PFAS in hyper-arid OneWater systems: Occurrence, transfer pathways, and management implications for desalination and reuse

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Cleaner Water

Publication Date

6-1-2026

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are increasingly reported in desalination-dependent and water-reuse systems, yet their behaviour in hyper-arid regions remains poorly characterised. Unlike temperate hydrologic settings, these regions rely on tightly coupled engineered water cycles in which desalination, treated effluent reuse, and concentrated residual streams are directly connected. This review synthesises evidence from a structured literature survey (2000–2025) across aqueous, solid, and atmospheric matrices to evaluate PFAS occurrence, transfer pathways, and treatment performance under arid operational constraints. Across multiple studies, pressure-driven membranes consistently protect permeate water but transfer PFAS to concentrate streams, while adsorption and polishing processes redistribute mass into spent media and secondary residuals. Soils, dust, and shallow groundwater function as longer-term storage reservoirs that reconnect engineered and environmental compartments, indicating that treatment commonly relocates PFAS rather than eliminating it from the system. Taken together, the evidence supports interpretation of arid water infrastructure as a coupled mass-flow network in which residual management is central to risk reduction. These findings highlight the need to prioritise monitoring and control at transfer nodes and residual streams, rather than relying solely on improvements in single-stage removal efficiency.

ISSN

2950-2632

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Volume

6

Disciplines

Engineering

Keywords

Desalination, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Hyper-arid regions, OneWater systems, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), Residual management

Scopus ID

105033628867

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS