Mohsen Nowrouzi

The petrochemical industry is a significant source of hazardous waste, leading to widespread environmental pollution. For the first time, an integrated approach was employed in the current study to combine life cycle assessment (LCA) coupled life cycle cost (LCC) analysis with waste sludge disposal scenarios to evaluate trickling filter (TF), membrane bioreactor-reverse osmosis (MBR-RO), and integrated fixed-film activated sludgemembrane bioreactor (IFAS-MBR) performance at the individual unit level for the treatment of petrochemical wastewater. The midpoint LCA modeling indicated that the main environmental burdens in the studied systems were freshwater eutrophication (<5.31 kg P eq) and toxicity potentials (<263.16 kg 1,4-DCB). These impacts were primarily attributed to the emissions of zinc, copper, nickel, and the processing of heat and gas. Furthermore, the results of the LCC analysis revealed that the TF system was more cost-effective than the MBR-RO and IFAS-MBR systems. By utilizing the produced biogas for energy provision in the TF system, significant reductions in toxicity potentials and ecosystem impact categories ranging from 26.72 % to 56.69 % were observed. Additionally, the biowaste scenario exhibited lower environmental concerns (<50 %) compared to incineration or landfill. In conclusion, this investigation provides valuable perspectives and a sustainable strategy for future policymaking regarding petrochemical wastewater treatment.