Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ions

Abstract Magnesium (Mg) in drinking water is important for cardiovascular health and it is anticipated that the World Health Organization will introduce minimum Mg recommendations. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is dependent on desalinated water which has a low Mg content and it is necessary to find a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ali A. Al Hamzah, Abdulrahman S. Alofi, Abdulrahman A. Abid, Jamal M. Salama, Ahmed A. Al Kubaish, Christopher M. Fellows
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-03-01
Series:Discover Water
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00210-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849762171534180352
author Ali A. Al Hamzah
Abdulrahman S. Alofi
Abdulrahman A. Abid
Jamal M. Salama
Ahmed A. Al Kubaish
Christopher M. Fellows
author_facet Ali A. Al Hamzah
Abdulrahman S. Alofi
Abdulrahman A. Abid
Jamal M. Salama
Ahmed A. Al Kubaish
Christopher M. Fellows
author_sort Ali A. Al Hamzah
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Magnesium (Mg) in drinking water is important for cardiovascular health and it is anticipated that the World Health Organization will introduce minimum Mg recommendations. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is dependent on desalinated water which has a low Mg content and it is necessary to find a cost-effective means of supplementation. Dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) is available at a similar cost to the limestone currently used in post-treatment. Replacement of limestone with dolomite in existing contactors in two commercial desalination plants was effective in raising magnesium concentrations in the produced water by 2.4 ± 0.5 ppm (Shoiabah, Multi-Stage Flash desalination) and 2.9 ± 0.2 ppm (Al Khobar, Reverse Osmosis desalination), sufficient to lift total Mg above the Saudi Arabian guideline value of 5 ppm.
format Article
id doaj-art-2b6edd72487741e8b9dfd7c2e3ff56ca
institution DOAJ
issn 2730-647X
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Water
spelling doaj-art-2b6edd72487741e8b9dfd7c2e3ff56ca2025-08-20T03:05:49ZengSpringerDiscover Water2730-647X2025-03-015111010.1007/s43832-025-00210-4Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ionsAli A. Al Hamzah0Abdulrahman S. Alofi1Abdulrahman A. Abid2Jamal M. Salama3Ahmed A. Al Kubaish4Christopher M. Fellows5Water Technologies Innovation Institute and Research Advancement, Saline Water Conversion CorporationSaudi Water AuthoritySaudi Water AuthoritySaudi Water AuthoritySaudi Water AuthorityWater Technologies Innovation Institute and Research Advancement, Saline Water Conversion CorporationAbstract Magnesium (Mg) in drinking water is important for cardiovascular health and it is anticipated that the World Health Organization will introduce minimum Mg recommendations. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is dependent on desalinated water which has a low Mg content and it is necessary to find a cost-effective means of supplementation. Dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) is available at a similar cost to the limestone currently used in post-treatment. Replacement of limestone with dolomite in existing contactors in two commercial desalination plants was effective in raising magnesium concentrations in the produced water by 2.4 ± 0.5 ppm (Shoiabah, Multi-Stage Flash desalination) and 2.9 ± 0.2 ppm (Al Khobar, Reverse Osmosis desalination), sufficient to lift total Mg above the Saudi Arabian guideline value of 5 ppm.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00210-4DesalinationPost-treatmentMagnesiumDolomiteSeawater reverse osmosis (SWRO)Multi-stage flash (MSF)
spellingShingle Ali A. Al Hamzah
Abdulrahman S. Alofi
Abdulrahman A. Abid
Jamal M. Salama
Ahmed A. Al Kubaish
Christopher M. Fellows
Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ions
Discover Water
Desalination
Post-treatment
Magnesium
Dolomite
Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO)
Multi-stage flash (MSF)
title Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ions
title_full Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ions
title_fullStr Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ions
title_full_unstemmed Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ions
title_short Dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in Saudi Arabia with magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen carbonate ions
title_sort dolomite for supplementation of desalinated drinking water in saudi arabia with magnesium calcium and hydrogen carbonate ions
topic Desalination
Post-treatment
Magnesium
Dolomite
Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO)
Multi-stage flash (MSF)
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00210-4
work_keys_str_mv AT aliaalhamzah dolomiteforsupplementationofdesalinateddrinkingwaterinsaudiarabiawithmagnesiumcalciumandhydrogencarbonateions
AT abdulrahmansalofi dolomiteforsupplementationofdesalinateddrinkingwaterinsaudiarabiawithmagnesiumcalciumandhydrogencarbonateions
AT abdulrahmanaabid dolomiteforsupplementationofdesalinateddrinkingwaterinsaudiarabiawithmagnesiumcalciumandhydrogencarbonateions
AT jamalmsalama dolomiteforsupplementationofdesalinateddrinkingwaterinsaudiarabiawithmagnesiumcalciumandhydrogencarbonateions
AT ahmedaalkubaish dolomiteforsupplementationofdesalinateddrinkingwaterinsaudiarabiawithmagnesiumcalciumandhydrogencarbonateions
AT christophermfellows dolomiteforsupplementationofdesalinateddrinkingwaterinsaudiarabiawithmagnesiumcalciumandhydrogencarbonateions