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Gaffey J, Matinez AA, Andrade TA, Ambye-Jensen M, Bishop G, Collins MN, Styles D. Assessing the environmental footprint of alternative green biorefinery protein extraction techniques from grasses and legumes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175035. [PMID: 39089380 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
The significant grasslands of Europe and its member states represents a significant feedstock opportunity for circular bioeconomy development. The development of green biorefineries (GBR), to supply protein for the feed industry from grass, could help many European member states to address significant deficits in protein availability and reduce imports. The current study assesses the environmental footprint of alternative GBR protein extraction techniques from grasses and legumes using life cycle assessment. The focus is on comparing feedstock and technology pathways that could displace soya bean imports. The study finds that leaf protein concentrate (LPC) produced from grass had an improved environmental performance when compared to soya bean meal (SBM), across the assessed feedstock (perennial ryegrass or grass-clover mixtures) and technology pathways (one-stage maceration versus multi-stage maceration). For example, in the case of Climate Change the emission intensity for LPC was 57-85 % lower per tonne of crude protein (CP) compared with SBM. Acidification burdens were 54-88 % lower, and Eutrophication: Freshwater burdens were 74-89 % lower. Some scenarios of GBR produced LPC with a larger Energy Resources: Non-Renewable burden than SBM, though this could be mitigated with higher renewable energy (biogas and wind energy) integration within the scenario. Grass-clover scenarios generally achieved a lower intensity of emissions compared to ryegrass scenarios, particularly in the category of Climate Change, where feedstock cultivation represented a significant contributor to impacts. Overall, GBR can produce high quality protein with a lower environmental burden than SBM, but choice of feedstock and system design are critical factors for overall environmental performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Gaffey
- School of Engineering and AMBER, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland; Circular Bioeconomy Research Group, Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre, Munster Technological University, Tralee, V92 CX88, Ireland; BiOrbic, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 D04 V1W8, Ireland.
| | - Andres Arce Matinez
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
| | - Thalles Allan Andrade
- Aarhus University Centre for Circular Bioeconomy, Aarhus University, Viborg, Denmark; Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Morten Ambye-Jensen
- Aarhus University Centre for Circular Bioeconomy, Aarhus University, Viborg, Denmark; Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - George Bishop
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
| | - Maurice N Collins
- School of Engineering and AMBER, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland; BiOrbic, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - David Styles
- School of Engineering and AMBER, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland; BiOrbic, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 D04 V1W8, Ireland
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Gaffey J, Collins MN, Styles D. Review of methodological decisions in life cycle assessment (LCA) of biorefinery systems across feedstock categories. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 358:120813. [PMID: 38608573 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to biorefineries is a necessary step to estimate their environmental sustainability. This review explores contemporary LCA biorefinery studies, across different feedstock categories, to understand approaches in dealing with key methodological decisions which arise, including system boundaries, consequential or attributional approach, allocation, inventory data, land use changes, product end-of-life (EOL), biogenic carbon storage, impact assessment and use of uncertainty analysis. From an initial collection of 81 studies, 59 were included within the final analysis, comprising 22 studies which involved dedicated feedstocks, 34 which involved residue feedstocks (including by-products and wastes), and a further 3 studies which involved multiple feedstocks derived from both dedicated and secondary sources. Many studies do not provide a comprehensive LCA assessment, often lacking detail on decisions taken, omitting key parts of the value chain, using generic data without uncertainty analyses, or omitting important impact categories. Only 28% of studies included some level of primary data, while 39% of studies did not undertake an uncertainty or sensitivity analysis. Just 8% of studies included data related to dLUC with a further 8% including iLUC, and only 14% of studies considering product end of life within their scope. The authors recommend more transparency in biorefinery LCA, with justification of key methodological decisions. A full value-chain approach should be adopted, to fully assess burdens and opportunities for biogenic carbon storage. We also propose a more prospective approach, taking into account future use of renewable energy sources, and opportunities for increasing circularity within bio-based value chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Gaffey
- School of Engineering and AMBER, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland; Circular Bioeconomy Research Group, Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre, Munster Technological University, Tralee, V92 CX88, Ireland.
