Valorization of Reverse Osmosis Brines

Seawater is an abundant, but critical resource for any island. Using seawater for the production of freshwater requires desalination; this generates brines, which can be an environmental threat, or an opportunity. The strategic technological approach that will be developed is in exploring methods for separation of valuable elements such as lithium or magnesium from reverse osmosis brines. Given the current rate of depletion for some resources, recovery of these is thought of higher economic interest than water production alone. This may require a further concentration of brines, and methods (electrochemical, precipitation) for selective recovery.