Environmental Impacts of Recovery of Resources From Industrial Wastewater

Abstract Recovery of resources from industrial wastewater is a promising approach in the context of circular bioeconomy. The recovery of resources is defined as the valorization of waste to valuable products, which for the case of industrial wastewater comprises nutrient recycling, energy generation, and water reuse. In this regard, nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon are considered as three significant nutrients. Various processes like stripping, membrane, electrochemical, and biological processes can be used for the recovery of resources. Different products such as fertilizer, biogas, thermal energy, bioproducts, cellulose, and synthetic materials can be recovered from industrial wastewaters. This chapter focuses on the environmental impacts of the recovery of resources from industrial wastewater from different aspects such as water resources, aquatic life protection, greenhouse gas reduction, sustainable agriculture, human health, and environmental economics. Finally, the contribution of the recovery of resources in circular bioeconomy is discussed.