DESAL RESEARCH GROUP

Sustainable technologies for a water-secure future

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KEY VALUES

Committed to excellence

We aim to be at the forefront of global efforts to contribute to a water-secure future. We envision a world where sustainable desalination technologies and water treatment solutions are pivotal in providing clean and safe water to communities and fostering economic growth. Through continuous innovation and collaboration, we aspire to set new standards for excellence in the field, leaving a long-lasting effect on the well-being of societies and the health of our planet.

About
DESAL team at the lab
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

Driven by innovation, recognized by impact

The DESAL Research Group pioneers advancements in desalination and wastewater treatment, prioritizing excellence, innovation, and sustainability. Our focus on cutting-edge research and efficiency aims to address global water challenges and support sustainable development goals.

NEWS & UPDATES 

Discover the latest breakthroughs from our team

15 February, 2026

DESAL summer intern Imran Alturkistani wins national awards at Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair

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02 February, 2026

New DESAL research published in Nature Communications advances energy-efficient desalination

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28 January, 2026

DESAL and ACWA Power advance AI-based research for early membrane fouling detection

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ADVANCING SCIENCE

Scientific Contributions

Through research papers, patents, and PhD dissertations, we push the boundaries of knowledge, driving innovation in desalination and water treatment.

Mitigating offshore oily wastewater pollution: Sustainable strategies for treatment, disposal, and reuse
Year: 2025 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118240
Authors: Rajab Abousnina, Noreddine Ghaffour, Long D. Nghiem
  • Petroleum oil and gas
  • Oily wastewater
  • Hybrid system technologies
  • Offshore
  • Membrane technologies
Pre-treatment optimization to reduce membrane fouling during produced water treatment with an integrated FO-MD system
Year: 2025 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sctalk.2025.100467
Authors: Muhammad Saqib Nawaz, Sofiane Soukane, Muhammad Bilal Asif, Veerabhadraiah Gudideni, Sultan Alrubaish, Noreddine Ghaffour
  • Pre-treatment
  • Real produced water
  • Ion-exchange resins
  • Ultrafiltration
  • Forward osmosis
  • Membrane distillation (MD)
Harnessing machine learning for transmembrane pressure prediction in MBR systems during textile wastewater treatment
Year: 2025 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dwt.2025.101238
Authors: Onaira Zahoor, Sher Jamal Khan, Muhammad Usama, Henry J. Tanudjaja, Noreddine Ghaffour, Muhammad Saqib Nawaz
  • Machine learning models
  • Transmembrane pressure
  • Textile wastewater treatment
  • Extra polymeric substances
  • Membrane bioreactor
Precise biofilm thickness prediction in SWRO desalination from planar camera images by DNN models
Year: 2025 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-025-00451-9
Authors: Henry J. Tanudjaja, Najat A Amin, Adnan Qamar, Sarah Kerdi, Hussain Basamh, Thomas Altmann, Ratul Das, Noreddine Ghaffour
  • Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Membranes
  • Biofilm thickness prediction
  • Biofouling detection
  • Deep neural networks (DNN)
  • Convolutional neural networks (CNN)
  • Desalination membranes
  • SWRO biofouling
  • Membrane fouling analysis

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Be part of our journey towards cleaner, safer water, reduced environmental impact, and economic growth. Whether you're a researcher, industry expert, or passionate advocate, let's collaborate to set new standards in desalination and wastewater treatment.