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.

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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.

The potential of air micro-nano bubbles and nucleated CO2 bubbles as curative and preventive strategies for SWRO biofouling removal

by Damaris S. Alvarez Sosa, Alla Alpatova, Doskhan Ybyraiymkul, Kim Choon Ng, Noreddine Ghaffour, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Nadia Farhat
Year: 2025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2025.118865

Abstract

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membrane systems face inevitable performance decline due to biofouling, which imposes significant economic costs, accounting up to 25 % of water production costs in desalination plants. Current industry practices primarily rely on chemical cleaning treatments to restore membrane performance. However, these methods involve substantial expenses related to chemical acquisition, storage, and transportation, extended plant downtimes, and premature membrane replacement due to reduced lifespan. Additionally, the disposal of chemical waste raises serious environmental concerns. Micro-nano bubbles (MNBs), consisting of gas-filled cavities (from <1 μm to 5 μm in diameter), have emerged as a promising alternative for biofouling control. This study evaluates the performance of the air-filled (AMNBs) and CO2-nucleated bubbles (N_CO2) as curative cleaning-in-place (CIP) treatments and preventive daily treatments under conditions representative of SWRO systems. Using membrane fouling simulators (MFSs) and pressure drop as a performance indicator, curative AMNBs, and N_CO2 treatments achieved 49 %–56 % pressure drop recovery, comparable to conventional chemical cleaning (51 %) and significantly outperforming hydraulic flushing (24 %). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and biomass analyses confirmed these findings, revealing effective biofilm removal due to MNB's action. Preventive treatments demonstrated that Nucleated CO2 bubbles delayed performance decline by 123 %, AMNBs by 95 %, and hydraulic flushing by only 15 % compared to controls. OCT imaging and membrane biomass analysis confirmed reduced biofilm growth and biomass accumulation in bubble-treated systems. These results indicate that MNB technologies hold great potential as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to chemical cleaning for biofouling management in SWRO systems.

Keywords

Reverse osmosis desalination Membrane autopsy Micro-nano bubbles Nucleated CO2 bubbles biofouling Membrane cleaning Biofilm removal

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