Sustainable Concrete with Dairy Wastewater: A State-of-the-Art Review

Approximately 10% of the worldwide industrial water consumption is constituted by the concrete sector. The dairy industry uses significant amounts of fresh water and produces substantial wastewater, often disposed of in landfills. It would be beneficial to consider the reuse of dairy wastewater in the concrete industry. This study presents a state-of-the-art review of the potential use of dairy wastewater in concrete production and its impact on mechanical properties and durability of concrete. Using dairy wastewater as a medium for bacterial growth enhanced the mechanical properties and durability of concrete by filling pores in the concrete and providing self- healing properties. Moreover, a lower water-to-cement ratio was observed to positively impact the strength of concrete. However, further study is needed to optimize this ratio and address concerns about harmful materials present in dairy wastewater.