Towards planetary boundary sustainability of food processing wastewater, by resource recovery & emission reduction: A process system engineering perspective

Alex Durkin; Tom Vinestock; Miao Guo

doi:10.1016/j.ccst.2024.100319

Towards planetary boundary sustainability of food processing wastewater, by resource recovery & emission reduction: A process system engineering perspective

Alex Durkin, Tom Vinestock, Miao Guo^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Meeting the needs of a growing population calls for a change from linear production systems that exacerbate the depletion of finite natural resources and the emission of environmental pollutants. These linear production systems have resulted in the human-driven perturbation of the Earth's natural biogeochemical cycles and the transgression of environmentally safe operating limits. One solution that can help alleviate the environmental issues associated both with resource stress and harmful emissions is resource recovery from waste. In this review, we address the recovery of resources from food and beverage processing wastewater (FPWW), which offers a synergistic solution to some of the environmental issues with traditional food production. Research on resource recovery from FPWW typically focuses on technologies to recover specific resources without considering integrative process systems to recover multiple resources while simultaneously satisfying regulations on final effluent quality. Process Systems Engineering (PSE) offers methodologies able to address this holistic process design problem, including modelling the trade-offs between competing objectives. Optimisation of FPWW treatment and resource recovery has significant scope to reduce the environmental impacts of food production systems. There is significant potential to recover carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus resources while respecting effluent quality limits, even when the significant uncertainties inherent to wastewater systems are considered. This review article gives an overview of the environmental challenges we face, discussed within the framework of the planetary boundary, and highlights the impacts caused by the agri-food sector. This paper also presents a comprehensive review of the characteristics of FPWW and available technologies to recover carbon and nutrient resources from wastewater streams with a particular focus on bioprocesses. PSE research and modelling advances are discussed in this review. Based on this discussion, we conclude the article with future research directions.

Original language	English
Article number	100319
Journal	Carbon Capture Science and Technology
Volume	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccst.2024.100319
Publication status	Published - Dec 2024

Keywords

Biorefinery
Carbon emissions
Food & drink processing
Nitrogen emissions
Planetary boundaries
Process synthesis
Process systems engineering
Resource recovery
Surrogate modelling
Wastewater treatment

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.ccst.2024.100319

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title = "Towards planetary boundary sustainability of food processing wastewater, by resource recovery & emission reduction: A process system engineering perspective",

abstract = "Meeting the needs of a growing population calls for a change from linear production systems that exacerbate the depletion of finite natural resources and the emission of environmental pollutants. These linear production systems have resulted in the human-driven perturbation of the Earth's natural biogeochemical cycles and the transgression of environmentally safe operating limits. One solution that can help alleviate the environmental issues associated both with resource stress and harmful emissions is resource recovery from waste. In this review, we address the recovery of resources from food and beverage processing wastewater (FPWW), which offers a synergistic solution to some of the environmental issues with traditional food production. Research on resource recovery from FPWW typically focuses on technologies to recover specific resources without considering integrative process systems to recover multiple resources while simultaneously satisfying regulations on final effluent quality. Process Systems Engineering (PSE) offers methodologies able to address this holistic process design problem, including modelling the trade-offs between competing objectives. Optimisation of FPWW treatment and resource recovery has significant scope to reduce the environmental impacts of food production systems. There is significant potential to recover carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus resources while respecting effluent quality limits, even when the significant uncertainties inherent to wastewater systems are considered. This review article gives an overview of the environmental challenges we face, discussed within the framework of the planetary boundary, and highlights the impacts caused by the agri-food sector. This paper also presents a comprehensive review of the characteristics of FPWW and available technologies to recover carbon and nutrient resources from wastewater streams with a particular focus on bioprocesses. PSE research and modelling advances are discussed in this review. Based on this discussion, we conclude the article with future research directions.",

keywords = "Biorefinery, Carbon emissions, Food & drink processing, Nitrogen emissions, Planetary boundaries, Process synthesis, Process systems engineering, Resource recovery, Surrogate modelling, Wastewater treatment",

author = "Alex Durkin and Tom Vinestock and Miao Guo",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s)",

year = "2024",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.ccst.2024.100319",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Carbon Capture Science and Technology",

issn = "2772-6568",

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T1 - Towards planetary boundary sustainability of food processing wastewater, by resource recovery & emission reduction

