Exploratory data analysis and economic feasibility on the scale-up of an industrial wastewater treatment using a green nanocatalyst in heterogeneous photocatalysis system

The expansion of an industrial wastewater treatment system, while essential for sustainability and environmental compliance, is a complex project that presents significant challenges, both in exploratory data analysis and in assessing economic feasibility, involving gaps in data quality and availability, wastewater complexity and variability, projected operating costs, and the availability of financing and incentives. In this context, the present work aims to evaluate the economic feasibility and exploratory data analysis (EDA) of the production of a green supported nanocatalyst (nSOD@CuO-NPs) composed of a catalytic matrix of nanozeolite sodalite (nSOD) obtained from aluminum sludge and rice husk waste, while copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) prepared by the green synthesis method from green tea ( Camellia sinensis ) serve as the photoactive phase for the degradation of a binary dye mixture of crystal violet and methylene blue (CV: MB) at an industrial scale. Heterogeneous photocatalysis was carried out under visible radiation ([CV:MB] = 70 and 135 mg L −1 | [nSOD@CuO-NPs] = 0.5–1.5 g L −1 | pH 4–10) for 240 min by the Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD). Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Return Rate (IRR), Cost-Benefit ratio (B/C), and Discounted Payback Period (DPP) were used to evaluate the economic feasibility of nSOD@CuO-NPs production (15–45 kg day −1 ). The economic analysis revealed that all systems were economically viable, with IRR greater than the interest rate ( i = 12 %). System 3 was the most reliable system (NVP = US$ 2,845,471.11, B/C = 2.50, IRR = 59.7 %, DPP = 2 years). • The photocatalytic activity of a green nanocatalyst (nSOD@CuO-NPs) was evaluated. • EDA was used to investigate the effect of photocatalytic parameters on %R. • Three production systems (15, 30, and 45 kg day −1 of nSOD@CuO-NPs) were analyzed. • nSOD@CuO-NPs showed ~92–95 % dye degradation after 240 min under visible radiation. • Systems 1–3 were economically feasible, being able to treat 10–30 m 3 of wastewater.