Textile wastewater is complex containing many different types of pollutants. Some of these pollutants contain carcinogens such as benzidine, naphthalene, and other aeromatic compounds which can be devastating to local ecosystems. Conventional wastewater treatment methods such as the one below utilize complex, multistage water treatment systems which produce significant amounts of chemical pollutants and degrade local ecosystems and water sources (ZDHC).
Current wastewater treatment systems cannot fully treat the dyes & chemicals used resulting in sludge and water pollution. Despite lower water requirements, the manufacture of polyester has generated other environmental concerns, including the release of microplastics or microfibers shredded in the manufacturing process, as well as the release of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
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Polyester is typically dyed using dispersed dyes which are commonly treated through chemical/electrochemical coagulation and flocculation, followed by aerobic digestion. However, these treatment methods are unable to breakdown the dyes, which instead are absorbed into a biomass resulting in the production of highly toxic sludge (ZDHC) .
There are many different aerobic processes which may be used including activated sludge tanks, oxidation ditches, sequencing batch reactors, trickling filters, and membrane bioreactors. These processes have differing operating costs, footprints, and process times, but all result in the production of sludge. This sludge is difficult to process and dispose of and can be a significant expense in the wastewater treatment process as well as pose severe environmental risks if not disposed properly (ZDHC).
