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Gong Y, Zheng X, Liu G, Lam KL. Compiling life cycle inventories for wastewater-derived products. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 255:121439. [PMID: 38520775 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
With the paradigm shift in wastewater management from pollutant removal to resource recovery, more wastewater-derived products are emerging from different recovery pathways. It is becoming increasingly important to understand the potential environmental impacts of these products through life cycle assessment (LCA). This study aims to compile life cycle inventories of wastewater-derived products from the perspective of the product end users (e.g., agricultural sector, packaging industry), and to explore the challenges of their compilation. Using inventories from wastewater resource recovery LCA literature, we compiled an attributional inventory (88 sets) and a consequential inventory (33 sets) of three categories of wastewater-derived products - phosphorus compounds, nitrogen compounds, and biopolymers. The two inventories differ by the choices of system boundary, how foreground systems are being modelled, and how co-products are being handled. We found that while there is a large body of literature related to wastewater resource recovery LCA, very few studies (29 out of 174 for the three categories of products) are suitable for end users to successfully compile inventories of derived products. The inventories were assessed by the technology readiness level assessment, the data quality assessment, and the cumulative energy demand indicator. The inventories can be used directly by end users or served as "screening" inventories for end users to prioritize data collection effort. The identified challenges of inventory compilation include diverse recovery settings, the absence of baseline scenarios, the multifunctional nature of wastewater treatment plants, the lack of inventory transparency and completeness, and low technology readiness level for some recovery pathways. While established or emerging approaches exist to address most of these challenges for end users, wastewater resource recovery LCA practitioners can enhance their assessments to be more end-user-oriented. This can be achieved by including baseline non-recovery scenarios, disclosing detailed life cycle inventory by system components, and assessing a wide variety of operating scenarios. Addressing some of these compilation challenges would enhance the comprehensiveness and quality of wastewater-derived product inventories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxian Gong
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu, 215316, China; Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Xinyu Zheng
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215009, China
| | - Gang Liu
- Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
| | - Ka Leung Lam
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu, 215316, China.
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Mukhtar Gunam Resul MF, Rehman A, Saleem F, Usman M, López Fernández AM, Eze VC, Harvey AP. Recent advances in catalytic and non-catalytic epoxidation of terpenes: a pathway to bio-based polymers from waste biomass. RSC Adv 2023; 13:32940-32971. [PMID: 38025849 PMCID: PMC10630890 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra04870e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Epoxides derived from waste biomass are a promising avenue for the production of bio-based polymers, including polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes, and polycarbonates. This review article explores recent efforts to develop both catalytic and non-catalytic processes for the epoxidation of terpene, employing a variety of oxidizing agents and techniques for process intensification. Experimental investigations into the epoxidation of limonene have shown that these methods can be extended to other terpenes. To optimize the epoxidation of bio-based terpene, there is a need to develop continuous processes that address limitations in mass and heat transfer. This review discusses flow chemistry and innovative reactor designs as part of a multi-scale approach aimed at industrial transformation. These methods facilitate continuous processing, improve mixing, and either eliminate or reduce the need for solvents by enhancing heat transfer capabilities. Overall, the objective of this review is to contribute to the development of commercially viable processes for producing bio-based epoxides from waste biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Faiz Mukhtar Gunam Resul
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Malaysia
| | - Abdul Rehman
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
- Department of Chemical and Polymer Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore Faisalabad Campus Pakistan
| | - Faisal Saleem
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
- Department of Chemical and Polymer Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore Faisalabad Campus Pakistan
| | - Muhammd Usman
- Department of Chemical and Polymer Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore Faisalabad Campus Pakistan
| | | | - Valentine C Eze
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
| | - Adam P Harvey
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
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3
