An economic analysis of bioethanol production from the marine macroalga Ulva (Chlorophyta)

TECHNOLOGY ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 03 (02n03) ◽  
pp. 114-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leor Korzen ◽  
Yoav Peled ◽  
Shiri Zemah Shamir ◽  
Mordechai Shechter ◽  
Aharon Gedanken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Feed ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Bioethanol Production ◽  
Daily Growth ◽  
Distillers Grains With Solubles ◽  
Dried Distillers Grains ◽  
Offshore Aquaculture ◽  
Marine Macroalga

We performed a cost-benefit analysis for bioethanol production using biomass of Ulva rigida, a marine macroalga (seaweed), co-cultured with fish in an intensive offshore aquaculture unit. This is the first report for such analysis that takes into consideration offshore seaweed cultivation and uses a recently developed, novel and simplified ethanol production technology that is devoid of costly pre-treatments imposed to the seaweed biomass. By simultaneously producing ethanol with valuable Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS) by-products such as animal feed, the economic viability of this system is plausible over a production range of 77–240 dry tons of seaweed per day. As such, applying the model to suggested future scenarios for the Israeli Mediterranean shorelines, which limits aquaculture to ca. 600 ha, results in unprofitability. Further, sensitivity analyses place profitability as mainly dependent on DDGS prices and on the daily growth rate (biomass yield) of the macroalga. These two are key factors to achieve profitability at the 600-ha scenario.

Occurrence and concentration of mycotoxins in maize dried distillers’ grains produced in Brazil

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
C.A. Mallmann ◽  
C. Tonial Simões ◽  
J. Kobs Vidal ◽  
C. Rosa da Silva ◽  
L.M. de Lima Schlösser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aflatoxin B1 ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Distillers Grains ◽  
Bioethanol Production ◽  
Limit Of Quantification ◽  
Distillers Grains With Solubles ◽  
Dried Distillers Grains ◽  
The Third ◽  
Aflatoxin B ◽  
By Products

The presence of mycotoxins in dried distillers’ grains with solubles (DDGS), a by-product of bioethanol production from maize, has been a matter of concern due to the increasing global utilisation of this ingredient in animal feed. In this study, 186 samples of maize DDGS produced in Brazil were analysed for the presence of major mycotoxins: aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2), fumonisins (B1 and B2), zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON) and ochratoxin A (OTA). Samples were provided by the local industry between January 2017 and October 2020, and mycotoxins were quantified by LC-MS/MS. More than 98% of the analysed samples were contaminated with mycotoxins, from which 59.9% had a single mycotoxin, 29.9% two mycotoxins, and 9.1% more than two mycotoxins. The most prevalent metabolites were fumonisin B1 and B2, being detected in 98.8% (mean 3,207 μg/kg) and 97.6% (mean 1,243 μg/kg) of the samples, respectively; aflatoxin B1 had the third highest positivity, with 32.3% (mean 1.47 μg/kg), followed by ZEN, with 18.01% (mean 18.2 μg/kg), DON, with 12.9% (mean 59.6 μg/kg), and OTA was not detected. Co-occurrence of total aflatoxins (AFT = aflatoxin B1+B2+G1+G2) and total fumonisins (FBT = fumonisin B1+B2) was observed in 32.07% of the samples analysed for these mycotoxins. Co-occurrence of AFT and ZEN was found in 7.84% of the samples analysed for such mycotoxins, while FBT and DON co-occurred at 13.01%. AFT, FBT, DON and ZEN co-occurred in only one sample (0.84%). Except for FBT, a considerable number of samples presented the evaluated mycotoxins below their respective limit of quantification (LOQ) with percentages of 67.61% for AFT, 81.99% for ZEN, 87.07% for DON and 100% for OTA. Since the production of bioethanol and its by-products is growing worldwide, including in Brazil, mycotoxicological monitoring of maize DDGS is crucial to identify the effects of mycotoxins occurrence in animal feed formulated with this ingredient.

scholarly journals Improving Drinking Water Quality in South Korea: A Choice Experiment with Hypothetical Bias Treatments

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2569
Author(s):  
Adelina Gschwandtner ◽  
Cheul Jang ◽  
Richard McManus
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Stated Preference ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Hypothetical Bias ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Water Treatments

