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.
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The feeding of microalgal biomass produced from high rate algal ponds to shrimp had less marine eutrophication potential than algae used for biogas production; however, freshwater eutrophication potential was similar for both scenarios.
“According to a study by (Sfez et al., 2015), the feeding of microalgal biomass produced from high rate algal ponds to shrimp had less marine eutrophication potential than algae used for biogas production; however, freshwater eutrophication potential was similar for both scenarios.”
From Potential of microalgae as a sustainable feed ingredient for aquaculture (2021) · cites this paper as Sfez et al., 2015
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- Authors
- Sfez, S., Van Den Hende, S., Taelman, S. E., De Meester, S., & Dewulf, J.
- Affiliations
- Ghent University (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Sfez, Sophie
- ORCID
- Taelman, Sue Ellen
- Venue
- Bioresource Technology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-08
- Volume
- 190
- Pages
- 321-331
- ISSN
- 0960-8524 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1986404094
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 1.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Bioresource Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- INTERREG IVB NWE
- Flemish Government
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Wastewater Treatment and Nitrogen Removal
- Keywords
- aquaculture wastewater treatment, life cycle assessment, upscaling, biogas, carbon footprint, eutrophication potential, resource footprint, energy efficiency, system integration
- MeSH terms
- Biodegradation, Environmental, Conservation of Natural Resources, Equipment Design, Pilot Projects, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Aquaculture, Water Purification, Systems Integration, Equipment Failure Analysis, Microalgae, Ponds, Wastewater
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