Textile wastewater treatment with membrane bioreactor and water re-use

Abstract

The textile processing industry, from among the larger industrial consumers Of water is a prime candidate for the development of intensive water recycling strategies and the recovery of valuable chemical products. Most studies have been directed towards the treatment of final effluent (end-to-pipe approach) in order to deal with the problems associated with textile waste water. New technologies, such as MBR, enable water re-use in combination with additional membrane filtrations, as a posttreatment step. An important feature of MBR is the possibility of employing high sludge concentrations, facilitating the growth of specialised microorganisms, and promoting improved organic degradation. In this review, the characterisation of coloured wastewaters and the treatment methods are discussed, not only to enable water discharge but also its re-use.