Impact of brine discharge from desalination plants on marine ecosystems: A review

Desalination addresses freshwater scarcity, but hypersaline brine discharge raises ecological and health concerns. This review synthesizes 15 years of research on desalination brine impacts. Key stressors, high salinity, temperature, alkalinity, and metals, degrade water quality, biodiversity, and ecological balance. Effects include 40% plankton loss and 25¿30% seagrass decline near outfalls. Elevated ions and residual chemicals disrupt microbes, fostering pathogens and disease. Regulatory frameworks remain fragmented. Advances in AI modeling and resource recovery offer mitigation, yet knowledge gaps persist on cumulative and synergistic impacts. Sustainable desalination requires integrated monitoring, AI-based management, and harmonized global regulations for ecosystem protection. © © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Impact of brine discharge from desalination plants on marine ecosystems: A review Academic Article in Scopus