Management and potential application of desalination brine reject in CO2 capture and catalytic conversion processes

The current estimate of the worldwide production of desalination brine reject is 141.5 million m3 per day. Given its adverse environmental effects, research is underway to develop effective management methods. Resource recovery from brine is an option for reducing desalination costs, particularly when coupled with carbon dioxide capture to enhance profitability and environmental sustainability. This review assesses various brine management options, disposal costs, environmental impacts, state-of-the-art technologies for extracting valuable metals, and future research directions. The potential of combining mineral extraction with carbon dioxide sequestration is explored, with a view toward sustainable brine management. It is found that, while providing valuable mineral sources, global brine rejects could annually capture 236 million tons of CO2 through carbonation of Mg and Ca, equivalent to a 300 % reduction in current desalination-related CO2 emissions. The catalytic properties of desalination brine and its extract in the form of Mg and Ca carbonates or oxides offer another potential application of brine reject in industries such as biomass conversion, potentially generating additional income from the desalination process.