| | - Maurice N Collins
- School of Engineering and AMBER, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - David Styles
- University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
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Olmo R, Wetzels SU, Armanhi JSL, Arruda P, Berg G, Cernava T, Cotter PD, Araujo SC, de Souza RSC, Ferrocino I, Frisvad JC, Georgalaki M, Hansen HH, Kazou M, Kiran GS, Kostic T, Krauss-Etschmann S, Kriaa A, Lange L, Maguin E, Mitter B, Nielsen MO, Olivares M, Quijada NM, Romaní-Pérez M, Sanz Y, Schloter M, Schmitt-Kopplin P, Seaton SC, Selvin J, Sessitsch A, Wang M, Zwirzitz B, Selberherr E, Wagner M. Microbiome Research as an Effective Driver of Success Stories in Agrifood Systems – A Selection of Case Studies. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:834622. [PMID: 35903477 PMCID: PMC9315449 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.834622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing knowledge of the microbiome has led to significant advancements in the agrifood system. Case studies based on microbiome applications have been reported worldwide and, in this review, we have selected 14 success stories that showcase the importance of microbiome research in advancing the agrifood system. The selected case studies describe products, methodologies, applications, tools, and processes that created an economic and societal impact. Additionally, they cover a broad range of fields within the agrifood chain: the management of diseases and putative pathogens; the use of microorganism as soil fertilizers and plant strengtheners; the investigation of the microbial dynamics occurring during food fermentation; the presence of microorganisms and/or genes associated with hazards for animal and human health (e.g., mycotoxins, spoilage agents, or pathogens) in feeds, foods, and their processing environments; applications to improve HACCP systems; and the identification of novel probiotics and prebiotics to improve the animal gut microbiome or to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases in humans (e.g., obesity complications). The microbiomes of soil, plants, and animals are pivotal for ensuring human and environmental health and this review highlights the impact that microbiome applications have with this regard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Olmo
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Rocío Olmo,
| | - Stefanie Urimare Wetzels
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jaderson Silveira Leite Armanhi
- Symbiomics Microbiome Solutions, Florianópolis, Brazil
- Genomics for Climate Change Research Center, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Paulo Arruda
- Genomics for Climate Change Research Center, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Gabriele Berg
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tomislav Cernava
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Paul D. Cotter
- Food Bioscience, Teagasc Food Research Centre Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland and VistaMilk, Cork, Ireland
| | - Solon Cordeiro Araujo
- SCA, Consultoria em Microbiologia Agrícola, Campinas, Brazil
- Brazil National Association of Inoculant Producers and Importers (ANPII), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rafael Soares Correa de Souza
- Symbiomics Microbiome Solutions, Florianópolis, Brazil
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Ilario Ferrocino
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Jens C. Frisvad
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Marina Georgalaki
- Laboratory of Dairy Research, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Hanne Helene Hansen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Maria Kazou
- Laboratory of Dairy Research, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Tanja Kostic
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| | - Susanne Krauss-Etschmann
- Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Borstel, Germany
- Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Aicha Kriaa
- Microbiota Interaction With Human and Animal Team (MIHA), Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Lene Lange
- BioEconomy, Research & Advisory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emmanuelle Maguin
- Microbiota Interaction With Human and Animal Team (MIHA), Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Birgit Mitter
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| | - Mette Olaf Nielsen
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Marta Olivares
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Narciso Martín Quijada
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marina Romaní-Pérez
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Yolanda Sanz
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition and Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Michael Schloter
- Research Unit Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Joseph Selvin
- School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
| | - Angela Sessitsch
- Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| | - Mengcen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Benjamin Zwirzitz
- Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Evelyne Selberherr
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Wagner
- FFoQSI GmbH - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
- Unit of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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Achieving Food and Livelihood Security and Enhancing Profitability through an Integrated Farming System Approach: A Case Study from Western Plains of Uttar Pradesh, India. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14116653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The integrated farming system (IFS) is a comprehensive farm practice to improve small and marginal farmers’ livelihoods. The IFS enhances nutrient recycling and food security and promotes greater efficiency of fertilizers and natural resources. To improve livelihood, profits, and employment generation holistically through an IFS method, a study was conducted over four years, from 2016 to 2019, to define the farming condition in 1036 households in the Muzzafarnagar district of Western Uttar Pradesh. Crop + dairy was the most frequent farming method (68%) followed by crop + dairy + horticulture + goatary. Compared to older cultivars, improved rice, maize, wheat, and barley cultivars enhanced crop yield by 17 to 42%. Transplanting sugarcane and intercropping of mustard increased system yield from 58.89% to 86.17% compared to the sole sugarcane crop. Nutritional kitchen gardening resulted in an average saving of $20 to $25 during the Kharif season and $20 to $27 during Rabi season. Exotic vegetables such as broccoli, Chinese cabbage, cherry tomato, kale, parsley, and lettuce were introduced, which increased regular income. With the adoption of a multi-tier-based system, the net returns from the system improved from 0.6 lakh to 2.20 lakhs per ha. Enhancing the fodder availability resulted in a 27.5% milk yield improvement. The study’s outcomes demonstrated that a five-member family’s annual protein (110–125 kg) and carbohydrate (550 to 575 kg) requirements can be easily met using the IFS technique. According to the study, IFS approaches combined with better technical interventions can ensure the long-term viability of farming systems and improve livelihoods.
