Comparison of Fenton and Fered‐Fenton processes for sustainable management of textile reverse osmosis concentrate: multivariate analysis approach

Abstract Background Water scarcity and increasingly stringent discharge regulations are driving the adoption of sustainable water management strategies, necessitating the reuse of industrial wastewater and the implementation of zero or near‐zero liquid discharge systems. Reverse osmosis (RO) is an effective technology for recycling wastewater in the textile industry. The elevated resistivity and decreased biodegradability of contaminants in RO concentrates generate a novel wastewater stream. Results This study examines the reutilization of these wastewaters through Fenton and Fered‐Fenton processes. The Box–Behnken design (BBD) was used to model process variables. The operational parameters for both processes were the H 2 O 2 /chemical oxygen demand (COD) ratio, Fe 2+ /H 2 O 2 ratio, current density and reaction time. The evaluated system responses were COD, color index (CI) and ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (UV 254 ) and 280 nm (UV 280 ). The correlation coefficients ( R 2 ) for all created models approached 1, demonstrating the efficacy of the BBD method in modeling pollutant removal with the Fenton and Fered‐Fenton processes. The Fenton process achieved removal efficiency of 73.5% for COD, 94.5% for CI, 84% for UV 254 and 81% for UV 280 . The efficiencies obtained in the Fered‐Fenton process were 87% for COD, 97.5% for CI, 94.5% for UV 254 and 89% for UV 280 under optimum conditions. Conclusions The results indicate that the modified Fenton process may be a more successful alternative method, notably owing to its enhanced removal efficiencies for organic matter. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).