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de Melo RN, de Souza Hassemer G, Steffens J, Junges A, Valduga E. Recent updates to microbial production and recovery of polyhydroxyalkanoates. 3 Biotech 2023; 13:204. [PMID: 37223002 PMCID: PMC10200728 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-023-03633-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing use of synthetic polymers and their disposal has raised concern due to their adverse effects on the environment. Thus, other sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastics have been sought, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), which are promising microbial polyesters, mainly due to their compostable nature, biocompatibility, thermostability, and resilience, making this biopolymer acceptable in several applications in the global market. The large-scale production of PHAs by microorganisms is still limited by the high cost of production compared to conventional plastics. This review reports some strategies mentioned in the literature aimed at production and recovery, paving the way for the bio-based economy. For this, some aspects of PHAs are addressed, such as synthesis, production systems, process control using by-products from industries, and advances and challenges in the downstream. The bioplastics properties made them a prime candidate for food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industrial applications. With this paper, it is possible to see that biodegradable polymers are promising materials, mainly for reducing the pollution produced by polymers derived from petroleum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Nery de Melo
- Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, URI-Erechim, Sete de Setembro Av, Erechim, RS 162199709-910 Brazil
| | - Guilherme de Souza Hassemer
- Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, URI-Erechim, Sete de Setembro Av, Erechim, RS 162199709-910 Brazil
| | - Juliana Steffens
- Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, URI-Erechim, Sete de Setembro Av, Erechim, RS 162199709-910 Brazil
| | - Alexander Junges
- Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, URI-Erechim, Sete de Setembro Av, Erechim, RS 162199709-910 Brazil
| | - Eunice Valduga
- Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, URI-Erechim, Sete de Setembro Av, Erechim, RS 162199709-910 Brazil
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Zhao Y, Yang Z, Niu J, Du Z, Federica C, Zhu Z, Yang K, Li Y, Zhao B, Pedersen TH, Liu C, Emmanuel M. Systematical analysis of sludge treatment and disposal technologies for carbon footprint reduction. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 128:224-249. [PMID: 36801037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.07.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to comprehensively analyze the Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) emissions from current sewage sludge treatment and disposal technologies (building material, landfill, land spreading, anaerobic digestion, and thermochemical processes) based on the database of Science Citation Index (SCI) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) from 1998 to 2020. The general patterns, spatial distribution, and hotspots were provided by bibliometric analysis. A comparative quantitative analysis based on life cycle assessment (LCA) put forward the current emission situation and the key influencing factors of different technologies. The effective GHG emissions reduction methods were proposed to mitigate climate change. Results showed that incineration or building materials manufacturing of highly dewatered sludge, and land spreading after anaerobic digestion have the best GHG emissions reduction benefits. Biological treatment technologies and thermochemical processes have great potential for reducing GHGs. Enhancement of pretreatment effect, co-digestion, and new technologies (e.g., injection of carbon dioxide, directional acidification) are major approaches to facilitate substitution emissions in sludge anaerobic digestion. The relationship between the quality and efficiency of secondary energy in thermochemical process and GHGs emission still needs further study. Solid sludge products generated by bio-stabilization or thermochemical processes are considered to have a certain carbon sequestration value and can improve the soil environment to control GHG emissions. The findings are useful for future development and processes selection of sludge treatment and disposal facing carbon footprint reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Zhifan Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., Tianjin 300380, China
| | - Jiaojiao Niu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Zihan Du
- Tianjin International Engineering Institute, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Conti Federica
- Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
| | - Zhe Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Safety Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Kaichao Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yan Li
- Energy Research Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Baofeng Zhao
- Energy Research Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250014, China
| | | | - Chunguang Liu
- Shandong Kailin environmental protection equipment Co., Ltd., Heze 274000, China
| | - Mutabazi Emmanuel
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
