Editorial: Advancements and challenges in sustainable water desalination technologies

growing gap between freshwater supply and demand, particularly in arid and water-stressed regions (Matta el al., 2026). However, conventional desalination technologies remain energyintensive and face operational and environmental challenges. This Research Topic brings together seven contributions that collectively explore innovative materials, hybrid system designs, energy optimization strategies, and digital monitoring approaches to advance sustainable desalination technologies.A major focus of this collection is the enhancement of solar-driven desalination systems, which offer an environmentally friendly and decentralized solution for freshwater production. Palaniappan et al. (2025) investigates a single-slope corrugated wick solar distillation system integrated with a hybrid nanocomposite of zinc oxide nanoparticles and activated carbon. By leveraging Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), the system enhances non-radiative energy transfer between solar radiation and water molecules, resulting in improved photothermal conversion. The incorporation of a paraffin-based phase change material (PCM) enables thermal energy storage and extends distillation into nighttime hours. This integrated approach significantly improves system performance, achieving higher distillate yield and thermal efficiency compared to conventional designs. The study highlights how coupling nanomaterials with latent heat storage can redefine thermal management in passive solar desalination. Similarly, Sathiwika et al. (2025) focuses on improving the performance of single-basin solar stills (SBS) through the integration of paraffin-based PCM, copper nanoparticles, and agro-based materials. The experimental results demonstrate substantial productivity enhancements, particularly in double-effect configurations. The synergistic effect of nanoparticles and PCM improves heat transfer and energy storage, leading to increased freshwater output. These findings reinforce the growing importance of hybrid material integration in overcoming the efficiency limitations of traditional solar stills. Further advancements in solar still design is explored through a computational and experimental investigation of fin materials and water depth optimization. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Kumar et al. (2025) evaluated different configurations and identifies that copper fins combined with optimized water depth significantly enhance thermal performance, energy efficiency, and freshwater productivity. This work underscores the critical role of material selection and geometric design in improving the performance of solar desalination systems. Beyond small-scale systems, the Research Topic also addresses large-scale desalination and energy optimization strategies. Alghamdi, Mahmoud, and Ahmed (2025) examined the integration of Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) with Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) to reduce energy consumption. The hybrid PRO-SWRO system demonstrates a measurable reduction in specific energy consumption under optimized operating conditions. The findings highlight the potential of osmotic energy recovery as a viable pathway for improving the energy efficiency of large-scale desalination plants.Complementing this, Ahmed et al. (2025) explored the feasibility of Forward Osmosis (FO) systems powered by Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technologies. By evaluating both batch-mode operation and continuous operation with thermal energy storage (TES), the research identifies a critical trade-off between operational stability and economic viability.While TES enables near-continuous operation, it significantly increases system costs. In contrast, batch-mode operation without TES offers a more economically feasible solution despite lower capacity utilization. This work provides valuable insights into the technoeconomic challenges of integrating renewable energy with desalination systems and highlights the need for cost-effective thermal storage solutions. Operational challenges, particularly membrane fouling, remain a major barrier in desalination systems. Addressing this issue, one contribution introduces an advanced optical water quality monitoring system that integrates spectroscopy with Internet of Things (IoT) technology (Mahmoud et al., 2025). This system enables real-time monitoring of key parameters such as organic content and biomass levels, allowing proactive control strategies to mitigate biofouling. The study demonstrates how digitalization and smart sensing technologies can significantly improve operational efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and optimize chemical usage in desalination plants. In addition to technological advancements, this Research Topic includes a comprehensive scientometric analysis of desalination research in the Middle East, a region that accounts for a substantial share of global desalination capacity (D'Agostino, Al-Memari, and Burt, 2025). The analysis reveals a strong correlation between economic indicators and research output, as well as a shift in research focus from thermal to membrane technologies over time. However, despite global trends favouring membrane-based systems, thermal desalination continues to dominate regional capacity. This mismatch highlights the need for better alignment between research priorities and industrial deployment, as well as more diversified technological adoption.Collectively, the contributions in this Research Topic emphasize the importance of integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable desalination. Innovations in nanomaterials, phase change materials, and system design are enabling significant improvements in solar desalination performance. At the same time, hybrid configurations and energy recovery techniques are addressing the high energy demands of large-scale systems.The incorporation of digital technologies, such as IoT-based monitoring and data-driven optimization, further enhances system reliability and operational efficiency. Despite these advancements, several challenges remain. Energy consumption continues to be a critical concern, particularly for large-scale desalination systems. The high cost of advanced materials and thermal energy storage technologies limit their widespread adoption.Environmental issues, including brine disposal and ecological impact, also require further attention. Addressing these challenges will require continued research into low-cost materials, efficient energy integration, and sustainable system design. Looking ahead, the future of desalination lies in the development of low-energy, hybrid, and smart systems that combine renewable energy integration with advanced materials and digital optimization. Emerging approaches such as FRET-enhanced photothermal systems, CSP-driven desalination, and IoTenabled monitoring represent promising directions for the field. Furthermore, aligning research efforts with regional needs and industrial practices will be essential for accelerating the deployment of sustainable desalination technologies.In conclusion, this Research Topic provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements and ongoing challenges in sustainable water desalination. The seven contributions collectively demonstrate how innovation across multiple domains, materials science, thermal engineering, system integration, and digital technologies, can drive progress toward more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable desalination solutions.Continued interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation will be essential to ensure that desalination plays a central role in achieving global water security.As Topic Editors of this Research Topic in Frontiers in Water, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Specialty Chief Editor for continuous support and guidance throughout the publication process. We are particularly thankful to the reviewers for their insightful comments and rigorous evaluation, which greatly improved the quality of the manuscripts. We also extend our appreciation to all contributing authors for their valuable research contributions and cooperation. Their collective efforts have been essential to the successful completion and dissemination of this Research Topic.