Merging treatability results and sustainability assessment: a segregated textile dyehouse effluent

Treatability studies are performed on industrial wastewaters before defining a proper treatment scheme. Segregated effluents are of concern for industrial sectors such as textile, leather, metal etc. where wastewater characterization differs substantially depending on the various processes applied. Conclusions are drawn from the results obtained by checking the removal efficiencies. A treatment train is recommended based on the pollutant removal efficiencies. This type of inadequate evaluation is doomed to fail as it lacks the cross media effects and a whole spectrum of environmental impacts. In this context, the current study targets merging treatability results with the sustainability assessment. A segregated textile wastewater that contains hydrolyzed Reactive Black 5 dye (RB5) is subjected to treatability tests with UV-C activated persulfate (PS) and UV-C activated percarbonate (PC). The results that show 100% RB5 removal are evaluated via life cycle assessment (LCA). By doing so, the treatment alternative that yields minimal environmental impacts is stated. The life cycle assessment methodology used is structured according to the ISO 14040/14044 guidelines. The GaBi software version 7.3 is adopted. The CML is used to estimate the life cycle environmental impacts. The following environmental impact categories are investigated: Global warming potential (GWP), abiotic depletion potential (ADP fossils and elements), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity potential (FAETP), human toxicity potential (HTP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP) and terrestrial ecotoxicity potential (TETP).