A comparative environmental life-cycle analysis for removing phosphorus from wastewater : biological versus physical/ chemical processes

Phosphorus can be removed from wastewater biologically, chemically, or through a combination of the two. In this study, we applied environmental life-cycle assessment to develop a metric with which decision-makers can compare processes. Two phosphorus-removal scenarios were contrasted-one based on a...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Water environment research : a research publication of the Water Environment Federation. - 1998. - 83(2011), 8 vom: 08. Aug., Seite 750-60
1. Verfasser: Coats, Erik R (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Watkins, David L, Kranenburg, Dan
Format: Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2011
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Water environment research : a research publication of the Water Environment Federation
Schlagworte:Comparative Study Evaluation Study Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Sewage Water Pollutants, Chemical Phosphorus 27YLU75U4W
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Phosphorus can be removed from wastewater biologically, chemically, or through a combination of the two. In this study, we applied environmental life-cycle assessment to develop a metric with which decision-makers can compare processes. Two phosphorus-removal scenarios were contrasted-one based on a desktop-level design and one based on full-scale operational data. To achieve 0.5 mg/L effluent phosphorus (desktop design), a biological-only process would incur 5.2% less effect on global warming potential, as contrasted with a chemical-only process. At an effluent quality of 0.1 mg/L (full-scale facilities), where a biological process augmented with chemicals was contrasted with a chemical-only process, the relative gap increases to 13.2%. As chemical usage increased, the adverse environmental effect of chemical treatment only increased. The results of this study suggest that best practices would center phosphorus removal first on the biological process, with chemical processes added only as necessary
Beschreibung:Date Completed 26.09.2011
Date Revised 10.12.2019
published: Print
Citation Status MEDLINE
ISSN:1554-7531