@unpublished{theses_frw4571, author = {Oluwakemi Ige}, title = {Assessing the ecological impacts of desalination on marine coastal habitats following the European Union-Marine Strategy Framework Directive; good environmental status - a review}, year = {2024}, abstract = {The fast-growing technique of seawater desalination is designed to meet the increasing demand for freshwater worldwide. Nevertheless, coastal ecosystems may suffer greatly ecologically from the brines that desalination facilities discharge. This paper examines the ecological effects of seawater desalination operations on marine habitats by synthesising data from a thorough evaluation of published literature. Using information from the review, the author conducted a suitability analysis on the Spanish coast of Gran Canaria using ArcGIS. The physicochemical effects of desalination plant outputs are included in the analysis, particularly variations in the salinity levels in receiving waters. The study emphasises the possible consequences of desalination effluents on the EU-MSFD-related Good Environmental Status (GES) of the marine environment. Considered were factors including changes in benthic ecosystems, organic matter input, and nutrient enrichment. Moreover, in order to comprehend the effects of contaminants on marine biota and ecosystem health, the study highlights the need for tracking and evaluating the concentration of contaminants in desalination effluents. This work emphasises the need for sustainable management techniques to lessen negative effects on marine habitats and advances our knowledge of the ecological consequences of seawater desalination on coastal ecosystems by combining results from several studies.}, url = {https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/4571/} }