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J Environ Health Sustain Dev 2025, 10(1): 2480-2482 |
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Pormazar S M, Dalvand A. Brine Water Management of Reverse Osmosis. J Environ Health Sustain Dev 2025; 10 (1) :2480-2482
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URL: http://jehsd.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-849-en.html
Environmental Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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Among various desalination methods, reverse osmosis (RO) has emerged as the most widely adopted technology due to its efficiency and the availability of advanced polymeric membranes 1. This method not only produces potable water but is also increasingly utilized in tertiary wastewater treatment.
Despite major advancements aimed to improve productivity and efficiency, RO processes remain energy-intensive, particularly when extracting freshwater from brackish and seawater resources. The specific energy consumption associated with seawater RO (SWRO) typically falls within the range of 2.0 to 3.5 kWh/m³, with an average value of approximately 3.0 kWh/m³ based on the volume of water produced 2. This considerable energy requirement is largely due to the pumps necessary for overcoming the high osmotic pressure present in the feed solutions. Furthermore, the pursuit of higher potable water recovery results in increasingly concentrated retentate from SWRO, complicating both recovery rates and disposal methods 3.
The discharge from RO systems typically contains a higher concentration of salts, organic compounds, and other contaminants that are present in feedwater 4, 5. The ratio of the purified water produced (permeate) to discharge of the water (concentrate, retentate or brine) varies based on the salinity and ionic composition of feed water, design of the systems and operating conditions, often ranging from 35 to 90% 6,7.
High salinity levels in the discharge can harm aquatic ecosystems if released into natural bodies of water, leading to osmotic stress for marine life and disrupting habitats 8, 9. Common disposal methods include dilution in larger bodies of water, deep well injection, or evaporation ponds, each with its own environmental implications and regulatory requirements 10. The cost of brine disposal is another important issue. Another significant consideration is the cost of brine disposal. In coastal desalination facilities, brine disposal costs can account for 5% to 33% of the total desalination expenses. Inland desalination plants face even higher disposal costs due to the specific characteristics of the brine and the associated treatment requirements 11, 12.
To mitigate the impacts of RO discharge, several technological advances are being explored. Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) is one proposed solution for brine management in inland desalination plants, aiming to eliminate any liquid waste by recovering and reusing all water while solidifying all dissolved material. ZLD processes recover all water in wastewater streams, leaving only solid waste, which can be disposed of more safely and environmentally friendly 13, 14. Improved membrane technologies are also being developed to enhance efficiency and reduce the volume of concentrate generated. Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) processes, which focus on achieving water recovery rates of approximately 95%, have been proposed as cost-effective alternatives to ZLD, as they require less energy and capital investment 15, 16.
In MLD systems, filtration processes are utilized instead of thermally driven phase-change methods, resulting in a notable reduction in energy consumption compared to ZLD systems, which typically involve multiple stages including pretreatment, preconcentration, evaporation, and crystallization 17, 18. Integrated systems that combine RO with other treatment processes, such as nanofiltration or ion exchange, can also reduce the concentration of harmful substances in the discharge 19.
Moreover, innovative approaches, such as osmotically assisted RO (OARO) and cascading osmotically mediated RO (COMRO), have been proposed to reduce hydraulic pressure requirements in MLD. However, the practical challenges of constructing bilateral countercurrent modules that operate under conventional RO pressures pose limitations to the widespread implementation of these technologies 13, 20. Therefore, the advancement of novel technologies capable of concentrating wastewater to high salinities while maintaining moderate pressure and energy requirements is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of both MLD and ZLD processes 21.
In MLD systems, various desalination techniques are integrated into a unified hybrid framework, similar to ZLD systems. However, the exclusive use of membrane-based technologies within MLD systems presents notable advantages. This approach significantly reduces energy and cost requirements, primarily due to the predominance of membrane technologies in MLD treatment schemes, in contrast to ZLD systems, utilizing both membrane and thermal technologies 22. The MLD framework aligns with the circular economy model—a contemporary sustainable development paradigm that has garnered support from the European :union:. Both MLD and ZLD systems contribute to the transition toward a circular economy by minimizing waste generation, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and optimizing resource utilization16, 23.
Although RO remains a vital technology for addressing freshwater scarcity, the environmental implications of brine disposal and the high energy demands of the process must be carefully considered. Sustainable management practices and technological innovations are essential to minimize the ecological footprint of desalination processes and protect marine life from the adverse effects of concentrated saline discharges.
This is an Open-Access article distributed in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon this work for commercial use.
References
1. Pérez-González A, Urtiaga A, Ibáñez R, et al. State of the art and review on the treatment technologies of water reverse osmosis concentrates. Water Research. 2012;46(2):267-83.
