Topic: The Effects of Desalination Plants on Oceans

Presenter: Leandro S. Pongeluppe

Session Details: The study examines the environmental effects of launching a desalination plant in maritime ecosystems. Using data on all desalination investments worldwide (1950s-2015) and NASA satellite data on the salinity and temperature levels of oceanic grids, it finds that desalination plants increase sea level salinity at the location of the plant and up to 1,000 km from it. This increase was persistent over time for at least two years, and the effects were concentrated in the mixing layer of the oceanic waters. The study further demonstrates how this increase in ocean salinity might contribute to climate change by increasing ocean temperature and potentially global temperatures. It also alludes to the ecological consequences of this increase in local maritime ecosystems

This session will be a seminar and participants are not required to read a paper beforehand.

For more information, reach out to pdri-devlab@sas.upenn.edu