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A Comparative Analysis of Environmental Impacts of Operational Phases of Three Selected Microalgal Cultivation Systems

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  • Lenka Wimmerova

    (Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, CZ-165 00 Prague, Czech Republic)

  • Zdenek Keken

    (Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, CZ-165 00 Prague, Czech Republic)

  • Olga Solcova

    (Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the CAS, Rozvojova 1/135, CZ-165 02 Prague, Czech Republic)

  • Kamila Vavrova

    (Department of Phytoenergy, Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Kvetnove nam. 391, CZ-252 43 Pruhonice, Czech Republic)

Abstract

In recent years, microalgal biomass cultivation has been growing in importance, not only related to the production of alternative foods and nutritional supplements but also for its usage for energy purposes or as a natural solution for wastewater treatment. Regarding these cases, the practical potential associated with the circular economy is evident. However, this is not an option for microalgal food and supplements due to strict hygiene requirements for microalgae cultivation used for these purposes. Currently, the most common cultivation options for microalgae include phototrophic cascades, photobioreactors, and heterotrophic fermenters. Generally, the higher requirements for the purity of the resulting biomass, the higher the consumption of energy and nutrients needed. These are the main operational parameters that significantly shape the total environmental and economic performance of microalgae cultivation processes. The comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of environmental aspects in the operational phases of three selected cultivation systems, located in the Czech Republic and used for pure microalgae biomass production, confirmed that the impacts of these systems in the assessed categories are fundamentally dependent on the amount of electricity needed and nutrient consumption, as well as their sources. For this reason, the heterotrophic fermenter was evaluated as being the most damaging in the comparison of the three cultivation systems, while the phototrophic cascade showed a lower total environmental impact by 15% and the flat photobioreactor was lower still, by 95%, mainly due to energy production from biomass. The major impact categories observed were climate change, depletion of fossil fuels, human toxicity, and freshwater and marine ecotoxicity. The environmental impacts of microalgae cultivation systems could be further reduced if cycling practices, such as process water recycling and reprocessing of generated sewage sludge, were addressed.

Suggested Citation

  • Lenka Wimmerova & Zdenek Keken & Olga Solcova & Kamila Vavrova, 2022. "A Comparative Analysis of Environmental Impacts of Operational Phases of Three Selected Microalgal Cultivation Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2022:i:1:p:769-:d:1021815
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    1. Slegers, P.M. & van Beveren, P.J.M. & Wijffels, R.H. & van Straten, G. & van Boxtel, A.J.B., 2013. "Scenario analysis of large scale algae production in tubular photobioreactors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 395-406.
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    1. Lukáš Krátký & Stanislaw Ledakowicz & Radoslaw Slezak & Vojtěch Bělohlav & Peter Peciar & Máté Petrik & Tomáš Jirout & Marián Peciar & Zoltán Siménfalvi & Radek Šulc & Zoltán Szamosi, 2024. "Emerging Sustainability in Carbon Capture and Use Strategies for V4 Countries via Biochemical Pathways: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-22, January.

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