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Paramesh V, Ravisankar N, Behera U, Arunachalam V, Kumar P, Solomon Rajkumar R, Dhar Misra S, Mohan Kumar R, Prusty AK, Jacob D, Panwar AS, Mayenkar T, Reddy VK, Rajkumar S. Integrated farming system approaches to achieve food and nutritional security for enhancing profitability, employment, and climate resilience in India. Food Energy Secur 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/fes3.321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Natesan Ravisankar
- ICAR‐ Indian Institute of Farming System Research Modipuram, Meerut India
| | - UmaKant Behera
- CAU‐ College of Agriculture Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya India
| | | | - Parveen Kumar
- ICAR‐ Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute Goa India
| | | | | | | | - A. K. Prusty
- ICAR‐ Indian Institute of Farming System Research Modipuram, Meerut India
| | - D. Jacob
- On Farm Research Centre Kerala Agricultural University Thiruvananthapuram India
| | - A. S. Panwar
- ICAR‐ Indian Institute of Farming System Research Modipuram, Meerut India
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Lamnatou C, Ezcurra-Ciaurriz X, Chemisana D, Plà-Aragonés LM. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a food-production system in Spain: Iberian ham based on an extensive system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:151900. [PMID: 34838553 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Taking into account that in the literature on pork-production Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) there are a few studies about the Iberian pig, the present article evaluates an extensive (growing-fattening) Iberian-pig system in Spain, producing meat for Iberian ham and other quality-labelled products. The study has been based on Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), Global Warming Potential (GWP), ReCiPe (midpoint; endpoint) and USEtox (human toxicity; ecotoxicity). The analysis involves feed (for pigs and piglets), transportation, drinking water, straw usage and building materials (concrete). The impacts have been evaluated per kg of live or carcass weight (two functional units). The results show that the total impacts (per kg of live or carcass weight) range from: 1) 22.05 to 28.19 MJprim (CED), 2) 4.37 to 6.19 kg CO2.eq (GWP 20a, 100a and 500a), 3) 0.86 to 1.08 Pts (ReCiPe endpoint single-score, involving Human health, Ecosystems and Resources), 4) 9.9 × 10-6 to 1.2 × 10-5 DALY (ReCiPe endpoint with characterisation), 5) 2.8 × 10-7 to 3.5 × 10-7 (species.yr) (ReCiPe endpoint with characterisation), 6) 10.12 to 12.66 CTUe (USEtox: ecotoxicity). Overall, the results show that the feed for the pigs is responsible for the major part of the environmental impacts. More analytically, maize and soya are the components with the highest environmental impacts due to factors such as transportation, use of fertilisers and diesel fuel. The discussion about pig-production environmental impacts and the role of extensive pig farming is enriched with comparisons with the literature on pig-production LCA. Critical parameters are identified and discussed, with the aim of proposing solutions to reduce pork-production environmental impacts. Finally, the usefulness of the present study and future prospects are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chr Lamnatou
- Applied Physics Section of the Environmental Science Department, University of Lleida, Jaume II 69, 25001 Lleida, Spain.