2. Lee S, Choi J, Park Y-G, et al. Hybrid desalination processes for beneficial use of reverse osmosis brine: current status and future prospects. Desalination. 2019;454:104-11.
3. Li W, Krantz WB, Cornelissen ER, et al. A novel hybrid process of reverse electrodialysis and reverse osmosis for low energy seawater desalination and brine management. Appl Energy. 2013;104:592-602.
4. Pramanik BK, Shu L, Jegatheesan V. A review of the management and treatment of brine solutions. Environ Sci (Camb). 2017;3(4):625-58.
5. Kress N, Gertner Y, Shoham-Frider E. Seawater quality at the brine discharge site from two mega size seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants in Israel (Eastern Mediterranean). Water Research. 2020;171:115402.
6. Ali ES, Alsaman AS, Harby K, et al. Recycling brine water of reverse osmosis desalination employing adsorption desalination: a theoretical simulation. Desalination. 2017;408:13-24.
7. Almasoudi S, Jamoussi B. Desalination technologies and their environmental impacts: a review. Sustainable Chemistry One World. 2024;1:100002.
8. Romeyn TR, Harijanto W, Sandoval S, et al. Contaminants of emerging concern in reverse osmosis brine concentrate from indirect/direct water reuse applications. Water Science and Technology. 2016;73(2):236-50.
9. Shah KM, Billinge IH, Chen X, et al. Drivers, challenges, and emerging technologies for desalination of high-salinity brines: a critical review. Desalination. 2022;538:115827.
10. Elsaid K, Kamil M, Sayed ET, et al. Environmental impact of desalination technologies: a review. Science of the Total Environment. 2020;748:141528.
11. Pérez-González A, Urtiaga AM, Ibáñez R, et al. State of the art and review on the treatment technologies of water reverse osmosis concentrates. Water Research. 2012;46(2):267-83.
12. Shanmuganathan S, Johir MAH, Listowski A, et al. Sustainable processes for treatment of waste water reverse osmosis concentrate to achieve zero waste discharge: a detailed study in water reclamation plant. Procedia Environ Sci. 2016;35:930-7.
13. Wang Z, Deshmukh A, Du Y, et al. Minimal and zero liquid discharge with reverse osmosis using low-salt-rejection membranes. Water Research. 2020;170:115317.
14. de Nicolás AP, Molina-García A, García-Bermejo JT, et al. Reject brine management: denitrification and zero liquid discharge (ZLD)—current status, challenges and future prospects. J Clean Prod. 2022;381:135124.
15. Karimi S, Engstler R, Hosseinipour E, et al. High-pressure batch Reverse Osmosis (RO) for zero liquid discharge (ZLD) in a Cr(III) electroplating process. Desalination. 2024;580: 117479.
16. Rajamanickam R, Selvasembian R. A sustainable resource recovery approach through micro-algae integrated brine management in minimal liquid discharge system. Desalination. 2024:117424.
17. Garg R, Singh S, Vijay Kumar T. A review of zero liquid discharge and solvent driven aqueous phase processes for brine treatment. Clean Technol Environ Policy. 2024:1-23.
18. Date M, Patyal V, Jaspal D, et al. Zero liquid discharge technology for recovery, reuse, and reclamation of wastewater: a critical review. J Water Process Eng. 2022;49:103129.
19. Gonzales RR, Nakagawa K, Kumagai K, et al. Hybrid Osmotically Assisted Reverse Osmosis and Reverse Osmosis (OARO-RO) process for minimal liquid discharge of high strength nitrogenous wastewater and enrichment of ammoniacal nitrogen. Water Research. 2023; 246:120716.
20. Chen X, Yip NY. Unlocking high-salinity desalination with cascading osmotically mediated reverse osmosis: energy and operating pressure analysis. Environ Sci Ecotechnol. 2018;52(4):2242-50.
21. Shamlou E, Vidic R, El-Halwagi MM, et al. Optimization-based modeling and analysis of brine reflux osmotically assisted reverse osmosis for application toward zero liquid discharge systems. Desalination. 2022;539:115948.
22. Panagopoulos A. Techno-economic assessment of Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) treatment systems for saline wastewater (brine) management and treatment. Process Safety and Environmental Protection. 2021;146:656-69.
23. O’Connell MG, Rajendran N, Elimelech M, et al. Analysis of energy, water, land and cost implications of zero and minimal liquid discharge desalination technologies. Nat Water. 2024;2(11):1116-27.