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Sangtani R, Nogueira R, Yadav AK, Kiran B. Systematizing Microbial Bioplastic Production for Developing Sustainable Bioeconomy: Metabolic Nexus Modeling, Economic and Environmental Technologies Assessment. JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2023; 31:2741-2760. [PMID: 36811096 PMCID: PMC9933833 DOI: 10.1007/s10924-023-02787-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The excessive usage of non-renewable resources to produce plastic commodities has incongruously influenced the environment's health. Especially in the times of COVID-19, the need for plastic-based health products has increased predominantly. Given the rise in global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, the lifecycle of plastic has been established to contribute to it significantly. Bioplastics such as polyhydroxy alkanoates, polylactic acid, etc. derived from renewable energy origin have been a magnificent alternative to conventional plastics and reconnoitered exclusively for combating the environmental footprint of petrochemical plastic. However, the economically reasonable and environmentally friendly procedure of microbial bioplastic production has been a hard nut to crack due to less scouted and inefficient process optimization and downstream processing methodologies. Thereby, meticulous employment of computational tools such as genome-scale metabolic modeling and flux balance analysis has been practiced in recent times to understand the effect of genomic and environmental perturbations on the phenotype of the microorganism. In-silico results not only aid us in determining the biorefinery abilities of the model microorganism but also curb our reliance on equipment, raw materials, and capital investment for optimizing the best conditions. Additionally, to accomplish sustainable large-scale production of microbial bioplastic in a circular bioeconomy, extraction, and refinement of bioplastic needs to be investigated extensively by practicing techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment. This review put forth state-of-the-art know-how on the proficiency of these computational techniques in laying the foundation of an efficient bioplastic manufacturing blueprint, chiefly focusing on microbial polyhydroxy alkanoates (PHA) production and its efficacy in outplacing fossil based plastic products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rimjhim Sangtani
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, 453552, Indore, India
| | - Regina Nogueira
- Institute for Sanitary Engineering and Waste Management, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Asheesh Kumar Yadav
- CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751013 India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002 India
| | - Bala Kiran
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, 453552, Indore, India
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6
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From Agri-Food Wastes to Polyhydroxyalkanoates through a Sustainable Process. FERMENTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/fermentation8100556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The biologically-derived polymers polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable and can be considered a valuable alternative to conventional fossil-based plastics. However, upstream and downstream processes for PHA production are characterized by high energy and chemical consumption and are not economically competitive with petroleum-based polymers. Aiming to improve both the environmental and economical sustainability of PHAs production, in this work, corn straw was used as raw material to obtain a mixture of fermentable sugars after microwave-assisted flash hydrolysis (2 min, 0.01 g/L, 50.7% yield). A mixed microbial culture enriched from dairy industry waste was used for fermentation in a shake flask, allowing us to achieve good poly(hydroxy-butyrate-co-hydroxy-valerate) yields (41.4%, after 72 h of fermentation). A scale-up in a stirred tank bioreactor (3 L) gave higher yields (76.3%, after 96 h), allowing in both cases to achieve a concentration of 0.42 g/L in the fermentation medium. The possibility of producing PHAs from agricultural waste using a mixed microbial culture from the food industry with enabling technologies could make the production of biopolymers more competitive.
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Wang J, Sun Y, Xia K, Deines A, Cooper R, Pallansch K, Wang ZW. Pivotal role of municipal wastewater resource recovery facilities in urban agriculture: A review. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2022; 94:e10743. [PMID: 35670377 DOI: 10.1002/wer.10743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urban agriculture provides a promising, comprehensive solution to water, energy, and food scarcity challenges resulting from the population growth, urbanization, and the accelerating effects of anthropogenic climate change. Their close access to consumers, profitable business models, and important roles in educational, social, and physical entertainment benefit both developing and developed nations. In this sense, Urban Water Resource Reclamation Facilities (WRRFs) can play a pivotal role in the sustainable implementation of urban agriculture. Reclaimed water as a recovered resource has less supply variability and in certain cases can be of higher quality than other water sources used in agriculture. Another recovered resource, namely, biosolids, as byproduct from wastewater treatment can be put to beneficial use as fertilizers, soil amendments, and construction material additives. The renewable electricity, heat, CO2, and bioplastics produced from WRRFs can also serve as essential resources in support of urban agriculture operation with enhanced sustainability. In short, this review exhibits a holistic picture of the state-of-the-art of urban agriculture in which WRRFs can potentially play a pivotal role. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Reclaimed water can be of higher quality than other sources used in urban agriculture. Biosolids can be put to beneficial use as fertilizers, soil amendments, and construction material additives. The renewable electricity, heat, CO2, and bioplastics produced can also serve as essential resources in support of urban agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiefu Wang
