Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Impact Evaluation of Demineralized Water Production at Al-Hilla Second Gas Power Plant, Iraq

Qasim Mudher Modhehi and Haider Mohammed Zwain ()
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Qasim Mudher Modhehi: Water Resources Management Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon 51013, Iraq
Haider Mohammed Zwain: Water Resources Management Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon 51013, Iraq

Resources, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: This study conducts a detailed and systematic Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of demineralized (DEMI) water production at the Al-Hilla Second Gas Power Plant in Iraq, employing the Open LCA-ReCiPe 8 Midpoint (H) method to evaluate potential environmental impacts across 18 midpoint categories. The analysis focuses on the production of 1 cubic meter of high-purity water, offering a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental burdens associated with chemical usage, energy consumption, and resource depletion. The results indicate that terrestrial ecotoxicity is the most dominant impact category (20.383 kg 1,4-DCB-eq), largely driven by the extensive use of treatment chemicals such as coagulants, disinfectants, and antiscalants. Climate change follows as the second highest impact category (3.496 kg CO 2 -eq), primarily due to significant electricity consumption during energy-intensive stages, particularly reverse osmosis (RO) and electro-deionization (EDI). These stages also contribute notably to fossil resource depletion (1.097 kg oil-eq) and particulate matter formation, reflecting the heavy reliance on fossil fuel-based energy in the region. Additional environmental concerns identified include human toxicity (both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic), freshwater and marine ecotoxicity, and metal/mineral resource depletion, all of which underscore the need for improved chemical and material management throughout the treatment process. While impacts from categories such as ozone layer depletion, ionizing radiation, and eutrophication are relatively low, their cumulative effect over time remains a concern for long-term sustainability. The energy assessment reveals that the RO and EDI units alone account for over 70% of the total energy consumption, estimated at 3.143 kWh/m 3 . This research provides insights into minimizing environmental burdens in water treatment systems, especially in regions facing energy and water stress.

Keywords: demineralized water; life cycle assessment; reverse osmosis; electro-deionization; environmental impact (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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