Answered

Salt water is an abundant resource but unusable for irrigation and drinking. 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?

a
Methane gas would pollute the ocean environment as shoreline organisms begin to die and decay.
b
Alteration in ocean salt levels would cause loss of species and unbalanced populations in marine food webs.
c
Nonrenewable resources in the ocean environment would become depleted and upset the ecosystem's balance.
d
Increased levels of salts and minerals in the ocean would result in overpopulation of marine bivalves due to strengthened shells.



Answer :

djben1424

The most likely impact of desalination on the surrounding ocean environment, due to the return of large amounts of recovered salts, would be a change in ocean salinity levels. This can affect marine life and ecosystems by altering the balance of salt concentration. An increase in salinity can disrupt the ecological balance, leading to negative effects on marine organisms and food webs.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:

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

This outcome highlights the environmental risks associated with desalination, specifically the disposal of brine (concentrated salt water) into the ocean, which can significantly affect marine life, leading to species loss and imbalances in the ecosystem.

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