Energy Efficient and Environmentally Responsible Desalination: Technological Progress and Brine Valorization Strategies

Abstract

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology assist in emission reduction efforts in the case that CO2 concentration increases. According to the Global Monitoring Laboratory at NOAA, monthly CO2 levels globally averaged over 424 ppm in 2025, which represented excessive CO2 in the atmosphere. Direct air capture (DAC) is one of the most popular of those technologies since it is capable of harvesting CO2 without outsourcing sources, removing CO2 that was previously released, and is geographically flexible. A historical overview of the last 20 years of DAC research is provided and the report considers critical analysis of the sorbent chemistry, regeneration methods, and systems engineering trends. Feasibility and comprehensive cycle performance studies related to regeneration energy, water management, and infrastructure compatibility remained the most-important cost and scalability factors. Current roadmaps and comparative studies advocate regeneration-based system-level integration and optimisation. In addition, this study demonstrates that integrated carbon-removal facilities use heat and air-handling infrastructure as opposed to thermo-based capture devices. Distributed ventilation and conditioning (DAC) reduced additional air handling penalties as well as improved indoor air quality.