Life cycle assessment of calcium oxide pretreatment of corn stover with carbon dioxide neutralization for ethanol production. (July 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Jikai; Feng, Danyi; Lee, Juhee
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 379(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-07
• Subjects: Biomass pretreatment -- Cellulosic ethanol -- Fermentation -- Life cycle assessment; 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.2023.129042
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Four ethanol production scenarios were compared using LCA methodology. CO2 showed lower environmental and human health impacts than H2 SO4 . C6/C5 yeast offers more environmental and human health advantages than C6 yeast. Abstract: This work used life-cycle assessment (LCA) to determine the environmental and human health impacts of four ethanol production scenarios (S1: CaO pretreatment + H2 SO4 neutralization + C6 yeast fermentation; S2: CaO pretreatment + CO2 neutralization + C6 yeast fermentation; S3: CaO pretreatment + H2 SO4 neutralization + C6/C5 yeast fermentation; and S4: CaO pretreatment + CO2 neutralization + C6/C5 yeast fermentation), with the functional unit being 1 kg of 95 % ethanol. The LCA results showed that the total ozone depletion, global warming potential, smog, acidification, eutrophication, and ecotoxicity values were comparable when CO2 or H2 SO4 were used to adjust the pH of CaO-pretreated slurry. However, using CO2 for neutralization and C6/C5 yeast for fermentation demonstrated significant benefits in terms of carcinogenicity, non-carcinogenicity, respiratory effect, ecotoxicity, and fossil fuel depletion. The findings indicate that the choice of chemicals and strains plays a key role in determining environmental and human health impacts.