GHG reduction potential in the seafood industry : a case study of surimi processing industry in Thailand | |
| Author | Baloch, Awais Anwar |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.EV-09-01 |
| Subject(s) | Surimi--Environmental aspects--Thailand Greenhouse gas mitigation--Thailand |
| Note | Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | |
| Abstract | Seafood wastewaters contain high organic loads, proteins and nitrogenous substances, especially surimi processing which contains soluble proteins and nitrogenous substances from washing minced product in several cycles. Also the stick water from by product processing in fish meal unit generates considerable polluted water from cooking and pressing units and mixes with wastewater treatment facility. These waters when treated under anaerobic treatment, such as upflow anaerobic filter (UAF), emit considerable amount of greenhouse gases into the environment and thus have been linked to global warming. The research focused on estimating greenhouse gas potential from surimi processing wastewater located in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand, and thereby suggesting improvements in the existing wastewater treatment facility. Several visits were conducted to the industry to identify any potential environmental problems and improvements were suggested accordingly. During wastewater audits, methane bubbles were quite visible from UAF and algal growth was also observed in the final effluent indicating poor denitrification by conventional activated sludge process (ASP). GHG estimations were conducted from methodologies developed by IPCC, 2006 Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Emission reductions were estimated by comparing three possible options, i.e., flaring, replacement of diesel oil with biogas, and replacement of electricity from grid with biogas with and without implementation of project activity. The suitable project activity was proposed to cover UAF with flexible HDPE sheets to capture and utilize the recovered emissions. From the three scenarios, replacement of diesel oil with recovered biogas as a fuel for the boiler gave higher emission reductions than the other two options. About 4,515 tCOz equivalent emissions per year can be reduced and captured biogas can replace 72% of diesel oil used for the boiler in fish meal production process. Other potential option was regarding the replacement of ASP with conventional nitrification and denitrification process by the combined AS/PN -Anammox process, which can reduce the observed higher concentrations of BODs, COD and TKN and has a potential to further reduce about 283 tCOz equivalent emissions per year which are arising due to inefficient heterotrophic denitrification process as NzO emissions from current ASP operation. Various other suggestions were also given during various steps of auditing process. These observations were highly recommended to the top management of the industry for further investigations and implementation |
| Year | 2009 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Annachhatre, Ajit |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shipin, Oleg;Preeda Parkpian |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan / Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship |
| Degree | Research Studies Project Report (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2009 |