Abstract
This paper presents some of our solutions to real challenges and issues encountered during an industrial pilot project. To overcome the complexity of the configuration of the industrial effluent treatment chain due to the variety of contaminants and various treatment technologies available, a decision tree was developed based on the best available technology adapted to the pollutant types. A parametric life cycle inventory was developed for the operational phase of fifteen modules of conventional and advanced treatment technologies to facilitate a comparative environmental impact assessment, including a parametric sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. The comparative modular life cycle assessment revealed the hotspots and contributions of fifteen treatment modules to the environmental impacts of treating a 1 m³ effluent, with nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange having the highest overall impacts. The modular processing configuration integrated into a decision tree promises more flexibility in setting up tailored processing scenarios and in performing modular life cycle assessments for the sustainability evaluation of processing scenarios derived from decision trees.