T2 - A process system engineering perspective

AU - Durkin, Alex

AU - Vinestock, Tom

AU - Guo, Miao

PY - 2024/12

Y1 - 2024/12

N2 - Meeting the needs of a growing population calls for a change from linear production systems that exacerbate the depletion of finite natural resources and the emission of environmental pollutants. These linear production systems have resulted in the human-driven perturbation of the Earth's natural biogeochemical cycles and the transgression of environmentally safe operating limits. One solution that can help alleviate the environmental issues associated both with resource stress and harmful emissions is resource recovery from waste. In this review, we address the recovery of resources from food and beverage processing wastewater (FPWW), which offers a synergistic solution to some of the environmental issues with traditional food production. Research on resource recovery from FPWW typically focuses on technologies to recover specific resources without considering integrative process systems to recover multiple resources while simultaneously satisfying regulations on final effluent quality. Process Systems Engineering (PSE) offers methodologies able to address this holistic process design problem, including modelling the trade-offs between competing objectives. Optimisation of FPWW treatment and resource recovery has significant scope to reduce the environmental impacts of food production systems. There is significant potential to recover carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus resources while respecting effluent quality limits, even when the significant uncertainties inherent to wastewater systems are considered. This review article gives an overview of the environmental challenges we face, discussed within the framework of the planetary boundary, and highlights the impacts caused by the agri-food sector. This paper also presents a comprehensive review of the characteristics of FPWW and available technologies to recover carbon and nutrient resources from wastewater streams with a particular focus on bioprocesses. PSE research and modelling advances are discussed in this review. Based on this discussion, we conclude the article with future research directions.

AB - Meeting the needs of a growing population calls for a change from linear production systems that exacerbate the depletion of finite natural resources and the emission of environmental pollutants. These linear production systems have resulted in the human-driven perturbation of the Earth's natural biogeochemical cycles and the transgression of environmentally safe operating limits. One solution that can help alleviate the environmental issues associated both with resource stress and harmful emissions is resource recovery from waste. In this review, we address the recovery of resources from food and beverage processing wastewater (FPWW), which offers a synergistic solution to some of the environmental issues with traditional food production. Research on resource recovery from FPWW typically focuses on technologies to recover specific resources without considering integrative process systems to recover multiple resources while simultaneously satisfying regulations on final effluent quality. Process Systems Engineering (PSE) offers methodologies able to address this holistic process design problem, including modelling the trade-offs between competing objectives. Optimisation of FPWW treatment and resource recovery has significant scope to reduce the environmental impacts of food production systems. There is significant potential to recover carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus resources while respecting effluent quality limits, even when the significant uncertainties inherent to wastewater systems are considered. This review article gives an overview of the environmental challenges we face, discussed within the framework of the planetary boundary, and highlights the impacts caused by the agri-food sector. This paper also presents a comprehensive review of the characteristics of FPWW and available technologies to recover carbon and nutrient resources from wastewater streams with a particular focus on bioprocesses. PSE research and modelling advances are discussed in this review. Based on this discussion, we conclude the article with future research directions.

KW - Biorefinery

KW - Carbon emissions

KW - Food & drink processing

KW - Nitrogen emissions

KW - Planetary boundaries

KW - Process synthesis

KW - Process systems engineering

KW - Resource recovery

KW - Surrogate modelling

KW - Wastewater treatment

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DO - 10.1016/j.ccst.2024.100319

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85206874124

SN - 2772-6568

VL - 13

JO - Carbon Capture Science and Technology

JF - Carbon Capture Science and Technology

M1 - 100319

ER -

Towards planetary boundary sustainability of food processing wastewater, by resource recovery & emission reduction: A process system engineering perspective

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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