Treating Textile Wastewater to Achieve Zero Liquid Discharge: a Comprehensive Techno-economic Analysis

Abstract

As a result of global warming, water scarcity has become a growing concern in many parts of the world. The textile industry is one of the largest water-consumer industries that discharge untreated or partially treated wastewater into water bodies. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the wastewater quantity generated by textile industries to investigate how it is recovered and recycled. For this purpose, applying near and/or zero liquid discharge (ZLD) in the textile industry wastewater treatment is a strategic wastewater management option. Although the process is costly, technological advancements in recovering the water and other salts can pave the way for economic feasibility. This study encompasses the techno-economic analysis of textile wastewater treatment to achieve ZLD. The technologies already in use are discussed in terms of performance, cost, and limitations. An efficient pre-treatment of textile wastewater treatment could improve water recovery and decrease the operating cost of ZLD. We also discussed the ZLD applications for textile wastewater treatment, their problems, and their cost-benefit analysis.