Design-based life cycle assessment of hazardous air pollutant control options at pulp and paper mills: A comparison of thermal oxidation to photocatalytic oxidation and biofiltration

Callie W. Babbit, Jennifer M. Stokke, David W. Mazyck, Angela S. Lindner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The forest products industry produces valuable industrial chemicals, wood products, and consumer goods, but is also responsible for the emission of significant quantities of hazardous air pollutants. Although many air pollution control options are available, little is known about the overall environmental impacts of implementing each option. Therefore, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare energy and raw material inputs, air emissions, and environmental impacts associated with construction and operation of two air pollution control systems: regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) with wet scrubbing and photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) with biofiltration. Results: LCA results indicated that environmental impacts to resource depletion, photochemical oxidant formation, and acidification were 20% higher for the use of a RTO-scrubber than for the PCO-biofilter. In addition, at least 25% of the RTO impacts were due to infrastructure requirements. However, the PCO-biofilter system was responsible for more environmental impact in categories of global warming and human toxicity, because of the packing materials required and the electricity use for the PCO reactor. Conclusions: The PCO-biofilter system could be a promising, environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional RTO devices, provided that this system is modified to decrease resource and energy demands.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)725-737
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology
Volume84
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biotechnology
  • General Chemical Engineering
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Fuel Technology
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Pollution
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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