Assessing the environmental sustainability of light emitting diodes and conventional blacklight lamps for the treatment of bisphenol-A in water

Ultraviolet (UV) water treatment techniques currently employ blacklight (UV-BL) lamps, which are energy intensive, short living and contain toxic materials, damaging the environment. Light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) can offer an environmentally friendly alternative to UV-BLs, however their environmental impacts for have not been quantified yet. This study aims at investigating sustainability of UV-LEDs removing bisphenol-A from compare it with UV-BL lamps. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was utilised estimate process' footprint. functional unit adopted 1 L initial 7.5 mg/L concentration 125 titanium dioxide (TiO2) acting as a catalyst. UV-LED/TiO2 found footprint 61% less than UV-BL/TiO2. From sensitivity analysis hotspots process were consumption photocatalytic reactors used. Therefore, three scenarios use solar photocatalysis, renewable electricity mix recyclable materials explored enhance performance process. results overwhelmingly favoured photocatalysis most sustainable treatment, leading 87.2% 78.6% decrease UV-BL/TiO2 process, respectively. Using mix, representative Scotland's output, 41.5% (from 198.3 116.0 μPt) 15.7% 517.2 435.9 UV-BL/TiO2, respectively, observed. Beginning sustainable, processes ranked in following order: solar/TiO2 > indicating that UV-LED systems driven by could be feasible 24/7 large-scale wastewater systems.