Growing Hydroponic Plants Utilizing Brine from Desalination

Desalination facilities are located all around the globe turning ocean water into fresh water for consumer use. When the filtering process is complete, a substance called brine is leftover -- only to be dumped back into its original location. By doing this, oxygen levels deplete for marine life as well as raising the salinity levels. If brine is used in a hydroponic system in place of fertilizer, then the lettuce plants grown will increase in width. A hydroponic system will be built in place to grow romaine lettuce, rather than growing from ground soil. Two rows will be used, each with 5 drilled holes for each lettuce to be planted; row one will be the constant, and row two will be the experimental. In the experimental row, five of the 10 planted lettuce will be implemented with 1% brine mixture. Both of the rows will have the constants of being filled with 9.5 L of water and having the same amount of GH Flora Grow supplements on medium feed. The results of the lettuce rang true - the experimental lettuce grew more widthwise, and was a deeper color of green. Growth rate was not up to par compared to the control group, but was still healthy and growing nonetheless. Concluding the results from over a week of sprouting, the trial was successful. The brine lettuce flourished alongside the control lettuce, having comparable length differences. David Jiménez-Arias, an archeologist at the Spanish National Research Council, conducted research with his team on utilizing recycled brine into fertilizer as a proficient commodity. Growing tomatoes in a hydroponic system, he found that the recycled solution cost less than commercial subsistence, and found richness in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The tomatoes only grew 60% from the original amount, but consumers preferred the brine tomatoes because it developed a deeper shade of red and was sweeter in taste. The next step of the project will be to use different plant seeds (such as basil or kale), and to increase the brine intake from 1% to 1.5%