- Center for Applied Water Research and Innovation, Virginia Tech, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Yuepeng Sun
- Center for Applied Water Research and Innovation, Virginia Tech, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Kang Xia
- School of Plant and Environmental Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Ross Cooper
- Alexandria Renew Enterprises, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Zhi-Wu Wang
- Center for Applied Water Research and Innovation, Virginia Tech, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
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8
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Biopolymers: Global Carbon Footprint and Climate Change. Biopolymers 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-98392-5_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Jaffur N, Jeetah P, Kumar G. A review on enzymes and pathways for manufacturing polyhydroxybutyrate from lignocellulosic materials. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:483. [PMID: 34790507 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-03009-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, major focus in the biopolymer field is being drawn on the exploitation of plant-based resources grounded on holistic sustainability trends to produce novel, affordable, biocompatible and environmentally safe polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers. The global PHA market, estimated at USD 62 Million in 2020, is predicted to grow by 11.2 and 14.2% between 2020-2024 and 2020-2025 correspondingly based on market research reports. The market is primarily driven by the growing demand for PHA products by the food packaging, biomedical, pharmaceutical, biofuel and agricultural sectors. One of the key limitations in the growth of the PHA market is the significantly higher production costs associated with pure carbon raw materials as compared to traditional polymers. Nonetheless, considerations such as consumer awareness on the toxicity of petroleum-based plastics and strict government regulations towards the prohibition of the use and trade of synthetic plastics are expected to boost the market growth rate. This study throws light on the production of polyhydroxybutyrate from lignocellulosic biomass using environmentally benign techniques via enzyme and microbial activities to assess its feasibility as a green substitute to conventional plastics. The novelty of the present study is to highlight the recent advances, pretreatment techniques to reduce the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass such as dilute and concentrated acidic pretreatment, alkaline pretreatment, steam explosion, ammonia fibre explosion (AFEX), ball milling, biological pretreatment as well as novel emerging pretreatment techniques notably, high-pressure homogenizer, electron beam, high hydrostatic pressure, co-solvent enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation (CELF) pulsed-electric field, low temperature steep delignification (LTSD), microwave and ultrasound technologies. Additionally, inhibitory compounds and detoxification routes, fermentation downstream processes, life cycle and environmental impacts of recovered natural biopolymers, review green procurement policies in various countries, PHA strategies in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) along with the fate of the spent polyhydroxybutyrate are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nausheen Jaffur
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Mauritius, Réduit, 80837 Mauritius
| | - Pratima Jeetah
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Mauritius, Réduit, 80837 Mauritius
| | - Gopalakrishnan Kumar
- Institute of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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Guzik MW, Nitkiewicz T, Wojnarowska M, Sołtysik M, Kenny ST, Babu RP, Best M, O'Connor KE. Robust process for high yield conversion of non-degradable polyethylene to a biodegradable plastic using a chemo-biotechnological approach. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 135:60-69. [PMID: 34478949 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the optimisation of a process for producing medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) by Pseudomonas putida KT2440 when fed with a polyethene (PE)-derived fatty acid mixture was investigated. The PE was pyrolysed to produce a hydrocarbon wax that was subsequently oxidised to produce a mixture of fatty acids, purified, and used as a PHA substrate for the growth and selection of microorganisms. Based on the shaken flask screening, a production strain, i.e., Pseudomonas putida KT2440, was selected for conducting bioreactor studies. Feeding PE-derived fatty acids in a 20-L setup resulted in high mcl-PHA yields (83.0 g L-1 CDW with 65% PHA in 25 h). Furthermore, life-cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine the environmental advantages of the proposed process and its impacts compared to those of other technologies for treating PE-derived waste streams. We conclude that processing waste PE into PHA, rather than incineration, produces biodegradable material while also reducing the additional emissions that arise from traditional PE waste treatment processes, such as incineration to gain energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej W Guzik
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences, BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre, UCD O'Brien Centre for Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
| | - Tomasz Nitkiewicz
- Life Cycle Modelling Centre, Faculty of Management, Częstochowa University of Technology, al. Armii Krajowej 19B, 42-200 Częstochowa, Poland
| | - Magdalena Wojnarowska
- Department of Product Technology and Ecology, Cracow University of Economics, ul. Rakowicka 27, 31-510 Kraków, Poland
