Assessment of reuse potential of highway runoff water in textile wet processing

The current study assesses the reuse potential of highway runoff water instead of fresh water in textile wet processing. Specific standard and batch fabric samples of selected reactive dyes were prepared in the laboratory using highway runoff water in the dyeing and washing stages of wet processing, and the quality of these fabric samples was assessed in terms of color difference properties, color strength properties, and color fastness properties. Batch 1 and batch 2 fabric samples, where highway runoff water was used in dyeing and washing, respectively, show excellent quality, whereas batch 3 fabric samples, where highway runoff water was used simultaneously in dyeing and washing stages, showed unreliable results. The total color difference value (DE*_CMC) was found to be 0.14 to 0.75, 0.77 to 0.96, and 0.88 to 3.34 for batch 1, batch 2, and batch 3 fabric samples. Regarding color fastness to washing and crocking, dyeing quality ranges from very good to outstanding for batch 1, good to outstanding for batch 2, and moderate to excellent for batch 3 fabric samples.