Assessing the environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions from the common municipal wastewater treatment systems.

Nguyen, TKL; Ngo, HH; Guo, W; Nghiem, LD; Qian, G; Liu, Q; Liu, J; Chen, Z; Bui, XT; Mainali, B

Assessing the environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions from the common municipal wastewater treatment systems.

Nguyen, TKL Ngo, HH Guo, W

Nghiem, LD Qian, G Liu, Q Liu, J Chen, Z Bui, XT Mainali, B

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Publisher:: Elsevier BV
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: The Science of the total environment, 2021, 801, pp. 149676
Issue Date:: 2021-12

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Nguyen, TKL
dc.contributor.author	Ngo, HH
dc.contributor.author	Guo, W https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5542-2858
dc.contributor.author	Nghiem, LD
dc.contributor.author	Qian, G
dc.contributor.author	Liu, Q
dc.contributor.author	Liu, J
dc.contributor.author	Chen, Z
dc.contributor.author	Bui, XT
dc.contributor.author	Mainali, B
dc.date.accessioned	2021-12-06T06:08:00Z
dc.date.available	2021-08-11
dc.date.available	2021-12-06T06:08:00Z
dc.date.issued	2021-12
dc.identifier.citation	The Science of the total environment, 2021, 801, pp. 149676
dc.identifier.issn	0048-9697
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1026
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/152149
dc.description.abstract	This study measured the environmental impacts from three same-size wastewater treatment systems, specifically activated sludge, a constructed wetland, and a high rate algal pond. Detailed data inventories were employed using SimaPro 9 software to calculate the entire consequences by ReCiPe 2016 and Greenhouse Gas Protocol method. The environmental outcomes caused by substance emissions and resource extraction are presented in several impact categories at the endpoint level. For a better comparison, the single score tool was applied to aggregate all factors into three areas of protection: human health, ecosystem, and resource shortage. Results showed that concrete and steel are the main contributors to the construction phase, while electricity is responsible for the operation stage. The single score calculation indicates that the proportion of construction activities could be equal to or even higher than the operation stage for a small capacity plant. The total environmental impact of the conventional system was 2.3-fold and 3-fold higher than that of constructed wetland and high rate algal pond, respectively. High rate algal pond has the best environmental performance when generating the least burdens and greenhouse gas emissions of 0.72 kg CO<sub>2</sub> equivalent per m<sup>3</sup>. Constructed wetland produces 5.69 kg CO<sub>2,</sub> higher than an algal pond but much lower than activated sludge plant, emitting 11.42 kg CO<sub>2</sub> per m<sup>3</sup>.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier BV
dc.relation.ispartof	The Science of the total environment
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149676
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Greenhouse Effect
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Water Purification
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.subject.mesh	Greenhouse Gases
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Greenhouse Effect
dc.subject.mesh	Greenhouse Gases
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.subject.mesh	Water Purification
dc.title	Assessing the environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions from the common municipal wastewater treatment systems.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	801
utslib.location.activity	Netherlands
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-12-06T06:07:59Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	801

Abstract:

This study measured the environmental impacts from three same-size wastewater treatment systems, specifically activated sludge, a constructed wetland, and a high rate algal pond. Detailed data inventories were employed using SimaPro 9 software to calculate the entire consequences by ReCiPe 2016 and Greenhouse Gas Protocol method. The environmental outcomes caused by substance emissions and resource extraction are presented in several impact categories at the endpoint level. For a better comparison, the single score tool was applied to aggregate all factors into three areas of protection: human health, ecosystem, and resource shortage. Results showed that concrete and steel are the main contributors to the construction phase, while electricity is responsible for the operation stage. The single score calculation indicates that the proportion of construction activities could be equal to or even higher than the operation stage for a small capacity plant. The total environmental impact of the conventional system was 2.3-fold and 3-fold higher than that of constructed wetland and high rate algal pond, respectively. High rate algal pond has the best environmental performance when generating the least burdens and greenhouse gas emissions of 0.72 kg CO₂ equivalent per m³. Constructed wetland produces 5.69 kg CO_2, higher than an algal pond but much lower than activated sludge plant, emitting 11.42 kg CO₂ per m³.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/152149