Microbial community-based polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) production from wastewater: Techno-economic analysis and ex-ante environmental assessment. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fernández-Dacosta, Cora; Posada, John A.; Kleerebezem, Robbert; Cuellar, Maria C.; Ramirez, Andrea
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 185(2015)
• Page Start: 368
• Page End: 377
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Polyhydroxyalkanoates -- Waste valorisation -- Life cycle assessment -- Economic evaluation -- Circular economy; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.03.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Fermentation of wastewater towards polyhydroxyalkanoates is scaled-up. Intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoates release by three downstream processes. Process design, techno-economic and life cycle assessment are developed. Key features of the industrial process are identified prior to commercialisation. Sensitivity analysis of the costs and environmental impacts is performed. Abstract: This work investigates the potential for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from wastewater, from a techno-economic and an environmental perspective, examining scale-up opportunities and bottlenecks prior to commercialisation. Conceptual process design, economic, environmental impacts and sensitivity analysis are developed for one fermentation process and three downstream processing routes, based on alkali, surfactant-hypochlorite and solvent treatments. Environmentally and cost-wise, the alkali treatment is the most favourable with production costs of 1.40 €/kg PHB, global warming potential of 2.4 kg CO2 -eq/kg PHB and non-renewable energy use of 106 MJ/kg PHB. The solvent-based process yields the highest costs and environmental burdens: 1.95 €/kg PHB, 4.30 kg CO2 -eq/kg PHB and 156 MJ/kg PHB. The production of PHB from wastewater is identified as an interesting alternative to pure culture-polyhydroxyalkanoates production from sugars. However, these results are not yet competitive with those for the petrochemical counterparts. Additional performance improvements may be possible, through process integration and optimisation.