Environmental Assessment and Compliance of Wastewater from Arzew Oil Refinery for Future Development and Reuse

Abstract

To acquire baseline knowledge on the nature of effluent released into the environment from petroleum refineries in Algeria, and to find more interesting treatment options for industrial wastewaters, the characteristics of Arzew refinery effluent were investigated. Industrial wastewater samples were gathered from the influent, API separator, and discharged into the sea effluent, and then analyzed for different parameters using standard methods. The analysis showed high concentrations of total Suspended Solids (TSS), biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and Oil and grease (O&G) contained in the influent wastewater, and reduced to acceptable limits in the discharged effluent based on the Algerian standards for industrial liquid effluents (including refineries). Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and total chromium (Cr) were also detected. The findings were compared with the liquid discharge standards of two other Algerian refineries regarding the regulation of liquid effluents from refineries. As a result of these investigations on the evaluation of wastewater treatment processes in the petroleum refinery sector in Algeria, suggestions are recommended for future research toward the development of advanced treatment technologies and the exploitation of recycling in petrochemical and refinery wastewater treatment plants.