The textile dyeing sector is one of the largest industrial consumers of freshwater and a major source of chemically polluted effluents. To address increasing sustainability demands, this study investigates the feasibility of partially replacing process water with membrane bioreactor (MBR)-treated municipal wastewater in the dyeing of polyester and cotton fabrics. Controlled laboratory trials were carried out using water mixtures containing 0–100% MBR-treated wastewater to evaluate their influence on fabric integrity, coloration, and performance. The experimental work included blind dyeing and both monochromatic and trichromatic dyeing tests. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to assess potential modifications to fiber structure, while colorimetric measurements (CIELAB L*, a*, b*, ΔE*) quantified visual differences among samples. Fastness to washing and light was evaluated following the corresponding ISO standards. Results showed no detectable alterations in fiber chemical structure for either cotton or polyester, regardless of the water composition. Color differences remained low across all dyeing conditions, and fastness values fell within typical industrial ranges, with polyester showing the highest overall stability. Overall, the study demonstrates that up to 25% of process water can be substituted with MBR-treated municipal wastewater without compromising dyeing quality, supporting the implementation of circular water strategies in textile finishing.
Martínez et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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