title: Environmental sustainability assessment of a microalgae raceway pond treating aquaculture wastewater: From up-scaling to system integration.
abstract: The environmental sustainability of aquaculture wastewater treatment by microalgal bacterial flocs (MaB-flocs) in an outdoor raceway pond was analyzed using life cycle assessment. Pikeperch aquaculture wastewater treated at pilot scale (Belgium; 28m(2)) and industrial scale (hypothetical up-scaling; 41 ponds of 245m(2)) were compared. The integration of the MaB-floc raceway pond in a broader aquaculture waste treatment system was studied, comparing the valorisation of MaB-flocs as shrimp feed and as biogas. Up-scaling improves the resource footprint of the plant (848MJex,CEENEkg(-1) MaB-floc TSS at pilot scale and 277MJex,CEENEkg(-1) MaB-floc TSS at industrial scale) as well as its carbon footprint and eutrophication potential. At industrial scale, the valorisation of MaB-flocs as shrimp feed is overall more sustainable than as biogas but improvements should be made to reduce the energy use of the MaB-floc raceway pond, especially by improving the energy-efficiency of the pond stirring system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Organic Chemistry and Technology (EnVOC), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: sophie.sfez@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sfez
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Industrial Water and Eco-Technology (LIWET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Graaf Karel de Goedelaan 5, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: sofie.vandenhende@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Den Hende
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Organic Chemistry and Technology (EnVOC), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: sueellen.taelman@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Sue Ellen
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Taelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Organic Chemistry and Technology (EnVOC), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: steven.demeester@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Meester
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Organic Chemistry and Technology (EnVOC), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: jo.dewulf@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dewulf
mesh_terms: D017756:Aquaculture / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D058086:Microalgae / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D061005:Ponds / Q000382:microbiology*; D018511:Systems Integration; D062065:Wastewater / Q000382:microbiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Algae; Aquaculture; Integrated waste management; Life cycle assessment; Wastewater