Abstract
BackgroundProduction and use of bio-based products offer advantages over conventional petrochemicals, yet the relatively high cost of production has restricted their mainstream adoption. Optimization of wastewater treatment processes could reduce capital expenditures, lowering the barrier to market entry for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This paper characterizes wastewater associated with lignocellulosic ethanol production and evaluates potential wastewater treatment operations.ResultsIt is found that organic material is intrinsic to bioconversion wastewater, representing up to 260 kg of biological oxygen demand per tonne of feedstock processed. Inorganics in the wastewater largely originate from additions during pretreatment and pH adjustments, which increase the inorganic loading by 44 kg per tonne of feedstock processed. Adjusting the ethanol production process to decrease addition of inorganic material could reduce the demands and therefore cost of waste treatment. Various waste treatment technologies—including those that take advantage of ecosystem services provided by feedstock production—were compared in terms of capital and operating costs, as well as technical feasibility.ConclusionsIt is concluded that wastewater treatment technologies should be better integrated with conversion process design and feedstock production. Efforts to recycle resources throughout the biofuel supply chain through application of ecosystem services provided by adjacent feedstock plantations and recovery of resources from the waste stream to reduce overall capital and operating costs of bioconversion facilities.
Highlights
Bio-based products have potential to accelerate the sustainable development of the global economy
Bio-based products span a wide range of materials including liquid fuels, plastics, construction materials, adhesives and lubricants among others
Chief among the various obstacles holding back the bio-based economy is the inability of bio-based products to compete at the low price points of petrochemical alternatives [6]
Summary
Bio-based products have potential to accelerate the sustainable development of the global economy. Production and end use of bio-based products is typically less polluting in terms of both carbon dioxide emissions and other environmental impacts than conventional petroleum derived products [3,4,5]. Despite these benefits, bio-based products have not achieved mainstream adoption. The high cost of bio-based products stems from a combination of feedstock prices and extensive processing requirements, for lignocellulosic feedstocks. Production and use of bio-based products offer advantages over conventional petrochemicals, yet the relatively high cost of production has restricted their mainstream adoption. This paper characterizes wastewater associated with lignocellulosic ethanol production and evaluates potential wastewater treatment operations
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