What major environmental concern regarding reverse osmosis desalination is highlighted in the text?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. The discharge of hypersaline brine that threatens marine benthic ecosystems
- Step 1: The author identifies the key environmental hazard: 'the safe disposal of hypersaline effluent (brine), which can induce thermal and chemical stratification in local marine benthic habitats...'
- Step 2: Hypersaline brine toxicity affects seafloor organisms unless dispersed.
Answer
The discharge of hypersaline brine that threatens marine benthic ecosystems.
Why not the others: 'Rapid depletion of sodium chloride reserves...' is false as ocean salt is virtually inexhaustible; 'Excessive accumulation of freshwater ice...' is nonsensical in hyper-arid regions; 'Atmospheric contamination from volatile polyamide vapors' is scientifically inaccurate.
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