Valorization of hemodialysis wastewater and sludge generated after an advanced oxidation process inside a circular economy for sustainable development

Abstract BACKGROUND Hemodialysis (HD), the most common treatment for chronic kidney disease, affects the environment, particularly water. Renal assistance has a considerable environmental impact on water scarcity and pollution beyond global warming. Although necessary from a humanitarian point of view, this treatment generates a series of environmental impacts, particularly on water and greenhouse gas emissions, because of its requirements. RESULTS In the present work, HD wastewater from a clinic was developed using an advanced oxidation process focused on electrocoagulation–electrocoagulation–electrooxidation–activated carbon (2EC‐EO‐AC), which was carried out directly in the clinic. In addition, the reliability of the reuse of the sludge obtained after the 2EC‐EO‐AC system was determined using the characterization corresponding to the NOM‐004‐SEMARNAT‐2002, NOM‐052‐SEMARNAT‐2005, and NOM‐053‐SEMARNAT‐1993 standards. Sludge from EC was used to directly germinate the soybean seeds, and these results were compared with those of other control soil substrates. CONCLUSION The versatility of electrochemical technologies is greater than 70% when the parameters and maximum permissible limits (MPL) are considered by the Mexican regulation NOM‐003‐SEMARNAT‐1997; thus, up to 71.25% of chemical oxygen demand, 72.56% of total organic carbon, 0.26% of electrical conductivity, 17.93% of biochemical oxygen demand, 3.35% of total dissolved solids, and 98.75% of total suspended solids are removed. The sludge from EC was not corrosive, reactive, environmentally toxic, or flammable and was excellent for reuse in anthropogenic and environmental activities for a circular economy and sustainable development goals (6, 11, and 13). © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).