Comparative Environmental Analysis of 2-MIB Removal via Powdered Activated Carbon Adsorption and Enhanced Biofiltration from a Life Cycle Perspective

This study employs life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare the environmental impacts of PAC adsorption and enhanced biofiltration as retrofitting options for improving 2-MIB removal based on data from a full-scale drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). For equivalent treatment results, PAC adsorption surpasses enhanced biofiltration in 8 out of the 10 categories. The majority of global warming, acidification, abiotic depletion, ozone depletion, and photochemical ozone creation are attributed to the PAC preparation and transportation stage, while sludge treatment is the predominant contributor to the toxicity-related impacts. For enhanced biofiltration, the ozone depletion potential is 5.4 times higher than that of PAC adsorption, primarily due to the disinfection stage, highlighting the need for optimizing disinfectant types and dosage ratios. In terms of sludge treatment, drying-related treatment exhibits the highest global warming potentials, while anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis demonstrate reduced potentials by converting sludge into resources or energy. This study introduces a new perspective on the environmental implications associated with retrofitting DWTPs for the removal of specific pollutants, highlighting the importance of elevating awareness regarding the environmental impacts of water treatment processes and underscoring the need for sustainable practices in the industry.