Title:
Converting Rice Waste into Adsorbent Materials for Removal of Nitrates from Water: A Life Cycle Assessment
Author(s):
Mazzoccoli, M., Moliner, C., Arato, E.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Efficient resource use plays a key role in activating economic agents, ensuring a social welfare state and life quality. In Europe, 87% of groundwater contains excess nitrates whose limit is established in 50 mg/L by the Nitrates Directive. In this framework, the present work evaluates the environmental benefit of an innovative solution for the reduction of the concentration of nitrates in the comprehensive water cycle by using an adsorption bed made of silica obtained from the ashes produced by a controlled burning of rice straw. This environmental impact is compared with that resulting from the use of plastic bottled water. Results indicate that the innovative process can be a more environmentally beneficial solution with respect with bottled waters and that could be a sustainable and technological feasible solution for water treatment where traditional removal techniques, such as reverse osmosis, is not convenient in a technical or economical way.
Keywords:
rice straw, environmental impact, circular economy, life cycle assessment (LCA), water treatment technologies
Topic:
Sustainability, Impacts and Policies
Subtopic:
Environmental impacts
Event:
30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
2AV.3.1
Pages:
356 - 360
ISBN:
978-88-89407-22-6
Paper DOI:
10.5071/30thEUBCE2022-2AV.3.1
Price:
FREE
