Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine
Desalination is becoming increasingly important to meet the growing demand for freshwater. However, a major drawback of this technology is the production of hypersaline brine. This by-product contains salts and contaminants that have been removed during the desalination process, including antiscalan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Water Research X |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914725000714 |
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| author | Ana Rotter Baruch Rinkevich Irem Deniz Maggie M. Reddy Mariana Girão Maria F. Carvalho Nina Gunde-Cimerman Cene Gostinčar Mercedes Cueto Ana R. Díaz-Marrero Viktoriia Komarysta Fusun Akgul Lada Lukić Bilela Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič Manolis Mandalakis |
| author_facet | Ana Rotter Baruch Rinkevich Irem Deniz Maggie M. Reddy Mariana Girão Maria F. Carvalho Nina Gunde-Cimerman Cene Gostinčar Mercedes Cueto Ana R. Díaz-Marrero Viktoriia Komarysta Fusun Akgul Lada Lukić Bilela Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič Manolis Mandalakis |
| author_sort | Ana Rotter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Desalination is becoming increasingly important to meet the growing demand for freshwater. However, a major drawback of this technology is the production of hypersaline brine. This by-product contains salts and contaminants that have been removed during the desalination process, including antiscalants, cleaning agents, heavy metals, and organic compounds. Instead of disposing of this brine and causing environmental harm, new strategies should be developed to transform brine from a burden into an opportunity with environmental and economic benefits. Brine can harbor halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, making it a valuable resource for studying microbial diversity, adaptations and exploring untapped biotechnological opportunities in pharmaceutical, industrial, and ecological fields. We propose two strategies of innovation: (i) using brine to cultivate micro- and macro-organisms, both of which can create circular economy models tailored to global and local needs. (ii) In addition, the amount of brine generated by desalination plants can be reduced by integrating or coupling them with biodesalination modules. These modules would harness halotolerant and halophilic organisms to retain and assimilate salts, reducing the environmental impact of desalination. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-925c0222937b4d5ca85ed285cea0ee05 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2589-9147 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Research X |
| spelling | doaj-art-925c0222937b4d5ca85ed285cea0ee052025-08-20T03:49:55ZengElsevierWater Research X2589-91472025-09-012810037210.1016/j.wroa.2025.100372Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brineAna Rotter0Baruch Rinkevich1Irem Deniz2Maggie M. Reddy3Mariana Girão4Maria F. Carvalho5Nina Gunde-Cimerman6Cene Gostinčar7Mercedes Cueto8Ana R. Díaz-Marrero9Viktoriia Komarysta10Fusun Akgul11Lada Lukić Bilela12Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič13Manolis Mandalakis14Marine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, Slovenia; Corresponding author.Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Tel-Shikmona P.O. Box 9753, Haifa 3109701, IsraelDepartment of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Manisa Celal Bayar University, 45119 Manisa, TurkeySchool of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, H91 TK33, IrelandCIIMAR/CIMAR LA, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, PortugalCIIMAR/CIMAR LA, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, PortugalBiotehniška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani, Jamnikarjeva ulica 101, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaBiotehniška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani, Jamnikarjeva ulica 101, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaInstituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avenida Astrofísico F. Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainInstituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), Avenida Astrofísico F. Sánchez 3, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainDepartment of Botany and Plant Ecology, School of Biology, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Svobody sq. 4, 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine; Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Paseo del Prado de la Magdalena 3-5, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, C/ Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid 47011, SpainFaculty of Arts and Science, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, 15030 Burdur, TurkeyDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 33-35, 71 000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and HerzegovinaMarine Biology Station Piran, National Institute of Biology, Fornače 41, 6330 Piran, SloveniaInstitute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 71500 Heraklion, GreeceDesalination is becoming increasingly important to meet the growing demand for freshwater. However, a major drawback of this technology is the production of hypersaline brine. This by-product contains salts and contaminants that have been removed during the desalination process, including antiscalants, cleaning agents, heavy metals, and organic compounds. Instead of disposing of this brine and causing environmental harm, new strategies should be developed to transform brine from a burden into an opportunity with environmental and economic benefits. Brine can harbor halotolerant and halophilic microorganisms, making it a valuable resource for studying microbial diversity, adaptations and exploring untapped biotechnological opportunities in pharmaceutical, industrial, and ecological fields. We propose two strategies of innovation: (i) using brine to cultivate micro- and macro-organisms, both of which can create circular economy models tailored to global and local needs. (ii) In addition, the amount of brine generated by desalination plants can be reduced by integrating or coupling them with biodesalination modules. These modules would harness halotolerant and halophilic organisms to retain and assimilate salts, reducing the environmental impact of desalination.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914725000714DesalinationBrineEnvironmental impactCircular economyBiotechnology |
| spellingShingle | Ana Rotter Baruch Rinkevich Irem Deniz Maggie M. Reddy Mariana Girão Maria F. Carvalho Nina Gunde-Cimerman Cene Gostinčar Mercedes Cueto Ana R. Díaz-Marrero Viktoriia Komarysta Fusun Akgul Lada Lukić Bilela Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič Manolis Mandalakis Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine Water Research X Desalination Brine Environmental impact Circular economy Biotechnology |
| title | Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine |
| title_full | Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine |
| title_fullStr | Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine |
| title_full_unstemmed | Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine |
| title_short | Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine |
| title_sort | innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine |
| topic | Desalination Brine Environmental impact Circular economy Biotechnology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914725000714 |
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