| | - Mariusz Sołtysik
- Department of Management Process, Cracow University of Economics, ul. Rakowicka 27, 31-510 Kraków, Poland
| | - Shane T Kenny
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences, BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre, UCD O'Brien Centre for Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Ramesh P Babu
- School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland; AMBER Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Marshall Best
- Oxy-Wax Ltd., 9-12 Dam St., Loftus, Cleveland TS13 4JX, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin E O'Connor
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences, BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre, UCD O'Brien Centre for Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
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Asunis F, De Gioannis G, Francini G, Lombardi L, Muntoni A, Polettini A, Pomi R, Rossi A, Spiga D. Environmental life cycle assessment of polyhydroxyalkanoates production from cheese whey. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 132:31-43. [PMID: 34304020 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cheese whey (CW) is the main by-product of the dairy industry and is often considered one of the main agro-industrial biowaste streams to handle, especially within the European Union, where the diary activities play an essential role in the agrarian economy. In the paper, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to analyse the feasibility of producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) as the main output of an innovative CW valorisation route which is benchmarked against a conventional anaerobic digestion (AD) process. To this aim, the LCA inventory data are derived from lab-scale PHA accumulation tests performed on real CW, while data from the literature of concern are used for modelling both the PHA extraction from the accumulating biomass and for the alternative CW valorisation through AD. The comparison shows that AD would have better environmental performances than the baseline PHA production scenario. For example, the climate change indicator values result 44.8 and -35.7 kg CO2 eq./t CW for the baseline PHA recovery and AD, respectively. LCA proved to be a useful tool to highlight the weak points of innovative processes and suggest proper improvements. Once improved and again analysed through the LCA, the PHA production process from CW shows that environmental performance comparable to AD may be achieved. With reference, again, to the climate change indicator the value can be reduced to -50.3 kg CO2 eq./t CW for the improved PHA production process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiano Asunis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giorgia De Gioannis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; IGAG - CNR, Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Piazza d'Armi, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Francini
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Florence, Via Santa Marta 3, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Lidia Lombardi
- Niccolò Cusano University of Rome, Via Don Carlo Gnocchi 3, 00166 Rome, Italy.
| | - Aldo Muntoni
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Polettini
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Pomi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Andreina Rossi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Spiga
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
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12
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Pagliano G, Galletti P, Samorì C, Zaghini A, Torri C. Recovery of Polyhydroxyalkanoates From Single and Mixed Microbial Cultures: A Review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:624021. [PMID: 33644018 PMCID: PMC7902716 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.624021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
An overview of the main polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) recovery methods is here reported, by considering the kind of PHA-producing bacteria (single bacterial strains or mixed microbial cultures) and the chemico-physical characteristics of the extracted polymer (molecular weight and polydispersity index). Several recovery approaches are presented and categorized in two main strategies: PHA recovery with solvents (halogenated solvents, alkanes, alcohols, esters, carbonates and ketones) and PHA recovery by cellular lysis (with oxidants, acid and alkaline compounds, surfactants and enzymes). Comparative evaluations based on the recovery, purity and molecular weight of the recovered polymers as well as on the potential sustainability of the different approaches are here presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Pagliano
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Paola Galletti
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
- CIRI-Fonti Rinnovabili, Ambiente, Mare ed Energia, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Chiara Samorì
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
- CIRI-Fonti Rinnovabili, Ambiente, Mare ed Energia, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Agnese Zaghini
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Cristian Torri
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
- CIRI-Fonti Rinnovabili, Ambiente, Mare ed Energia, Ravenna, Italy
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Abstract
The transition towards renewable energy sources and “green” technologies for energy generation and storage is expected to mitigate the climate emergency in the coming years [...]
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