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.

Comparative performance of osmotic and thermal driven anaerobic membrane bioreactors for hazardous textile wastewater treatment

by Kamran Manzoor, Sher Jamal Khan, Muhammad Saqib Nawaz
Year: 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.105568

Abstract

Textile wastewater is hazardous in properties and adequate treatment should be administered prior to the release of water into natural bodies. Hybrid biological and membrane treatment technologies are suitable for textile wastewater treatment. In this study, osmotically driven submerged anaerobic forward osmosis membrane bioreactor (An-FOMBR) and thermally driven submerged anaerobic membrane distillation bioreactor (An-MDBR) were studied for the highly polluted wastewater treatment produced from textile industries. The systems were operated in parallel for 73 and 47 days for An-FOMBR and An-MDBR, respectively. The concentration of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color in textile wastewater were 3000 ± 150 mg/L and 1000 ± 100 platinum cobalt, respectively. 1 M mono-ammonium phosphate was used as a fertilizer draw solution with a direct reuse potential of diluted draw solution in fertigation. Woven fiber microfiltration was used to avoid salinity buildup in the bioreactor. At an operating temperature of 40 °C the An-MDBR depicted 27 % higher flux and 14 % less salinity buildup in the bioreactor compared to An-FOMBR. Similarly, with 1 % higher COD removal, 5 % higher color removal and 10 % higher biogas generation, the An-MDBR proved to be a better variant. However, after 43 days of continuous operation, a spike in MD permeate conductivity was observed due to partial pore wetting caused by foulants interaction with the membrane surface. Therefore, timely cleaning of the membrane is essential to avoid pore wetting and process stability. With high quality effluent production and potential to utilize the waste heat, MD filtration is a better process to combine with anaerobic degradation than FO.

Keywords

Anaerobic Forward Osmosis Membrane Bioreactor Anaerobic Membrane Distillation Bioreactor Textile Wastewater Treatment Fertilizer Draw Solution Salt Accumulation

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