The objective of this present study is to use choice experiments and an extensive cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to investigate the feasibility of installing two advanced water treatments in Cheongju waterworks in South Korea. The study uses latent class attribute non-attendance models in a choice experiment setting in order to estimate the benefits of the two water treatments. Moreover, it explores strategies to mitigate potential hypothetical bias as this has been the strongest criticism brought to stated preference methods to date. Hypothetical bias is the difference between what people state in a survey they would be willing to pay and what they would actually pay in a real situation. The study employs cheap talk with a budget constraint reminder and honesty priming with the latter showing more evidence of reducing potential hypothetical bias. The lower bound of the median WTP (willingness to pay) for installing a new advanced water treatment system is approximately $2 US/month, similar to the average expenditures for bottled water per household in South Korea. These lower bounds were found using bootstrapping and simulations. The CBA shows that one of the two treatments, granular activated carbon is more robust to sensitivity analyses, making this the recommendation of the study.

scholarly journals Cost-benefit Analysis of Maintaining a Fully Stocked Malignant Hyperthermia Cart versus an Initial Dantrolene Treatment Dose for Maternity Units

2018 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phi T. Ho ◽  
Brendan Carvalho ◽  
Eric C. Sun ◽  
Alex Macario ◽  
Edward T. Riley
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Malignant Hyperthermia ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Maternity Unit ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
General Anesthetic ◽  
Tree Model

Abstract What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New Background The Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States recommends that dantrolene be available for administration within 10 min. One approach to dantrolene availability is a malignant hyperthermia cart, stocked with dantrolene, other drugs, and supplies. However, this may not be of cost benefit for maternity units, where triggering agents are rarely used. Methods The authors performed a cost-benefit analysis of maintaining a malignant hyperthermia cart versus a malignant hyperthermia cart readily available within the hospital versus an initial dantrolene dose of 250 mg, on every maternity unit in the United States. A decision-tree model was used to estimate the expected number of lives saved, and this benefit was compared against the expected costs of the policy. Results We found that maintaining a malignant hyperthermia cart in every maternity unit in the United States would reduce morbidity and mortality costs by $3,304,641 per year nationally but would cost $5,927,040 annually. Sensitivity analyses showed that our results were largely driven by the extremely low incidence of general anesthesia. If cesarean delivery rates in the United States remained at 32% of all births, the general anesthetic rate would have to be greater than 11% to achieve cost benefit. The only cost-effective strategy is to keep a 250-mg dose of dantrolene on the unit for starting therapy. Conclusions It is not of cost benefit to maintain a fully stocked malignant hyperthermia cart with a full supply of dantrolene within 10 min of maternity units. We recommend that hospitals institute alternative strategies (e.g., maintain a small supply of dantrolene on the maternity unit for starting treatment).

scholarly journals POSSIBILITIES OF DRIED DISTILLERS’ GRAINS WITH SOLUBLES APPLICATION IN FEED MIXTURES

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 96-100
Author(s):  
Valentina Nikolić ◽  
Marija Milašinović-Šeremešić ◽  
Milica Radosavljević ◽  
Marijana Simić ◽  
Slađana Žilić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Total Protein Content ◽  
Maize Hybrids ◽  
Distillers Grains With Solubles ◽  
Distiller's Grains ◽  
Dried Distillers Grains ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Feed Production

The possibility of utilization of dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) in feed mixtures for feed production was investigated. Samples of maize hybrids ZP 548 and ZP 655b and DDGS obtained from hybrids ZP 548 and ZP 548c were used as components of the mixtures.The total protein content ranged from 12.42 % to 31.18 %, moisture from 5.49 % to 9.55 and ash content of 1.85 % to 4.37 %. The contents of NDF, ADF, ADL, hemicellulose and cellulose fibers ranged from: 13.90 % to 48.13 %; 2.96 % to 20.69 %; 0.27 % to 2.44 %; 10.69 % to 30.17 %, 2.62 % to 18.32 %, respectively. In vitro dry matter digestibility ranged from 55.20 % to 89.76 %. It was concluded that the samples of DDG obtained from red and yellow maize hybrids kernel are very suitable as components for the preparation of animal feed mixtures.

scholarly journals PSVII-8 Efficacy of corn dried distillers grains with solubles as a replacement for soybean meal in a Boer goat diet

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 161-162
Author(s):  
Rachel J Sorensen ◽  
Savannah C Stewart ◽  
Cassandra K Jones ◽  
Alison R Crane ◽  
T G Nagaraja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soybean Meal ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Distillers Grains ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Soluble Fiber ◽  
Fecal Microbiome ◽  
Boer Goat ◽  
Distillers Grains With Solubles ◽  
Dried Distillers Grains ◽  
Boer Goats