Full-Text: (65 Views)
Brine Water Management of Reverse Osmosis
Seyedeh Mahtab Pormazar 1,2, Arash Dalvand 1*
1 Environmental Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
2 Student Research Committee, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
Seyedeh Mahtab Pormazar 1,2, Arash Dalvand 1*
1 Environmental Sciences and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
2 Student Research Committee, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
| A R T I C L E I N F O | ||
| LETTER TO EDITOR | *Corresponding Author: Arash Dalvand Email: arash.dalvand@gmail.com Tel: +98 9130798226 |
|
Article History: Received: 27 October 2024 Accepted: 20 January 2025 |
||
Citation: Pormazar SM, Dalvand A. Brine Water Management of Reverse Osmosis. J Environ Health Sustain Dev. 2025; 10(1): 2480-2.
Among various desalination methods, reverse osmosis (RO) has emerged as the most widely adopted technology due to its efficiency and the availability of advanced polymeric membranes 1. This method not only produces potable water but is also increasingly utilized in tertiary wastewater treatment.
Despite major advancements aimed to improve productivity and efficiency, RO processes remain energy-intensive, particularly when extracting freshwater from brackish and seawater resources. The specific energy consumption associated with seawater RO (SWRO) typically falls within the range of 2.0 to 3.5 kWh/m³, with an average value of approximately 3.0 kWh/m³ based on the volume of water produced 2. This considerable energy requirement is largely due to the pumps necessary for overcoming the high osmotic pressure present in the feed solutions. Furthermore, the pursuit of higher potable water recovery results in increasingly concentrated retentate from SWRO, complicating both recovery rates and disposal methods 3.
The discharge from RO systems typically contains a higher concentration of salts, organic compounds, and other contaminants that are present in feedwater 4, 5. The ratio of the purified water produced (permeate) to discharge of the water (concentrate, retentate or brine) varies based on the salinity and ionic composition of feed water, design of the systems and operating conditions, often ranging from 35 to 90% 6,7.
High salinity levels in the discharge can harm aquatic ecosystems if released into natural bodies of water, leading to osmotic stress for marine life and disrupting habitats 8, 9. Common disposal methods include dilution in larger bodies of water, deep well injection, or evaporation ponds, each with its own environmental implications and regulatory requirements 10. The cost of brine disposal is another important issue. Another significant consideration is the cost of brine disposal. In coastal desalination facilities, brine disposal costs can account for 5% to 33% of the total desalination expenses. Inland desalination plants face even higher disposal costs due to the specific characteristics of the brine and the associated treatment requirements 11, 12.
To mitigate the impacts of RO discharge, several technological advances are being explored. Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) is one proposed solution for brine management in inland desalination plants, aiming to eliminate any liquid waste by recovering and reusing all water while solidifying all dissolved material. ZLD processes recover all water in wastewater streams, leaving only solid waste, which can be disposed of more safely and environmentally friendly 13, 14. Improved membrane technologies are also being developed to enhance efficiency and reduce the volume of concentrate generated. Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) processes, which focus on achieving water recovery rates of approximately 95%, have been proposed as cost-effective alternatives to ZLD, as they require less energy and capital investment 15, 16.
In MLD systems, filtration processes are utilized instead of thermally driven phase-change methods, resulting in a notable reduction in energy consumption compared to ZLD systems, which typically involve multiple stages including pretreatment, preconcentration, evaporation, and crystallization 17, 18. Integrated systems that combine RO with other treatment processes, such as nanofiltration or ion exchange, can also reduce the concentration of harmful substances in the discharge 19.
Moreover, innovative approaches, such as osmotically assisted RO (OARO) and cascading osmotically mediated RO (COMRO), have been proposed to reduce hydraulic pressure requirements in MLD. However, the practical challenges of constructing bilateral countercurrent modules that operate under conventional RO pressures pose limitations to the widespread implementation of these technologies 13, 20. Therefore, the advancement of novel technologies capable of concentrating wastewater to high salinities while maintaining moderate pressure and energy requirements is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of both MLD and ZLD processes 21.
In MLD systems, various desalination techniques are integrated into a unified hybrid framework, similar to ZLD systems. However, the exclusive use of membrane-based technologies within MLD systems presents notable advantages. This approach significantly reduces energy and cost requirements, primarily due to the predominance of membrane technologies in MLD treatment schemes, in contrast to ZLD systems, utilizing both membrane and thermal technologies 22. The MLD framework aligns with the circular economy model—a contemporary sustainable development paradigm that has garnered support from the European :union:. Both MLD and ZLD systems contribute to the transition toward a circular economy by minimizing waste generation, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and optimizing resource utilization16, 23.
Although RO remains a vital technology for addressing freshwater scarcity, the environmental implications of brine disposal and the high energy demands of the process must be carefully considered. Sustainable management practices and technological innovations are essential to minimize the ecological footprint of desalination processes and protect marine life from the adverse effects of concentrated saline discharges.
This is an Open-Access article distributed in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon this work for commercial use.
References
1. Pérez-González A, Urtiaga A, Ibáñez R, et al. State of the art and review on the treatment technologies of water reverse osmosis concentrates. Water Research. 2012;46(2):267-83.
