SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Water
Sec. Water Resource Management
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/frwa.2025.1672360
This article is part of the Research TopicAdvancements and Challenges in Sustainable Water Desalination TechnologiesView all 7 articles
Evolution of desalination research and water production in the Middle East: a five-decade perspective
Provisionally accepted
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Rapid urbanization and population growth, coupled with depleting groundwater reservoirs, have significantly increased reliance on desalination technologies in the arid Middle East, which accounts for nearly half (46%) of global desalination capacity. This large production volume has raised critical questions on the status of desalination research in this water-stressed region, and on whether it aligns with the pace of industrial production. We conducted a systematic review that collated 1,899 publications produced over five decades (1972-2022). Subsequently, we employed scientometric analyses to assess research parameters, including temporal trends in publication, research themes, authorship trends and technological advancements. This review was then followed by statistical analyses comparing regional scientific output with other economic, demographic and water stress metrics to identify correlations between desalination research and water production. Our findings revealed dramatic growth in desalination research since the early 2000s, with 83% of historic papers published just in the last decade (2013-2022). Over half of publications focused on research themes related to energy efficiency, regulatory concerns and cost-benefit analyses. The technological focus shifted from thermal to membrane technologies over time, mirroring trends in industrial applications. Authors affiliated with regional institutions emerged as primary contributors, a stark contrast to other research fields. In terms of economic factors, national GDPs showed a positive correlation with both publication volume and desalination capacity. This review underscores the critical role of desalination in regional water security, highlighting the need for targeted innovation and cross-sector collaboration to address current and future water stress challenges.
Keywords: desalination, Scientometric analysis, Research trends, Authorship trends, MiddleEast, Water production, Technological advancements
Received: 24 Jul 2025; Accepted: 09 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 D'Agostino, Al Memari, Al-Gergawi and Burt. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Daniele D'Agostino, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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