Transformation of food waste into carbon sources for wastewater treatment： synergistic benefits of pollution reduction and carbon mitigation

The resource utilization of food waste contributes to reducing environmental pollution， drives the cycling of nutrients and the development of biomass energy， promotes the growth of the resource recycling industry， and achieves a win-win outcome on both the environment and the economy. This study evaluated the resource recovery performance and environmental impacts of producing carbon sources for wastewater treatment through the hydrolysis and acidification of food waste. This innovative technology was compared with two conventional alternatives： anaerobic fermentation and incineration. The results showed that among the three technologies， the resource recycling efficiency of hydrolysis for carbon source production ranked in the middle， while its environmental benefits were superior to those of incineration and anaerobic fermentation technologies. The hydrolysis process did not produce additional wastewater requiring treatment. Moreover， its greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste generation intensity were relatively low， at -40.7 kg CO2-eq/t and 9.3%， respectively. Carbon sources derived from food waste can replace commercial alternatives， thereby reducing wastewater treatment costs and promoting synergies between pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the water content in food waste can significantly influence the generation of solid impurities and the energy recovery efficiency of the hydrolysis technology. In regions with high food waste generation and demand for carbon sources， hydrolysis technology is recommended to facilitate large-scale synergistic treatment of wastewater and food waste.