Boron Removal from Desalinated Seawater for Irrigation with an On-Farm Reverse Osmosis System in Southeastern Spain

Seawater desalination can provide water for irrigation in coastal regions where freshwater resources are scarce. Reverse osmosis (RO) is the most common technique to obtain desalinated seawater (DSW) worldwide. However, using DSW may pose an agronomic risk as RO permeates have a boron concentration above phytotoxicity thresholds of some sensitive crops, such woody crops (0.5 1.0 mg/L). In this study, on-farm system designed reduce was evaluated from technical and economic perspective. The impact variations operating parameters feed temperature, pressure, pH, on reduction process assessed. results showed that rejections close 99% be obtained by increasing pH 11 with pressure 10 bar. Looking at affordability system, total production cost 1.076 EUR/m3 estimated 1.1 m3/h used trial. expected decrease 0.307 commercial plant (42 m3/h), highlighting importance scale factor. Our novel guidance feasibility implementing removal systems, when provided plants concentrations crop tolerance.