Environmental health risk of brine disposal for reverse osmosis water desalination plants: A case study in Bandar Abbas city, Iran

Reverse osmosis desalination brine (RODB) is a concentrated by-product containing higher salinity and turbidity and chemicals added to the raw water. As the RODB discharge has caused many environmental concerns, this case-control study investigated the (RODB) impact on the coastal environment. Five RODB Receiving beaches and one control point were selected, 84 samples of RODB, seawater, and coastal sediments were taken then chemical, physical, and biological parameters were measured. As well as environmental risk was assessed. The seawater salinity and turbidity on the RODB-receiving beaches were higher than the control point, and the population and diversity of plankton were lower. The content of some heavy metals was higher in the sediments affected by RODB. Low to moderate degrees of heavy metal-related environmental threat was calculated. The discharge of RODB leads to changes in the coastal ecosystem quality and can be an environmental hazard, therefore, it requires serious monitoring and control programs. [Display omitted]