Abstract Due to increased use of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in animal feed and accessibility of ethanol plants in the Midwest, this study evaluated the effect of feeding DDGS in place of soybean meal (SBM) on the fecal microbiome of Boer goats. Twenty-four Boer goat kids (apx. 70 d of age; 28.21 ± 0.96 kg) were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment diets for 47 d. Treatments were 0% (0DDGS) and 100% (30DDGS) DDGS in place of SBM. Goats were placed in 8 pens (4 pens/treatment; 3 goats/pen) with ad libitum access to feed and water. Fecal pellets were collected on d 47 via rectal grab and stored at -80°C until microbiome sequencing was performed. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced by MR DNA (MR DNA, Shallowater, TX) on the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform (Illumina, Inc., San Diego, CA). Data were analyzed using ANOVA with Tukey’s test for pairwise comparisons. Genera impacted by DDGS inclusion with individual relative abundances greater than 1% included increased Ruminococcus (P = 0.01) and Methanobrevibacter (P = 0.009) and decreased Lachnoclostridium (P = 0.02). Ruminococcus and Methanobrevibacter most likely increased in 30DDGS due to greater amounts of soluble fiber passing through the rumen, thus being fermented in the hindgut. The overall percentage of the phyla Bacteroidetes (P = 0.36) and Firmicutes (P = 0.12) did not differ between treatments; however, Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes increased (P = 0.05) in the 30DDGS diet. Treatment did not impact β-diversity (P = 0.47) although species richness increased (P = 0.09) in DDGS-fed goats as more soluble fiber was available for fermentation in the hindgut. In all, results of this study found replacing SBM with DDGS did not greatly alter the fecal microbiome of Boer goats.

scholarly journals Synergy of Thermochemical Treatment of Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles with Bioethanol Production for Increased Sustainability and Profitability

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4528
Author(s):  
Samuel O’Brien ◽  
Jacek A. Koziel ◽  
Chumki Banik ◽  
Andrzej Białowiec
Keyword(s):  
Animal Feed ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Thermochemical Treatment ◽  
Calorific Value ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Fuel Quality ◽  
Bioethanol Production ◽  
Distillers Grains With Solubles ◽  
Heat Demand

The bioethanol industry continues improving sustainability, specifically focused on plant energy and GHG emission management. Dried distiller grains with solubles (DDGS) is a byproduct of ethanol fermentation and is used for animal feed. DDGS is a relatively low-value bulk product that decays, causes odor, and is challenging to manage. The aim of this research was to find an alternative, value-added-type concept for DDGS utilization. Specifically, we aimed to explore the techno-economic feasibility of torrefaction, i.e., a thermochemical treatment of DDGS requiring low energy input, less sophisticated equipment, and resulting in fuel-quality biochar. Therefore, we developed a research model that addresses both bioethanol production sustainability and profitability due to synergy with the torrefaction of DDGS and using produced biochar as marketable fuel for the plant. Our experiments showed that DDGS-based biochar (CSF—carbonized solid fuel) lower calorific value may reach up to 27 MJ∙kg−1 d.m. (dry matter) Specific research questions addressed were: What monetary profits and operational cost reductions could be expected from valorizing DDGS as a source of marketable biorenewable energy, which may be used for bioethanol production plant’s demand? What environmental and financial benefits could be expected from valorizing DDGS to biochar and its reuse for natural gas substitution? Modeling indicated that the valorized CSF could be produced and used as a source of energy for the bioethanol production plant. The use of heat generated from CSF incineration supplies the entire heat demand of the torrefaction unit and the heat demand of bioethanol production (15–30% of the mass of CSF and depending on the lower heating value (LHV) of the CSF produced). The excess of 70–85% of the CSF produced has the potential to be marketed for energetic, agricultural, and other applications. Preliminary results show the relationship between the reduction of the environmental footprint (~24% reduction in CO2 emissions) with the introduction of comprehensive on-site valorization of DDGS. The application of DDGS torrefaction and CSF recycling may be a source of the new, more valuable revenues and bring new perspectives to the bioethanol industry to be more sustainable and profitable, including during the COVID-19 pandemic and other shocks to market conditions.

scholarly journals The Politics of Cost-Benefit Analysis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niek Mouter
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Statistical Relation ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Value Judgments ◽  
The Social ◽  
Political Decisions

