Environmental and economic profile of six typologies of wastewater treatment plants.
Water Res
; 45(18): 5997-6010, 2011 Nov 15.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21943567
ABSTRACT
The objective of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is to prevent pollution. However, it is necessary to assess their sustainability in order to ensure that pollution is being removed, not displaced. In this research, the performance of 24 WWTPs has been evaluated using a streamlined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with Eutrophication Potential (EP) and Global Warming Potential (GWP) as environmental indicators, and operational costs as economic indicators. WWTPs were further classified in six typologies by their quality requirements according to their final discharge point or water reuse. Moreover, two different functional units (FU), one based on volume (m(3)) and the other on eutrophication reduction (kg PO(4)(3-) removed) were used to further determine sustainability. A correlation between legal requirements and technologies used to achieve them was found Organic matter removal plants were found to be less costly both in environmental and economic terms if volume was used as the functional unit, while more demanding typologies such as reuse plants showed a trade-off between lower EP and higher cost and GWP; however, this is overcome if the second FU is used instead, proving the sustainability of these options and that this FU better reflects the objectives of a WWTP.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Contexto em Saúde:
2_ODS3
Problema de saúde:
2_quimicos_contaminacion
Assunto principal:
Eliminação de Resíduos Líquidos
/
Purificação da Água
/
Meio Ambiente
Tipo de estudo:
Health_economic_evaluation
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Water Res
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Espanha