Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent
Abstract Aiming to mitigate wastewater pollution arising from the palm oil industry, this university-industry research-and-development project focused on the integration of serial treatment processes, including the use of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), pre-treatment with sand filters and activat...
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doaj-0e00f86f17ff4f8c85b170abbbdbef3e2021-03-28T11:21:43ZengBMCSustainable Environment Research2468-20392021-03-0131111410.1186/s42834-021-00089-5Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluentYeit Haan Teow0Meng Teck Chong1Kah Chun Ho2Abdul Wahab Mohammad3Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaDepartment of Chemical and Process Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaFaculty of Engineering, Built Environment, and Information Technology, SEGi UniversityDepartment of Chemical and Process Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan MalaysiaAbstract Aiming to mitigate wastewater pollution arising from the palm oil industry, this university-industry research-and-development project focused on the integration of serial treatment processes, including the use of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), pre-treatment with sand filters and activated carbon filters, and membrane technology for aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment. To assess the potential of this sustainable alternative practice in the industry, the developed technology was demonstrated in a pilot-scale facility: four combinations (Combinations I to IV) of unit operations were developed in an integrated membrane-filtration system. Combination I includes a MBBR, pre-treatment unit comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters, ultrafiltration (UF) membrane, and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, while Combination II excludes MBBR, Combination III excludes UF membrane, and Combination IV excludes both MBBR and UF membrane. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate potential environmental impacts arising from each combination while achieving the goal of obtaining recycled and reusable water from the aerobically-digested POME treatment. It is reported that electricity consumption is the predominant factor contributing to most of those categories (50–77%) as the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides, and volatile mercury during the combustion of fossil fuels. Combination I in the integrated membrane-filtration system with all unit operations incurring high electricity consumption (52 MJ) contributed to the greatest environmental impact. Electricity consumption registers the highest impact towards all life cycle impact categories: 73% on climate change, 80% on terrestrial acidification, 51% on eutrophication, and 43% on human toxicity. Conversely, Combination IV is the most environmentally-friendly process, since it involves only two-unit operations – pre-treatment unit (comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters) and RO membrane unit – and thus incurs the least electricity consumption (41.6 MJ). The LCA offers insights into each combination of the operating process and facilitates both researchers and the industry towards sustainable production.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-021-00089-5Life cycle assessmentEnvironmental impactIntegrated membrane filtration systemPalm oil mill effluent |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Yeit Haan Teow Meng Teck Chong Kah Chun Ho Abdul Wahab Mohammad |
spellingShingle |
Yeit Haan Teow Meng Teck Chong Kah Chun Ho Abdul Wahab Mohammad Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent Sustainable Environment Research Life cycle assessment Environmental impact Integrated membrane filtration system Palm oil mill effluent |
author_facet |
Yeit Haan Teow Meng Teck Chong Kah Chun Ho Abdul Wahab Mohammad |
author_sort |
Yeit Haan Teow |
title |
Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent |
title_short |
Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent |
title_full |
Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent |
title_fullStr |
Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent |
title_sort |
comparative environmental impact evaluation using life cycle assessment approach: a case study of integrated membrane-filtration system for the treatment of aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
Sustainable Environment Research |
issn |
2468-2039 |
publishDate |
2021-03-01 |
description |
Abstract Aiming to mitigate wastewater pollution arising from the palm oil industry, this university-industry research-and-development project focused on the integration of serial treatment processes, including the use of moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), pre-treatment with sand filters and activated carbon filters, and membrane technology for aerobically-digested palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment. To assess the potential of this sustainable alternative practice in the industry, the developed technology was demonstrated in a pilot-scale facility: four combinations (Combinations I to IV) of unit operations were developed in an integrated membrane-filtration system. Combination I includes a MBBR, pre-treatment unit comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters, ultrafiltration (UF) membrane, and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, while Combination II excludes MBBR, Combination III excludes UF membrane, and Combination IV excludes both MBBR and UF membrane. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate potential environmental impacts arising from each combination while achieving the goal of obtaining recycled and reusable water from the aerobically-digested POME treatment. It is reported that electricity consumption is the predominant factor contributing to most of those categories (50–77%) as the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides, and volatile mercury during the combustion of fossil fuels. Combination I in the integrated membrane-filtration system with all unit operations incurring high electricity consumption (52 MJ) contributed to the greatest environmental impact. Electricity consumption registers the highest impact towards all life cycle impact categories: 73% on climate change, 80% on terrestrial acidification, 51% on eutrophication, and 43% on human toxicity. Conversely, Combination IV is the most environmentally-friendly process, since it involves only two-unit operations – pre-treatment unit (comprising sand filters and activated carbon filters) and RO membrane unit – and thus incurs the least electricity consumption (41.6 MJ). The LCA offers insights into each combination of the operating process and facilitates both researchers and the industry towards sustainable production. |
topic |
Life cycle assessment Environmental impact Integrated membrane filtration system Palm oil mill effluent |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-021-00089-5 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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