Life Cycle Environmental Impact and Cost Analysis for Nutrient Removal and Recovery Technologies
The inadequate management of nutrients can lead to the growth of algae in our coastal and fresh water bodies, fish kills, and blue baby syndrome. In Florida, fish kills have been a pervasive problem and the second largest emitter of nutrients in the state is septic systems. In all, about 30% of households have their wastewater treated by onsite wastewater treatment systems, which may not achieve adequate nutrient removal. This project investigates nutrient removal and recovery technologies for point and non-point sources of nutrients through the lens of sustainability.
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Significance:
This project uses life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost analysis (LCCA) to evaluate the costs and impacts of the nutrient management technologies.
Current Objectives:
Completed Objectives:
Products and Publications:
Contact Us:
For inquiries on this project, contact Xiaofan "Caleb" Xu at xiaofanxu<at>mail.usf.edu
This project uses life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost analysis (LCCA) to evaluate the costs and impacts of the nutrient management technologies.
Current Objectives:
- Develop a spatial optimization framework for the technology implementation of sustainable nutrient management.
Completed Objectives:
- Conducted a sustainability assessment of conventional and advanced nutrient management technologies for onsite wastewater treatment.
- Conducted a sustainability assessment of aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors for discharge and reuse scenarios.
- Conducted a sustainability assessment of alternative bioretention system configurations in terms of nutrient removal.
Products and Publications:
- Xu, X., Dao, H., Bair, R., Uman, A., Yeh, D., & Zhang, Q. "Discharge or reuse? Comparative sustainability assessment of anaerobic and aerobic membrane bioreactors." Journal of Environmental Quality. Working paper.
- Xu, X. & Zhang, Q. (2018). "Sustainable configuration of bioretention systems for nutrient management through life cycle assessment and cost analysis." Journal of Environmental Engineering. In press.
- Xu, X., Diaz-Elsayed, N., & Zhang, Q. (2018). "The role of location in sustainable nitrogen removal for onsite wastewater treatment systems." Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation (WEF) Nutrient Removal and Recovery, 2018(5), 83-92.
- Diaz-Elsayed, N., Xu, X., Balaguer-Barbosa, M., & Zhang, Q. (2017) "An evaluation of the sustainability of onsite wastewater treatment systems for nutrient management." Water Research, 121, 186-196.
- Xu, X., Dao, H., & Zhang, Q. (2017). “Comparison of anaerobic and aerobic membrane bioreactors for different end uses through life cycle assessment,” Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP), Ann Arbor, MI, June 20–22, 2017. (Presentation)
- Xu, X. & Zhang, Q. (2017). “Fit for the purpose: Reducing the Environmental Impact of AnMBR,” Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA), West Palm Beach, FL, Apr 24, 2017. (Poster)
- Xu, X. & Zhang, Q. (2016). "Life cycle assessment of bioretention systems for nutrient management." Proceedings of StormCon 2016, Indianapolis, IN, Aug 22–25.
Contact Us:
For inquiries on this project, contact Xiaofan "Caleb" Xu at xiaofanxu<at>mail.usf.edu