Emerging investigator series: a state-of-the-art review on large-scale desalination technologies and their brine management

Abstract

Freshwater scarcity, caused by population growth and climate change, has boosted the demand for desalination technologies. This review examines both thermal- and membrane-based desalination methods, with a particular emphasis on the environmental difficulties posed by brine, a concentrated byproduct of these processes. Novel brine management techniques, such as crystallization and resource recovery, are explored as long-term alternatives to conventional disposal methods, thereby providing opportunities to reduce environmental harm while increasing resource efficiency. Furthermore, this review explores the regulatory frameworks that control brine discharge and discusses the limitations of present technologies, such as the requirement for chemical pretreatment and high membrane replacement costs. By highlighting these aspects, this review provides insights into improving the sustainability and efficiency of desalination techniques.