Work

Grey water and carbon footprint of textile industry: A case study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: • Grey water footprint (GWF) of textile industry was calculated based on multiple pollutants. • Carbon footprint (CF) of textile industry per energy consumption was evaluated. • 113 L of GWF with 10gr CF were the equivalent impacts of 1 m 2 of produced textile. • Phosphate was the leading pollutant for GWF assessment. This study evaluated the multi-pollutant grey water footprint (GWF) of textile production based on industrial wastewater samples from a factory in Isfahan, Iran. Chemical oxidation demand (COD), alkylbenzene sulfonate, phosphate, totals suspended solids, fats-oil-grease, cyanide, and phenol were analyzed. Their monthly average concentrations were 10137, 2.1, 354, 4306, 168, 0.56, and 1.3 mg/L, respectively. Phosphate emerged as the critical pollutant, increasing GWF to 113 L/m 2 of textile product (281 L/kg product). COD and phenol were the following critical pollutants in GWF with 59 and 39 L/m 2 , respectively. By consuming both electricity and natural gas, the carbon footprint was also 10 gCO 2 /m 2 of production (25 gCO 2 /kg product). These findings highlighted the substantial environmental pressures exerted by the textile industry and underscored the need for sustainable practices. Through an inclusive quantitative framework, the study advocates for GWF assessments that incorporate multiple pollutants, including hazardous wastewater constituents, to better evaluate environmental impacts.

Source: Ain Shams Engineering Journal

DOI: 10.1016/j.asej.2025.103593

Authors: Keivan Arastou, Amir Hosseinzadeh, Shervin Jamshidi, Parham Tafazzoli

Institution: University of Isfahan

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Clean water and sanitation, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,200