Life cycle assessment of traditional and innovative sludge management scenarios in Australia: Focusing on environmental impacts, energy balance, and economic benefits

Wang, Z; Li, X; Liu, H; Li, J; Vodnar, DC; Lin, CSK; Wang, Q

Life cycle assessment of traditional and innovative sludge management scenarios in Australia: Focusing on environmental impacts, energy balance, and economic benefits

Wang, Z

Li, X

Liu, H

Li, J

Vodnar, DC Lin, CSK Wang, Q

Permalink

Publisher:: ELSEVIER
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2024, 204
Issue Date:: 2024-05-01

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (3.57 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Wang, Z https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8227-2602
dc.contributor.author	Li, X https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1768-9556
dc.contributor.author	Liu, H https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4513-4988
dc.contributor.author	Li, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2533-3755
dc.contributor.author	Vodnar, DC
dc.contributor.author	Lin, CSK
dc.contributor.author	Wang, Q https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5744-2331
dc.date.accessioned	2024-04-23T06:40:05Z
dc.date.available	2024-04-23T06:40:05Z
dc.date.issued	2024-05-01
dc.identifier.citation	Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2024, 204
dc.identifier.issn	0921-3449
dc.identifier.issn	1879-0658
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/178301
dc.description.abstract	Sludge, as a sustainable energy source and pollutant matrix, necessitates effective management. The environmental, energy and economic impacts of sludge management practices in Australia remained unknown. Furthermore, lignosulfonate addition was recently reported as a promising approach to enhance the energy production from sludge, the environmental, energy and economic benefits of which on sludge management have not been explored. Life cycle assessment of four scenarios: two traditional (A: land application of digested sludge, B: composting of digested sludge before land application) and two innovative (A and B with lignosulfonate addition during the digestion process - C and D) was conducted. Traditional scenario A outperformed scenario B, with a 2.24-fold reduction in environmental footprints, 16.28-fold higher energy recovery, and reduced expenditure reaching $78.23/t dry sludge (DS). Scenario C demonstrated superior results with a 1.26-fold decrease in environmental footprints, 1.51-fold more energy recovery than A, and a shift to economic benefits of $5.36/t DS. Sensitivity analysis revealed scenario C was sensitive to sludge's total and volatile solids content, highlighting the importance of optimization for best performance. These findings guide environmentally and economically viable sludge management, emphasizing efficient energy recovery.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP200100933
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT200100264
dc.relation.ispartof	Resources, Conservation and Recycling
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107496
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	05 Environmental Sciences, 09 Engineering, 12 Built Environment and Design
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.classification	33 Built environment and design
dc.subject.classification	40 Engineering
dc.subject.classification	41 Environmental sciences
dc.title	Life cycle assessment of traditional and innovative sludge management scenarios in Australia: Focusing on environmental impacts, energy balance, and economic benefits
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	204
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences
utslib.for	09 Engineering
utslib.for	12 Built Environment and Design
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	2024-04-23T06:40:02Z
pubs.publication-status	Accepted
pubs.volume	204

Abstract:

Sludge, as a sustainable energy source and pollutant matrix, necessitates effective management. The environmental, energy and economic impacts of sludge management practices in Australia remained unknown. Furthermore, lignosulfonate addition was recently reported as a promising approach to enhance the energy production from sludge, the environmental, energy and economic benefits of which on sludge management have not been explored. Life cycle assessment of four scenarios: two traditional (A: land application of digested sludge, B: composting of digested sludge before land application) and two innovative (A and B with lignosulfonate addition during the digestion process - C and D) was conducted. Traditional scenario A outperformed scenario B, with a 2.24-fold reduction in environmental footprints, 16.28-fold higher energy recovery, and reduced expenditure reaching $78.23/t dry sludge (DS). Scenario C demonstrated superior results with a 1.26-fold decrease in environmental footprints, 1.51-fold more energy recovery than A, and a shift to economic benefits of $5.36/t DS. Sensitivity analysis revealed scenario C was sensitive to sludge's total and volatile solids content, highlighting the importance of optimization for best performance. These findings guide environmentally and economically viable sludge management, emphasizing efficient energy recovery.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/178301