| | - X Ezcurra-Ciaurriz
- Department of Mathematics, University of Lleida, c/Jaume II 69, 25001 Lleida, Spain
| | - D Chemisana
- Applied Physics Section of the Environmental Science Department, University of Lleida, Jaume II 69, 25001 Lleida, Spain
| | - L M Plà-Aragonés
- Department of Mathematics, University of Lleida, c/Jaume II 69, 25001 Lleida, Spain; AGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, 25198 Lleida, Spain
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Javourez U, O'Donohue M, Hamelin L. Waste-to-nutrition: a review of current and emerging conversion pathways. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 53:107857. [PMID: 34699952 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Residual biomass is acknowledged as a key sustainable feedstock for the transition towards circular and low fossil carbon economies to supply whether energy, chemical, material and food products or services. The latter is receiving increasing attention, in particular in the perspective of decoupling nutrition from arable land demand. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of the technical possibilities to convert residual biomasses into edible ingredients, we reviewed over 950 scientific and industrial records documenting existing and emerging waste-to-nutrition pathways, involving over 150 different feedstocks here grouped under 10 umbrella categories: (i) wood-related residual biomass, (ii) primary crop residues, (iii) manure, (iv) food waste, (v) sludge and wastewater, (vi) green residual biomass, (vii) slaughterhouse by-products, (viii) agrifood co-products, (ix) C1 gases and (x) others. The review includes a detailed description of these pathways, as well as the processes they involve. As a result, we proposed four generic building blocks to systematize waste-to-nutrition conversion sequence patterns, namely enhancement, cracking, extraction and bioconversion. We further introduce a multidimensional representation of the biomasses suitability as potential as nutritional sources according to (i) their content in anti-nutritional compounds, (ii) their degree of structural complexity and (iii) their concentration of macro- and micronutrients. Finally, we suggest that the different pathways can be grouped into eight large families of approaches: (i) insect biorefinery, (ii) green biorefinery, (iii) lignocellulosic biorefinery, (iv) non-soluble protein recovery, (v) gas-intermediate biorefinery, (vi) liquid substrate alternative, (vii) solid-substrate fermentation and (viii) more-out-of-slaughterhouse by-products. The proposed framework aims to support future research in waste recovery and valorization within food systems, along with stimulating reflections on the improvement of resources' cascading use.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Javourez
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France
| | - M O'Donohue
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France
| | - L Hamelin
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France.
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Guo H, Zhao Y, Damgaard A, Wang Q, Wang H, Christensen TH, Lu W. Quantifying global warming potential of alternative biorefinery systems for producing fuels from Chinese food waste. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 130:38-47. [PMID: 34049266 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Biorefining of Chinese food waste (FW) into transport fuels was assessed in terms of amount of fuel produced and over all Global Warming Potential (GWP) for six different scenarios including biogas, biomethane, bioethanol and biodiesel in different combinations. The life-cycle perspective used included GWP aspects of material and energy use, emissions during biorefining and management of residues, as well as substitution of fossil fuels according to the energy content of biofuels. All of the six FW biorefineries revealed savings in GWP ranging from -19 to -138 kg CO2 eqv. per ton of wet FW. Compared to the reference scenario with only anaerobic digestion (S0), introducing biogas upgrading to biomethane (S1) improved the GWP by 37%; while producing bioethanol prior to anaerobic digestion (S2) decreased the savings in GWP. Introducing biodiesel prior to anaerobic digestion (S3) revealed around 60% improvement in GWP, while combining biodiesel and biomethane gave the largest improvement in GWP, 84% compared to the reference scenario, and the most fuels (around 2400 MJ in terms of 30 kg biodiesel and 35 kg biomethane per ton of wet FW). A sensitivity analysis revealed that the electricity production based on the biogas was an important parameter and appears in all refineries, while the results was less sensitive to the production of biodiesel and biomethane. The residue management contributed also to the GWP, but did not vary much among the biorefinery scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanwen Guo
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 100875 Beijing, China
| | - Anders Damgaard
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøevej, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Qian Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Hongtao Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Thomas H Christensen
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøevej, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Wenjing Lu
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China.
