impact sediment biogeochemical processes.
Conclusions:
- SWRO brine poses significant risks to benthic ecosystems, affecting both organisms and crucial biogeochemical functions.
- Increasing desalination demands necessitate technologies to minimize brine discharge and adopt eco-friendly additives.
- Governmental support is essential for implementing these technologies and protecting coastal ecosystems.
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