Advancements and sustainable strategies for the treatment and management of wastewaters from metallurgical industries: an overview

Abstract

Metallurgy is pivotal for societal progress, yet it yields wastewater laden with hazardous compounds. Adhering to stringent environmental mandates, the scientific and industrial sectors are actively researching resilient treatment and disposal solutions for metallurgical effluents. The primary origins of organic pollutants within the metallurgical sector include processes such as coke quenching, steel rolling, solvent extraction, and electroplating. This article provides a detailed analysis of strategies for treating steel industry waste in wastewater treatment. Recent advancements in membrane technologies, adsorption, and various other processes for removing hazardous pollutants from steel industrial wastewater are comprehensively reviewed. The literature review reveals that advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) demonstrate superior effectiveness in eliminating persistent contaminants. However, the major challenges to their industrial-scale implementation are their cost and scalability. Additionally, it was discovered that employing a series of biological reactors instead of single-step biological processes enhances command over microbial communities and operating variables, thus boosting the efficacy of the treatment mechanism (e.g., achieving a chemical oxygen demand (COD) elimination rate of over 90%). This review seeks to conduct an in-depth examination of the current state of treating metallurgical wastewater, with a particular emphasis on strategies for pollutant removal. These pollutants exhibit distinct features influenced by the technologies and workflows unique to their respective processes, including factors such as their composition, physicochemical properties, and concentrations. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for customized treatment and disposal approaches, which are the central focus of this review. In this context, we will explore these methods, highlighting their advantages and characteristics.

Toward a Brighter Future: Enhanced Sustainable Methods for Preventing Algal Blooms and Improving Water Quality

“…Costs for chemical treatments can be high, particularly with ozone and advanced oxidation processes, due to their powerful oxidizing abilities and high operational costs. Byproducts such as sludge from coagulation/flocculation and potential secondary pollutants from ozone treatment necessitate careful management to mitigate environmental impact [104][105][106].…”

Reuse of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Batteries from a Life Cycle Assessment Perspective: The Second-Life Case Study

“…This is mainly due to impacts related to aluminum, steel, and copper production. In particular, it is estimated that steel production, which generates globally about 145 billion tons of wastewater per year (19 tons/per capita) [55], generates emissions of arsenic, mercury lead, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, cyanide, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) classified as polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) and is thus responsible for human toxicity and poisoning and ecosystem toxicity. GWP kg CO2 eq 5.65 × 10 0 11% 1.49 × 10 0 3% 9.49 × 10 0 18% 1.27 × 10 1 25% 2.93 × 10 0 6% 6.20 × 10 0 12% 8.94 × 10 0 17% 4.04 × 10 -1 1% 3.60 × 10 0 7% 5.14 × 10 1 100% SOD kg CFC11 eq 2.24 × 10 -6 18% 3.06 × 10 -7 3% 1.67 × 10 -6 14% 2.15 × 10 -6 18% 7.24 × 10 -7 6% 1.65 × 10 -6 14% 2.84 × 10 -6 23% 3.92 × 10 -8 1% 5.47 × 10 -7 4% 1.22 × 10 -5 100% IR kBq Co-60 eq 5.97 × 10 -2 35% 2.97 × 10 -3 2% 1.91 × 10 -2 11% 2.16 × 10 -2 13% 7.75 × 10 -3 5% 3.04 × 10 -2 18% 2.30 × 10 -2 13% 5.39 × 10 -4 1% 6.03 × 10 -3 4% 1.71 × 10 -1 100% OFHH kg NOx eq 1.91 × 10 -2 12% 4.17 × 10 -3 3% 2.27 × 10 -2 14% 3.15 × 10 -2 19% 1.17 × 10 -2 7% 1.39 × 10 -2 8% 3.50 × 10 -2 21% 6.18 × 10 -4 1% 2.69 × 10 -2 16% 1.66 × 10 -1 100% FPMP kg PM2.5 eq 5.33 × 10 -3 12% 1.06 × 10 -3 3% 5.78 × 10 -3 14% 7.37 × 10 -3 19% 2.04 × 10 -3 7% 2.57 × 10 -3 8% 9.70 × 10 -3 21% 9.34 × 10 -5 1% 9.82 × 10 -5 16% 3.40 × 10 -2 100% OFTE kg NOx eq 1.92 × 10 -2 12% 4.18 × 10 -3 3% 2.27 × 10 -2 14% 3.15 × 10 -2 19% 1.17 × 10 -2 7% 1.40 × 10 -2 8% 3.51 × 10 -2 21% 6.20 × 10 -4 1% 2.70 × 10 -2 16% 1.66 × 10 -1 100% TAP kg SO2 eq 3.84 × 10 -2 15% 6.52 × 10 Abiotic resources LU m 2 a crop eq 4.71 × 10 -1 12% 1.11 × 10 -1 3% 6.77 × 10 -1 17% 8.23 × 10 -1 21% 2.31 × 10 -1 6% 5.92 × 10 -1 15% 9.51 × 10 -1 24% 8.28 × 10 -3 1% 3.00 × 10 -2 1% 3.89 × 10 0 100% MRS kg Cu eq 5.21 × 10 -1 34% 3.41 × 10 -2 2% 9.49 × 10 -2 6% 9.38 × 10 -2 6% 2.49 × 10 -2 2% 1.02 × 10 -1 7% 6.51 × 10 -1 43% 4.34 × 10 -4 1% 3.40 × 10 -4 1% 1.52 × 10 0 100% FRS kg oil eq 1.67 × 10 0 15% 2.88 × 10 -1 3% 1.84 × 10 0 16% 2.41 × 10 0 21% 7.86 × 10 -1 7% 1.68 × 10 0 15% 1.79 × 10 0 16% 2.26 × 10 -1 1% 7.28 × 10 -1 6% 1.14 × 10 1 100% WC m 3 3.09 × 10 -1 42% 1.15 × 10 -2 2% 8.13 × 10 -2 11% 7.16 × 10 -2 10% 4.33 × 10 -2 6% 9.11 × 10 -2 12% 1.21 × 10 -1 16% 3.25 × 10 -3 1% 5.34 × 10 -4 0% 7.32 × 10 -1 100%…”

A review on microbes mediated resource recovery and bioplastic (polyhydroxyalkanoates) production from wastewater

“…The methods are effective but also cost-intensive and generate secondary contaminants. In contrast, biological treatment by activated sludge, biofiltration, and constructed wetlands harness microbial activity to break down organic matter but may be less effective for certain pollutants [ 74 , 95 , 96 ]. The challenges and limitations of each wastewater treatment technique vary, not just in terms of initial capital and operational running costs, but also in terms of operatability, effectiveness, reliability, pre-treatment needs, environmental impact, and the generation of sludge and toxic by-product waste.…”