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9
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Deng L, Chen L, Zhao J, Wang R. Comparative analysis on environmental and economic performance of agricultural cooperatives and smallholder farmers: The case of grape production in Hebei, China. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0245981. [PMID: 33493239 PMCID: PMC7833222 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Agricultural modernization and intensification have been regarded as a significant way to support agricultural development and improve farm income in China. Agricultural cooperatives have played an important role in promoting the modernization and intensification of Chinese agricultural sector. Given the increasing concerns about environmental harm, however, it still remains unclear whether and the extent to which agricultural cooperatives contributes to reducing environmental impacts of agricultural production. Hence, this study performed an environmental evaluation using life cycle assessment for three different organization forms of grape production in Changli County, Hebei Province, China: smallholder farmers, farmer-owned cooperatives and investor-owned firm-led cooperatives. Then the results of life cycle assessment were monetarized and cost benefit analysis was used to evaluate the economic performance of these three organization forms of grape production. The results demonstrate that investor-owned firm-led cooperatives present an overall improvement in environmental and economic performance with the lowest weighted environmental index (integrating all impact categories into a single score), the highest net profit and the highest total net benefit. The results also show a difference in potential improvement in environmental impacts and economic returns between cooperatives and smallholder farmers. Additionally, the production and application of organic and chemical fertilizer and pesticide have been identified as major contributors to total environmental damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Deng
- School of Information, Beijing Wuzi University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
| | - Lei Chen
- School of Information, Beijing Wuzi University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingjie Zhao
- Beijing Municipal Tax Service, State Taxation Administration, Beijing, China
- Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruimei Wang
- College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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10
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Parajuli R, Gustafson D, Asseng S, Stöckle CO, Kruse J, Zhao C, Intrapapong P, Matlock MD, Thoma G. Protocol for life cycle assessment modeling of US fruit and vegetable supply chains- cases of processed potato and tomato products. Data Brief 2020; 34:106639. [PMID: 33365369 PMCID: PMC7749376 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
This article elaborates on the life cycle assessment (LCA) protocol designed for formulating the life cycle inventories (LCIs) of fruit and vegetable (F&V) supply chains. As a set of case studies, it presents the LCI data of the processed vegetable products, (a) potato: chips, frozen-fries, and dehydrated flakes, and (b) tomato-pasta sauce. The data can support to undertake life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) of food commodities in a “cradle to grave” approach. An integrated F&V supply chain LCA model is constructed, which combined three components of the supply chain: farming system, post-harvest system (processing until the consumption) and bio-waste handling system. We have used numbers of crop models to calculate the crop yields, crop nutrient uptake, and irrigation water requirements, which are largely influenced by the local agro-climatic parameters of the selected crop reporting districts (CRDs) of the United States. For the farming system, LCI information, as shown in the data are averaged from the respective CRDs. LCI data for the post-harvest stages are based on available information from the relevant processing plants and the engineering estimates. The article also briefly presents the assumptions made for evaluating future crop production scenarios. Future scenarios integrate the impact of climate change on the future productivity and evaluate the effect of adaptation measures and technological advancement on the crop yield. The provided data are important to understand the characteristics of the food supply chain, and their relationships with the life cycle environmental impacts. The data can also support to formulate potential environmental mitigation and adaptation measures in the food supply chain mainly to cope with the adverse impact of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjan Parajuli
- Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Dave Gustafson
- Agriculture & Food Systems Institute, Washington, DC 20005, USA
| | - Senthold Asseng
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Claudio O Stöckle
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6120, USA
| | - John Kruse
- World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services, LLC, 3215 S. Providence Rd, Suite 3 Columbia, MO 65203, USA
| | - Chuang Zhao
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Pon Intrapapong
- World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services, LLC, 3215 S. Providence Rd, Suite 3 Columbia, MO 65203, USA
| | - Marty D Matlock
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Greg Thoma
- Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
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Allocation of Environmental Impacts in Circular and Cascade Use of Resources—Incentive-Driven Allocation as a Prerequisite for Cascade Persistence. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12114366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In cascade use, a resource is used consecutively in different application areas demanding less and less quality. As this practically allows using the same resource several times, cascading contributes to resource efficiency and a circular economy and, therefore, has gained interest recently. To assess the advantages of cascading and to distribute the environmental impacts arising from resource extraction/processing, potentially needed treatment and upcycling within the cascade chain and end-of-life proesses represent a difficult task within life cycle assessment and highlight the needs for a widely applicable and acceptable framework of how to allocate the impacts. To get insight into how the allocation is handled in cascades, a systematic literature review was carried out. Starting from this status quo, common allocation approaches were extracted, harmonized, and evaluated for which a generic set of criteria was deduced from the literature. Most importantly, participants must be willing to set up a cascade, which requires that for each participant, there are individual benefits, e.g., getting less environmental burdens allocated than if not joining. A game-theoretic approach based on the concept of the core and the Shapley value was presented, and the approaches were benchmarked against this in a case-study setting. Several of the approaches laid outside the core, i.e., they did not give an incentive to the participants to join the cascade in the case study. Their application for cascade use is, therefore, debatable. The core was identified as an approach for identifying suitable allocation procedures for a problem at hand, and the Shapley value identified as a slightly more complex but fair allocation procedure.
