| Title | A comparison between two full-scale MBR and CAS municipal wastewater treatment plants: techno-economic-environmental assessment |
| Abstract | A holistic assessment procedure has been used in this study for comparing conventional activated sludge (CAS) and membrane bioreactor (MBR) processes for the treatment of municipal wastewater. Technical, social, administrative, economic and environmental impacts have been evaluated based on 1 year of operational data from three full-scale lines (one MBR and two CAS) working in parallel in a large municipal treatment plant. The comparative assessment evidences a slight advantage of the conventional process in the studied case, essentially due to lower costs, complexity and energy consumption. On the other hand, the MBR technology has a better social acceptance and similar overall environmental footprint. Although these results are influenced by site-specific parameters and cannot be generalized, the assessment procedure allowed identifying the most important factors affecting the final scores for each technology and the main differences between the compared technologies. Local conditions can affect the relative importance of the assessed impacts, and the use of weighting factors is proposed for better tailoring the comparative assessment to the local needs and circumstances. A sensitivity analysis on the weighted final scores demonstrated how local factors are very important and must be carefully evaluated in the decision making process. |
| Source | Environmental science and pollution research international 24, pp. 17383–17393 |
| Keywords | ComparisonCostsEnvironmental ImpactMulticriteria analysisScoreTechnical aspects |
| Journal | Environmental science and pollution research international |
| Editor | Springer, Berlin, Germania |
| Year | 2017 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11356-017-9409-3 |
| Authors | Bertanza G.; Canato M.; Laera G.; Vaccari M.; Svanstrom M.; Heimersson S. |
| Text | 381999 2017 10.1007/s11356 017 9409 3 Scopus 2 s2.0 85020266422 ISI Web of Science WOS 000406479200008 Comparison Costs Environmental Impact Multicriteria analysis Score Technical aspects A comparison between two full scale MBR and CAS municipal wastewater treatment plants techno economic environmental assessment Bertanza G.; Canato M.; Laera G.; Vaccari M.; Svanstrom M.; Heimersson S. Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, via Branze 43, Brescia, I 25123, Italy; CNR Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, viale De Blasio 5, Bari, I 70132, Italy; Division of Environmental Systems Analysis, Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, SE 412 96, Sweden. A holistic assessment procedure has been used in this study for comparing conventional activated sludge CAS and membrane bioreactor MBR processes for the treatment of municipal wastewater. Technical, social, administrative, economic and environmental impacts have been evaluated based on 1 year of operational data from three full scale lines one MBR and two CAS working in parallel in a large municipal treatment plant. The comparative assessment evidences a slight advantage of the conventional process in the studied case, essentially due to lower costs, complexity and energy consumption. On the other hand, the MBR technology has a better social acceptance and similar overall environmental footprint. Although these results are influenced by site specific parameters and cannot be generalized, the assessment procedure allowed identifying the most important factors affecting the final scores for each technology and the main differences between the compared technologies. Local conditions can affect the relative importance of the assessed impacts, and the use of weighting factors is proposed for better tailoring the comparative assessment to the local needs and circumstances. A sensitivity analysis on the weighted final scores demonstrated how local factors are very important and must be carefully evaluated in the decision making process. 24 Published version https //doi.org/10.1007/s11356 017 9409 3 2017 ESPR 24, 17383 17393 Bertanza et al Versione finale pubblicata dall Editore 2017 ESPR 24, 17383 17393 Bertanza et al.pdf 2017 ESPR 24, 17383 17393 Bertanza et al Supporting Information Versione finale pubblicata dall Editore 2017 ESPR 24, 17383 17393 Bertanza et al SI.docx Articolo in rivista Springer 0944 1344 Environmental science and pollution research international Environmental science and pollution research international Environ. sci. pollut. res. int. Environmental science and pollution research international. Environmental science and pollution research international Print Environmental science and pollution research Print ESPR Print giuseppe.laera LAERA GIUSEPPE TA.P07.002.004 Processi biotecnologici e processi a membrana |
