Economic–Financial Assessment of Seawater Desalination Plants in Northern Chile to Reduce Hydric Scarcity and a Proposal for the Environmental and Sustainable Use of Brine Waste by Cultivating the Microalga Dunaliella salina to Produce β-Carotene

Climate change and global warming generate serious consequences disturbances by drastically modifying historical temperature precipitation patterns. Water scarcity is one of the most revealing phenomena these instabilities. This transdisciplinary bibliometric economic–financial research focuses on analyzing two aspects: first, feasibility implementing seawater desalination plants as a solution to water in northern Chile. Investment amortization costs were determined (NPV-IRR-IRP). NPV showed positive value indicating recovery initial investment surplus over profitability. The IRR was higher than discount rate calculated for NPV, which that project accepted. IRP indicated plant would be recovered 3.7 years. Second, an innovative environmentally sustainable brine (NaCl) waste generated proposed through cultivation Dunaliella salina microalgae tolerant high concentrations produce β-carotene. analyzed use residues offer interesting economic perspectives 10-year projection establishing SWOT analysis estimates excellent production β-carotene alternatives problem sea pollution concentrated waste.