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a widely used economic appraisal method that aims to support politicians in making decisions about projects and policies. Several researchers have tried to uncover the extent to which CBA actually impacts decision-making by investigating the statistical relation between the results of CBA studies and political decisions. Although these studies show that there is no significant statistical relation between the outcomes of CBA studies and political decisions, there is clear evidence that the institutionalization of CBA affects the planning and decision-making process within the bureaucracy. Civil servants, for instance, use CBAs to government projects in the early phases of the planning process. The literature identifies various barriers that hamper politicians’ use of CBA when forming their opinion. First, politicians often receive results of CBA studies too late in the process. When politicians receive a CBA after they already made up their mind and communicated their viewpoint, the chance is low that the results of the CBA will (substantially) influence their decision. A second important barrier that limits the use of CBA by politicians is that they do not have enough trust in CBA’s impartiality. A third barrier is that politicians contest value judgments implicit in CBA. The literature distinguishes six ideological value judgments that inevitably need to be made when conducting a CBA: (a) Which individuals have standing in a CBA? (b) Which preferences have standing in a CBA? (c) Which procedure is used to value impacts? (d) On which dimensions are standard numbers differentiated? (e) Which weight is assigned to preferences of individuals in the social welfare function? (f) Which approach is adopted to select the social discount rate? The implication of the fact that CBA analysts cannot escape from making value judgments when conducing the study is that CBA is currently a problematic tool for democratic decision-making because, when applied in practice, the analysis is based on a specific set of politically loaded premises that fosters (damages) the interests of politicians (not) endorsing these premises. It is possible to overcome this problem through informing politicians about the extent to which switching value judgements leads to different CBA outcomes. The introduction of so-called normative sensitivity analyses safeguards that politicians with different belief systems are equally equipped to use the results of a CBA to arrive at a well-founded evaluation of a government project.

scholarly journals A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the ENIGMA Trial

2011 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison M. Graham ◽  
Paul S. Myles ◽  
Kate Leslie ◽  
Matthew T.V. Chan ◽  
Michael J. Paech ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Free Group ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Major Surgery ◽  
Financial Benefit ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Inhalational Agent ◽  
Clinical Consequences ◽  
Additional Costs

Background The ENIGMA trial was a prospective, randomized, multicenter study that evaluated the clinical consequences of including N₂O in general anesthesia. Patients who were given a N₂O-free anesthetic when undergoing major surgery for which the expected hospital stay was at least 3 days had lower rates of some postoperative complications. This suggests that, despite a higher consumption of potent inhalational agent, there could be a financial benefit when N₂O is avoided in such settings. Methods A retrospective cost analysis of the 2,050 patients recruited to the ENIGMA trial was performed. We measured costs from the perspective of an implementing hospital. Direct health care costs include the costs for maintaining anesthesia, daily medications, hospitalization, and complications. The primary outcome was the net financial savings from avoiding N₂O in major noncardiac surgery. Comparisons between groups were analyzed using Student t test and bootstrap methods. Sensitivity analyses were also performed. Results Rates of some serious complications were higher in the N₂O group. Total costs in the N₂O group were $16,203 and in the N₂O-free group $13,837, mean difference of $2,366 (95% CI: 841-3,891); P = 0.002. All sensitivity analyses retained a significant difference in favor of the N₂O-free group (all P ≤ 0.005). Conclusions Despite N₂O reducing the consumption of more expensive potent inhalational agent, there were marked additional costs associated with its use in adult patients undergoing major surgery because of an increased rate of complications. There is no cogent argument to continue using N₂O on the basis that it is an inexpensive drug.

Cost–Benefit Analysis of Chlorhexidine Gluconate Dressing in the Prevention of Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections

2004 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 668-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert G. Crawford ◽  
Joseph P. Fuhr ◽  
Bhaskar Rao
Keyword(s):  
Incremental Cost ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Chlorhexidine Gluconate ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Local Infection ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Baseline Rate

AbstractObjectives:To compare the costs with the benefits of using chlorhexidine gluconate dressings on central venous catheters and to determine the effectiveness of these dressings in reducing local infections and catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs), costs, and mortality.Design:Cost–benefit analysis using randomized, controlled trial data on chlorhexidine dressing prevention of local infection and CRBSI, data on cost of chlorhexidine dressing versus standard treatment, data on averted cost of treating local infection and CRBSI, and data on mortality attributable to CRBSI. Decision analysis evaluated averted CRBSI treatment cost per patient resulting from chlorhexidine dressing use. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated net benefit of chlorhexidine dressing, varying baseline rate of CRBSI, incremental cost of treating CRBSI, and number of catheters, and evaluated mortality preventable through chlorhexidine dressing use, varying baseline rate of CRBSI, number of catheters, and mortality attributable to CRBSI.Patients and Setting:Patients of all Philadelphia area hospitals and one Philadelphia academic medical center.Results:Estimated potential annual U.S. net benefits from chlorhexidine dressing use ranged from $275 million to approximately $1.97 billion. Cost–benefit findings persisted in sensitivity analyses varying baseline rate of CRBSI, incremental cost of treating CRBSI, and overall number of catheters used. Preventable mortality analyses showed potential decreases of between 329 and 3,906 U.S. deaths annually as a result of nationwide use of chlorhexidine dressing.Conclusions:Chlorhexidine dressings would reduce costs, local infections and CRBSIs, and deaths. Use of chlorhexidine dressings should be considered to prevent infections among patients with catheters.

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