Management of desalination brine and application for carbon capture and utilization

Desalination techniques have become increasingly common as freshwater resources grow scarcer. While these processes address water supply issues, they also generate high-salinity wastewater, commonly known as brine. The treatment of brine typically relies on direct disposal methods, such as sewer discharge, surface water discharge, and deep-well injection. However, these approaches will negatively impact marine ecosystems, soil quality, and groundwater resources. Therefore, this review identifies different brine management methods, with a particular focus on integrating carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies with desalination processes, highlighting the potential to convert brine waste into a valuable medium for CO 2 utilization. Various methods, including the Solvay Process, Modified Solvay Processes, and amine-based systems, are introduced, analyzed, and compared based on their chemical principles, performance, and environmental implications. Moreover, key operational challenges, such as reagent volatility, byproduct handling, and material degradation, are revealed in detail, and strategies for process optimization are also proposed to enhance efficiency and viability in the future.