Impacts négatifs du dessalement de l’eau de mer *par la technique d’osmose inverse* Cas : Station de dessalement El-Magtaa TMM

Abstract

Freshwater is becoming an increasingly scarce and highly demanded resource, particularly in arid regions such as the Middle East and North Africa. To address this challenge, many countries rely on seawater desalination plants to ensure a sustainable supply of drinking water. Desalination is an energy-intensive process that removes salts from seawater, producing potable water while generating large quantities of brine as a by-product. The El Magtaa Seawater Desalination Plant (TMM – Tahlyat Myah Magtaa), located in Oran, Algeria, is one of the largest desalination projects in the country, with a production capacity of 500,000 m³/day. This study focuses on the physicochemical characterization of both raw seawater and brine discharged from the El Magtaa desalination plant, which operates using the reverse osmosis process. Furthermore, it investigates the environmental impact of brine discharge on the marine ecosystem and ecological balance through a case study of the El Magtaa plant. The study highlights the potential environmental risks associated with brine disposal and proposes mitigation measures to reduce its adverse effects. The ultimate objective is to achieve a balance between the production of drinking water and the preservation of the marine environment.