Brine from Desalination Plants Is Creating a Salty Situation

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/desalination-pours-more-toxic-brine-ocean-previously-thought?tgt=nr

Desalination is leading to increased amounts of brine being put back into the ocean. This is beginning to cause problems, since often this brine is still hot from processing and of course extremely salty. Since it is denser than regular ocean water, it sinks to the bottom of the sea and poisons marine life. Since it is hot and doesn't hold oxygen as well, it can also deplete oxygen wherever it goes. While desalination is important in order to provide potable water to many, it can lead to environmental damage. Some solutions for reducing the release of brine are using it for watering salt-tolerant crops or evaporating it into salt. However, desalinization is expensive as it is and many companies do not want to spend so much money on these costly changes. While desalinization is necessary in some areas to provide water for people to drink, it is also essential that we find ways to make it less environmentally damaging than it currently is in order to prevent damage to the ecosystems nearby.

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2019 at 10:27 AM

    This seems like a very difficult situation, as desalination is very important for areas where drinkable water may not be readily available. I guess we have to choose between the lesser of two evils.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 28, 2019 at 10:38 AM

    We need to find a way to dispose of the extra salt and brine so that it doesn't affect our oceans.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dual-fuel vehicles

A recent study shows that dual- fuel vehicles are benefiting the population but, turns out they are costing the environment. While substituting gasoline for ethanol gases, it causes an increase of ultra fine particle matter, with a 30% increase of atmospheric concentration. The problem is that they are less then 50 nanometers in diameter. The nano particles are also not track or regulated by the environmental agencies. We inhale these gases everyday, inhaling ethanol. The most practical way to reduce greenhouse gases is using electric, hybrid and biofuel care.   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170828124546.htm
Read more

Acid Zone in Chesapeake Bay Found

     According to the University of Delaware, the Chesapeake Bay is becoming acidic as it has gone to 7.4 pH from an average of 8.2. The oxidation of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide may be the factor that is leading to the higher acidity levels in coastal oceans, but it can eventually lead to more of open oceans. Naturally the waters of the Chesapeake Bay have a regulatory system that holds back the increase of acidity levels in the area, and this works as the dissolving of living shells, non-living aragonite, and calcite minerals. Though nature has a path to keep the waters in the Chesapeake Bay, humans should take more care of our Earth as we have a role in polluting the water and rising the acidity levels in coastal oceans. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170828093737.htm
Read more