State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; School of Environment, Liaoning University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110036, China.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic, 3125, Australia.
J Environ Manage. 2023 Oct 15;344:118397. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118397. Epub 2023 Jun 16.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in China must be upgraded to meet new discharge standards, but this incurs both economic and environmental costs and benefits. To select the optimal upgrade pathway, we developed ten upgrade paths based on two common decision-making scenarios for WWTP upgrade in developing countries. Using model simulation, life-cycle assessment, life-cycle cost, and multiple-attribute decision-making, we incorporated the full costs and benefits associated with the construction and operation into the decision-making process. We used a weighting scheme of attributes for the three regions and ranked the upgrade paths using the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). The results showed that constructed wetlands and sand filtration were advantageous in terms of lower economic costs and environmental impacts, while the denitrification filter pathways required less land. Optimal pathways differed by region, highlighting the importance of a detailed and integrated assessment of the costs and benefits of WWTP upgrade options over the full life cycle. Our findings can inform decision-making on upgrading China's WWTPs to meet stringent discharge standards and protect inland water and coastal environments.
中国的污水处理厂（WWTP）必须进行升级，以达到新的排放标准，但这会带来经济和环境方面的成本和效益。为了选择最佳的升级途径，我们根据发展中国家 WWTP 升级的两种常见决策情景，制定了十种升级途径。我们使用模型模拟、生命周期评估、生命周期成本和多属性决策，将与建设和运营相关的全部成本和效益纳入决策过程。我们为三个地区制定了属性加权方案，并使用理想解排序法（TOPSIS）对升级途径进行了排名。结果表明，人工湿地和砂滤在经济成本和环境影响方面具有优势，而脱氮滤池途径则需要更少的土地。最优途径因地区而异，突出了对 WWTP 升级方案的成本和效益进行全生命周期详细和综合评估的重要性。我们的研究结果可为中国 WWTP 升级以达到严格的排放标准并保护内陆水和沿海环境的决策提供参考。