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Prusov M, Kurdyumov V, Pavlushin A. Optimization of the hopper design parameters with a controlled technological process of loading, storage and unloading of bulk materials. BIO WEB OF CONFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1051/bioconf/20202700131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The subject of the study is the process of loading capacities and bodies of vehicles to increase the usable volume and static load for further storage or transportation. Based on an analysis of the mechanization of loading operations at agricultural facilities related to the production, distribution and use of animal feed, the authors identified the most promising loading scheme based on the principle of intensive dispersed flow, outlined ways to improve the loading of grain materials and animal feed, proposed a new structural and technological scheme of a loading device with a drive using the gravitational flow of bulk material to evenly distribute the flow of bulk material over a significant cross-sectional area of the tank. The article presents theoretical studies of the loading process using the proposed device and substantiates its geometric parameters. There are results of experimental studies that confirm theoretical conclusions and allow comparing the proposed device with existing analogues.
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Lynch J. Availability of disaggregated greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle production: a systematic review. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REVIEW 2019; 76:69-78. [PMID: 31388221 PMCID: PMC6684367 DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Agriculture is a significant source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and beef cattle are particularly emissions intensive. GHG emissions are typically expressed as a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) 'carbon footprint' per unit output. The 100-year Global Warming Potential (GWP100) is the most commonly used CO2e metric, but others have also been proposed, and there is no universal reason to prefer GWP100 over alternative metrics. The weightings assigned to non-CO2 GHGs can differ significantly depending on the metric used, and relying upon a single metric can obscure important differences in the climate impacts of different GHGs. This loss of detail is especially relevant to beef production systems, as the majority of GHG emissions (as conventionally reported) are in the form of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), rather than CO2. This paper presents a systematic literature review of harmonised cradle to farm-gate beef carbon footprints from bottom-up studies on individual or representative systems, collecting the emissions data for each separate GHG, rather than a single CO2e value. Disaggregated GHG emissions could not be obtained for the majority of studies, highlighting the loss of information resulting from the standard reporting of total GWP100 CO2e alone. Where individual GHG compositions were available, significant variation was found for all gases. A comparison of grass fed and non-grass fed beef production systems was used to illustrate dynamics that are not sufficiently captured through a single CO2e footprint. Few clear trends emerged between the two dietary groups, but there was a non-significant indication that under GWP100 non-grass fed systems generally appear more emissions efficient, but under an alternative metric, the 100-year global temperature potential (GTP100), grass-fed beef had lower footprints. Despite recent focus on agricultural emissions, this review concludes there are insufficient data available to fully address important questions regarding the climate impacts of agricultural production, and calls for researchers to include separate GHG emissions in addition to aggregated CO2e footprints.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Lynch
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, UK
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Wyman V, Serrano A, Fermoso FG, Villa Gomez DK. Trace elements effect on hydrolytic stage towards biogas production of model lignocellulosic substrates. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 234:320-325. [PMID: 30634124 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The effect and the response of several trace elements (TE) addition to the anaerobic degradation of key compounds of lignocellulosic biomass were evaluated. Lignin, cellulose and xylose were selected as principal compounds of lignocellulosic biomass. Lignin degradation was only improved by the addition of 1000 mg Fe/L, which allowed an improvement on the methane yield coefficient of 28% compared to control. SEM images from an abiotic assay showed that this effect is more likely related with a chemical effect induced by the Fe solution, instead of an enzymatic response. Pre-treatments focused on breaking the recalcitrant structure of the lignin could be more promising than TE addition for rich lignin-content substrates. Unlike to the response observed with lignin, cellulose showed a clear effect of the TE addition on methane production rate, indicating a higher preponderance of the enzymatic activity compared to the lignin biomethanization. Experiments with xylose resulted in a strong accumulation of volatile fatty acids. TE addition should be adapted to the substrate composition given the different response of each lignocellulosic compound to the different TE addition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Wyman
- School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, Campus St. Lucia - AEB Ed 49, St Lucia, 4067, QLD, Australia; Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna, 3939, Santiago, Chile
| | - Antonio Serrano
- School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, Campus St. Lucia - AEB Ed 49, St Lucia, 4067, QLD, Australia; Instituto de Grasa, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Ctra. de Utrera, km. 1, Seville, Spain.
| | - Fernando G Fermoso
- Instituto de Grasa, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Ctra. de Utrera, km. 1, Seville, Spain
| | - Denys K Villa Gomez
- School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, Campus St. Lucia - AEB Ed 49, St Lucia, 4067, QLD, Australia
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