Seawater desalination represents an alternative solution to the challenge of water scarcity worldwide. However, the uncertainty toward socio-environmental impacts of desalination plants represents a barrier to achieving water sustainability and socioeconomic development. On the one hand, the potential effect of brine discharges on marine ecosystems represents one of the most significant environmental impacts associated with the development of desalination plants. On the other hand, the impingement and entrainment of seawater through submerged pipelines or open intakes on the shoreline potentially affects fish eggs and small marine organisms, which are removed from the seawater during the desalination process.

Desalination activities can produce biotic and abiotic disturbances in marine ecosystems when corrective and preventive measures are not adopted or measures implemented are insufficient. The aim of this Research Topic is to address the environmental and social aspects and concerns regarding the desalination development process that represent a barrier to socio-economic development worldwide. This may include studies about: the potential environmental impacts of desalination activities on marine ecosystems, mitigation and management measures and/or tools to achieve sustainable development of desalination; analysis of feasible alternatives for seawater intake and brine effluent disposal, the characteristics of desalination effluents that can produce negative effects on marine ecosystems, environmental monitoring plans of desalination plants, regulatory tools to improve a sustainable development, among others.

We look forward to receiving papers in the research area of Sustainable Desalination, which may include (but not be limited to) the following research fields:

-Monitoring of brine discharges on marine ecosystems

-Environmental impacts of seawater desalination on the marine environment

-Regulatory framework and management of desalination impacts on coastal environments

-Laboratory and field experiments

-Environmental impact assessment process

-Social/Public perception regarding the environmental impacts of desalination

-Brine discharge modeling

-Sustainable designs and infrastructure for brine discharges and seawater intakes

In this Research Topic, we welcome original research, case studies, and review articles pertaining to these and related topics towards the sustainable desalination development.

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Frontiers in Marine Science

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