The discharge of untreated wastewater from oil refineries poses a serious threat to the environment and public health due to its high levels of hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and other toxic compounds. Conventional treatment methods often fall short in effectively removing these persistent pollutants. This study presents a novel and efficient method for purifying wastewater from oil refineries using reverse osmosis (RO) technology. The proposed approach integrates advanced pre-treatment processes—such as coagulation, flocculation, and activated carbon filtration—to enhance the performance and longevity of RO membranes. Experimental results demonstrate that the optimized RO system achieves remarkable removal efficiencies, eliminating over ۹۵% of total dissolved solids (TDS), ۹۸% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), and nearly all trace hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Moreover, the system operates with reduced fouling tendencies and lower energy consumption, making it a sustainable and cost-effective solution for industrial applications. Membrane integrity is maintained over extended operational periods, indicating high durability and minimal maintenance requirements. The study also includes a comparative analysis with conventional treatment methods, highlighting the superior purification capacity and operational advantages of the RO-based system. These findings suggest that reverse osmosis, when implemented with proper pre-treatment, can serve as a robust and scalable technology for addressing the critical issue of refinery wastewater pollution. The adoption of this method could significantly reduce the environmental footprint of oil refining operations while complying with stringent regulatory standards. Further research is recommended to explore full-scale implementation and the potential integration with zero-liquid discharge systems.
