Comparative life cycle assessment and financial analysis of mixed culture polyhydroxyalkanoate production

A life cycle assessment and financial analysis of mixed culture PHA (PHAMC) and biogas production was undertaken based on treating an industrial wastewater. Internal rate of return (IRR) and non-renewable CO2eq emissions were used to quantify financial viability and environmental impact. PHAMC was preferable to biogas production for treating the specified industrial effluent. PHAMC was also financially attractive in comparison to pure culture PHA production. Both PHA production processes had similar environmental impacts that were significantly lower than HDPE production. A large potential for optimisation exists for the PHAMC process as financial and environmental costs were primarily due to energy use for downstream processing. Under the conditions used in this work PHAMC was shown to be a viable biopolymer production process and an effective industrial wastewater treatment technology. This is the first study of its kind and provides valuable insight into the PHAMC process.