Question

As demands on freshwater sources increase, the use of desalination processes to remove salt from ocean water is increasing. A concern of desalinating water is the large amounts of recovered salts that are returned to the ocean. Which of the following describes the most likely impact of desalination on the surrounding ocean environment?


Methane gas would pollute the ocean environment as shoreline organisms begin to die and decay.


Alteration in ocean salt levels would cause loss of species and unbalanced populations in marine food webs.


Nonrenewable resources in the ocean environment would become depleted and upset the ecosystem's balance.


Increased levels of salts and minerals in the ocean would result in overpopulation of marine organisms with shells.

Answer 1

The most likely impact of desalination on the surrounding ocean environment is:

**Alteration in ocean salt levels would cause loss of species and unbalanced populations in marine food webs.**

Desalination processes remove salt from seawater to provide freshwater, and the concentrated brine that is returned to the ocean can increase the salinity levels in localized areas. This alteration in salt concentration can negatively affect marine organisms that are sensitive to changes in salinity, potentially leading to a loss of species and disrupting marine food webs.