Abstract
Based on literature an estimation is made of the potential global production and atmospheric emission of both methane and carbon dioxide from treatment of wastewaters from the Food & Beverage and Pulp & Paper Industry. Two main cases are considered: All wastewater is treated aerobically, and all wastewater is treated anaerobically. Methane production is estimated to be, respectively, 0.1–0.2 and 14–15 Tg/y, while atmospheric methane emission is estimated to be 0.1–0.2 and 0–2.2 Tg/y, respectively. Carbon dioxide production from fossil fuel use is estimated to be, respectively, 18 and 0 Tg/y, and atmospheric carbon dioxide emission is estimated to be 18 Tg/y and −30 Tg/y respectively. Calculations indicate that the potential of anaerobic treatment to reduce the global methane emission is limited (about 0.5% of the anthropogenic methane emission). The atmospheric emission of carbon dioxide from wastewater treatment, however, can be significantly reduced. Application of controlled anaerobic treatment systems, with a minimum of CH4 loss, consequently has a significant potential of reducing the total Global Warming Potential due to wastewater treatment.
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© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Lexmond, M.J., Zeeman, G. (1994). Potential of Controlled Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment in Order to Reduce the Global Emissions of Methane and Carbon Dioxide. In: van Ham, J., Janssen, L.J.H.M., Swart, R.J. (eds) Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases: Why and How to Control?. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0982-6_48
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0982-6_48
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