4th UF Water Institute Symposium Abstract

Submitter's Name	Adib Amini
Session Name	Poster Session: Water quality protection and treatment
Poster Number	30
Author(s)	Adib Amini,  University of South Florida (Presenting Author)
	Sarina Ergas,  University of South Florida
	Qiong Zhang, University of South Florida
	Jeffrey Cunningham, University of South Florida
	Sustainable Energy and Nutrient Recovery from Swine Waste: A Life Cycle Environmental Impact and Cost Assessment
	Swine production represents approximately 40% of the world’s meat production, and swine wastes contain high concentrations of organic matter, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Swine production is intensifying as meat demand increases and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) containing up to 10,000 pigs become increasingly common, thereby making it difficult to treat the waste generated. A holistic system for treatment of swine waste generated in CAFOs is being investigated to sustainably generate energy and recover both N and P as saleable fertilizer through anaerobic digestion (AD) followed by struvite (MgNH4PO4•6H2O) precipitation and N recovery through ion exchange onto natural zeolites. Nutrient and methane recovery mitigates both eutrophication of receiving waters and greenhouse gas emissions caused by untreated waste. Struvite recovery also addresses global P shortages and produces a slow-release fertilizer, while N adsorbed zeolite further meets agronomic N demands. The economic and environmental sustainability of such additional treatment, however, remains unknown. The objectives of this study were to investigate: (1) recovery of N and P via struvite precipitation from anaerobically digested swine waste at the pilot scale, (2) evaluate content/quality of struvite precipitate form by XRD and SEM-EDS analysis, (3) perform a life cycle environmental impact and cost assessment to quantify the benefits of the holistic system for energy and nutrient recovery being investigated. Initial results show over 90% removal of P via struvite precipitation as well as XRD and SEM-EDS analysis that confirm struvite presence. Further results will be presented along will results of the life cycle environmental impact and cost assessment.