2. Lee S, Choi J, Park Y-G, et al. Hybrid desalination processes for beneficial use of reverse osmosis brine: current status and future prospects. Desalination. 2019;454:104-11.
3. Li W, Krantz WB, Cornelissen ER, et al. A novel hybrid process of reverse electrodialysis and reverse osmosis for low energy seawater desalination and brine management. Appl Energy. 2013;104:592-602.
4. Pramanik BK, Shu L, Jegatheesan V. A review of the management and treatment of brine solutions. Environ Sci (Camb). 2017;3(4):625-58.
5. Kress N, Gertner Y, Shoham-Frider E. Seawater quality at the brine discharge site from two mega size seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants in Israel (Eastern Mediterranean). Water Research. 2020;171:115402.
6. Ali ES, Alsaman AS, Harby K, et al. Recycling brine water of reverse osmosis desalination employing adsorption desalination: a theoretical simulation. Desalination. 2017;408:13-24.
7. Almasoudi S, Jamoussi B. Desalination technologies and their environmental impacts: a review. Sustainable Chemistry One World. 2024;1:100002.
8. Romeyn TR, Harijanto W, Sandoval S, et al. Contaminants of emerging concern in reverse osmosis brine concentrate from indirect/direct water reuse applications. Water Science and Technology. 2016;73(2):236-50.
9. Shah KM, Billinge IH, Chen X, et al. Drivers, challenges, and emerging technologies for desalination of high-salinity brines: a critical review. Desalination. 2022;538:115827.
10. Elsaid K, Kamil M, Sayed ET, et al. Environmental impact of desalination technologies: a review. Science of the Total Environment. 2020;748:141528.
11. Pérez-González A, Urtiaga AM, Ibáñez R, et al. State of the art and review on the treatment technologies of water reverse osmosis concentrates. Water Research. 2012;46(2):267-83.
12. Shanmuganathan S, Johir MAH, Listowski A, et al. Sustainable processes for treatment of waste water reverse osmosis concentrate to achieve zero waste discharge: a detailed study in water reclamation plant. Procedia Environ Sci. 2016;35:930-7.
13. Wang Z, Deshmukh A, Du Y, et al. Minimal and zero liquid discharge with reverse osmosis using low-salt-rejection membranes. Water Research. 2020;170:115317.
14. de Nicolás AP, Molina-García A, García-Bermejo JT, et al. Reject brine management: denitrification and zero liquid discharge (ZLD)—current status, challenges and future prospects. J Clean Prod. 2022;381:135124.
15. Karimi S, Engstler R, Hosseinipour E, et al. High-pressure batch Reverse Osmosis (RO) for zero liquid discharge (ZLD) in a Cr(III) electroplating process. Desalination. 2024;580: 117479.
16. Rajamanickam R, Selvasembian R. A sustainable resource recovery approach through micro-algae integrated brine management in minimal liquid discharge system. Desalination. 2024:117424.
17. Garg R, Singh S, Vijay Kumar T. A review of zero liquid discharge and solvent driven aqueous phase processes for brine treatment. Clean Technol Environ Policy. 2024:1-23.
18. Date M, Patyal V, Jaspal D, et al. Zero liquid discharge technology for recovery, reuse, and reclamation of wastewater: a critical review. J Water Process Eng. 2022;49:103129.
19. Gonzales RR, Nakagawa K, Kumagai K, et al. Hybrid Osmotically Assisted Reverse Osmosis and Reverse Osmosis (OARO-RO) process for minimal liquid discharge of high strength nitrogenous wastewater and enrichment of ammoniacal nitrogen. Water Research. 2023; 246:120716.
20. Chen X, Yip NY. Unlocking high-salinity desalination with cascading osmotically mediated reverse osmosis: energy and operating pressure analysis. Environ Sci Ecotechnol. 2018;52(4):2242-50.
21. Shamlou E, Vidic R, El-Halwagi MM, et al. Optimization-based modeling and analysis of brine reflux osmotically assisted reverse osmosis for application toward zero liquid discharge systems. Desalination. 2022;539:115948.
22. Panagopoulos A. Techno-economic assessment of Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD) treatment systems for saline wastewater (brine) management and treatment. Process Safety and Environmental Protection. 2021;146:656-69.
23. O’Connell MG, Rajendran N, Elimelech M, et al. Analysis of energy, water, land and cost implications of zero and minimal liquid discharge desalination technologies. Nat Water. 2024;2(11):1116-27.
Type of Study: Letters to editor |
Subject:
Water quality and wastewater treatment and reuse
Received: 2024/10/27 | Accepted: 2025/01/20 | Published: 2025/03/10
Received: 2024/10/27 | Accepted: 2025/01/20 | Published: 2025/03/10
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