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Wastewater treatment for carbon capture and utilization

Author

Listed:
  • Lu Lu

    (Princeton University
    Princeton University
    University of Colorado Boulder)

  • Jeremy S. Guest

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Catherine A. Peters

    (Princeton University)

  • Xiuping Zhu

    (Louisiana State University)

  • Greg H. Rau

    (University of California)

  • Zhiyong Jason Ren

    (Princeton University
    Princeton University
    University of Colorado Boulder)

Abstract

A paradigm shift is underway in wastewater treatment as the industry heads toward ~3% of global electricity consumption and contributes ~1.6% of greenhouse gas emissions. Although incremental improvements to energy efficiency and renewable energy recovery are underway, studies considering wastewater for carbon capture and utilization are few. This Review summarizes alternative wastewater treatment pathways capable of simultaneous CO2 capture and utilization, and demonstrates the environmental and economic benefits of microbial electrochemical and phototrophic processes. Preliminary estimates demonstrate that re-envisioning wastewater treatment may entirely offset the industry’s greenhouse gas footprint and make it a globally significant contributor of negative carbon emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu Lu & Jeremy S. Guest & Catherine A. Peters & Xiuping Zhu & Greg H. Rau & Zhiyong Jason Ren, 2018. "Wastewater treatment for carbon capture and utilization," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(12), pages 750-758, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:1:y:2018:i:12:d:10.1038_s41893-018-0187-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0187-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Beiying Li & Conghe Liu & Jingjing Bai & Yikun Huang & Run Su & Yan Wei & Bin Ma, 2024. "Strategy to mitigate substrate inhibition in wastewater treatment systems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Leyuan Zhang & Yucheng Zhang & Yang Liu & Sibo Wang & Calvin K. Lee & Yu Huang & Xiangfeng Duan, 2024. "High power density redox-mediated Shewanella microbial flow fuel cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Wang, Hui & Zeng, Shufang & Pan, Xiaoli & Liu, Lei & Chen, Yunjie & Tang, Jiawei & Luo, Feng, 2022. "Bioelectrochemically assisting anaerobic digestion enhanced methane production under low-temperature," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 1071-1083.
    4. Liu, Wenjie & Liu, Xingchen & Xin, Shuaishuai & Wang, Yanhao & Huo, Siyue & Fu, Wenxian & Zhao, Quanyou & Gao, Mengchun & Xie, Haijiao, 2024. "Photocatalytic fuel cell assisted by Fenton-like reaction for p-Chloronitrobenzen degradation and electricity production through S-scheme heterojunction C3N5 modified TNAs photoanode: Performance, DFT," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    5. Xiang Gao & Zhichao Yang & Wen Zhang & Bingcai Pan, 2024. "Carbon redirection via tunable Fenton-like reactions under nanoconfinement toward sustainable water treatment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Xiong, Yu-Tong & Zhang, Jing & Chen, You-Peng & Guo, Jin-Song & Fang, Fang & Yan, Peng, 2021. "Geographic distribution of net-zero energy wastewater treatment in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
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    9. Qi Dang & Wei Zhang & Jiqing Liu & Liting Wang & Deli Wu & Dejin Wang & Zhendong Lei & Liang Tang, 2023. "Bias-free driven ion assisted photoelectrochemical system for sustainable wastewater treatment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    10. Shenghua Wang & Dake Zhang & Wu Wang & Jun Zhong & Kai Feng & Zhiyi Wu & Boyu Du & Jiaqing He & Zhengwen Li & Le He & Wei Sun & Deren Yang & Geoffrey A. Ozin, 2022. "Grave-to-cradle upcycling of Ni from electroplating wastewater to photothermal CO2 catalysis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Lin, Richen & O'Shea, Richard & Deng, Chen & Wu, Benteng & Murphy, Jerry D., 2021. "A perspective on the efficacy of green gas production via integration of technologies in novel cascading circular bio-systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    12. He, Yanying & Li, Yiming & Li, Xuecheng & Liu, Yingrui & Wang, Yufen & Guo, Haixiao & Hou, Jiaqi & Zhu, Tingting & Liu, Yiwen, 2023. "Net-zero greenhouse gas emission from wastewater treatment: Mechanisms, opportunities and perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    13. Bong Jae Lee & Jeong Il Lee & Soo Young Yun & Cheol-Soo Lim & Young-Kwon Park, 2020. "Economic Evaluation of Carbon Capture and Utilization Applying the Technology of Mineral Carbonation at Coal-Fired Power Plant," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-14, July.
    14. Zhao, Chuandang & Xu, Jiuping & Wang, Fengjuan & Xie, Guo & Tan, Cheng, 2024. "Economic–environmental trade-offs based support policy towards optimal planning of wastewater heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 364(C).
    15. Bin Chen & Hailiang Li & Rongfu Huang & Yanan Tang & Feng Li, 2024. "Deep learning prediction of electrospray ionization tandem mass spectra of chemically derived molecules," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Ryu, Kyung Hwan & Kim, Boeun & Heo, Seongmin, 2022. "Sustainability analysis framework based on global market dynamics: A carbon capture and utilization industry case," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    17. Jianan Gao & Qingquan Ma & Zhiwei Wang & Bruce E. Rittmann & Wen Zhang, 2024. "Direct electrosynthesis and separation of ammonia and chlorine from waste streams via a stacked membrane-free electrolyzer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    18. Xu, Ting & Song, Jianan & Lin, Weichen & Fu, Boya & Guo, Xingguo & Huang, Xia & Wu, Hui & Zhang, Xiaoyuan, 2021. "A freestanding carbon submicro fiber sponge as high-efficient bioelectrochemical anode for wastewater energy recovery and treatment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    19. Hong-Zhi Liu & Xiao-Xuan Shu & Mingjie Huang & Bing-Bing Wu & Jie-Jie Chen & Xi-Sheng Wang & Hui-Lin Li & Han-Qing Yu, 2024. "Tailoring d-band center of high-valent metal-oxo species for pollutant removal via complete polymerization," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    20. Shuai Nie & Guotian Cai & Yixuan Li & Yushu Chen & Ruxue Bai & Liping Gao & Xiaoyu Chen, 2022. "To Adopt CCU Technology or Not? An Evolutionary Game between Local Governments and Coal-Fired Power Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
    21. Meng, Fanxin & Liu, Gengyuan & Liang, Sai & Su, Meirong & Yang, Zhifeng, 2019. "Critical review of the energy-water-carbon nexus in cities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1017-1032.
    22. Merabet, Nour Hane & Kerboua, Kaouther & Hoinkis, Jan, 2024. "Hydrogen production from wastewater: A comprehensive review of conventional and solar powered technologies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).

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