On the of seawater desalination environmental impacts and brine treatment based challenges and mitigation measures in Algeria

Abstract

In this paper the environmental impacts of seawater desalination is investigated and highlighted. Indeed despite the various benefits of desalination there is growing apprehension about the potential negative environmental effects it may bring and generate. Both during the plant construction and its operation service. There is the possibility of leading and causing adverse environmental impacts. A significant concern with desalination is the co-produced and generated waste known as 'brine' or 'reject,' which contains high salinity as well as chemical residuals which are released into the marine environment. Viable and cost-effective brine management systems are necessary to mitigate the negative impact of brine, also referred to as concentrate, which is a by-product of the desalination process. This high salinity substance poses a threat to the environment and must be managed effectively in order to reduce pollution. Aside from brine other difficulties include marine species entrainment and trapping, as well as high chemical use. This paper provides an extensive overview and evaluation of desalination technologies used in Algeria including thermal methods such as Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) and Multiple Effect Distillation (MED) as well as Membrane Reverse Osmosis (RO). Furthermore in order to assess the potential environmental implications of desalination and brine treatment on the Algerian coast, mitigation strategies are proposed to curb the environmental negative impact. To protect water resources for present and future generations, improved brine management techniques are needed to minimize adverse environmental effects and lower the financial burden of disposal. This will encourage further advancements in desalination plants. Ultimately, the paper emphasizes upcoming research opportunities in brine treatment technologies with a focus on improving the efficiency and sustainability of desalination.