Life cycle analysis of the wastewater treatment system in Zabol Industrial Town: Environmental impacts, energy demand, and greenhouse gas emissions

Simineh Hootmirdoosti; Narjes Okati; Mohsen Nowrouzi; Malihe Erfani

doi:10.1002/ieam.4942

Life cycle analysis of the wastewater treatment system in Zabol Industrial Town: Environmental impacts, energy demand, and greenhouse gas emissions

Integr Environ Assess Manag. 2024 May 2. doi: 10.1002/ieam.4942. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Simineh Hootmirdoosti¹, Narjes Okati¹, Mohsen Nowrouzi², Malihe Erfani¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Zabol, Zabol, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran.
² Department of Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Nano and Bio Science and Technology, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran.

PMID: 38695639
DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4942

Abstract

Use of effective environmental remediation facilities represents a crucial strategy for water reclamation and addressing the challenges of water scarcity. The objective of this study was to assess the wastewater treatment system (WWTS) in Zabol Industrial Town using the life cycle assessment method. Primary data, collected annually for a functional unit of 1 m³ of wastewater treatment, were subjected to analysis using the ReCiPe, Cumulative Energy Demand, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methods. Human carcinogenic toxicity (50%), freshwater ecotoxicity (13%), and marine ecotoxicity (10%) were the primary environmental impacts due to the WWTS performance. The discharge of heavy metals during sludge generation, coupled with the consumption of natural gas and oil, especially for electricity production, were pivotal factors contributing to the environmental burdens observed. Furthermore, chemical oxygen demand (COD) (56.34%), electricity consumption (>15.47%), and total phosphorous (>4.49%) significantly threatened human health and ecosystem categories, while fossil fuel consumption had the greatest impact on resources. Nonrenewable fossil fuels, namely, natural gas (47.2%) and oil (38.27%), played a predominant role in the energy provision of the system. The IPCC analysis depicted the emissions of CO₂ (86.77%) and CH₄ (12.16%) stemming from the process of electricity generation. Based on the outcomes of the sensitivity analysis, implementing a 10% increase in COD yielded an increment in all impacts within the range of 1.40% to 6.83%. Given Iran's geographic location and the unique climatic conditions in Zabul, use of solar and wind energy to energize the WWTS can substantially alleviate its environmental burdens. This study presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating the environmental impact, energy consumption, and carbon footprint of a WWTS. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-12. © 2024 SETAC.

Keywords: Energy analysis; Life cycle assessment; Sustainable development; Wastewater treatment; Zabol Industrial Town.