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Ferrara C, Marmiroli B, Carvalho ML, Girardi P. Life Cycle Assessment of Photovoltaic electricity production in Italy: Current scenario and future developments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 948:174846. [PMID: 39032747 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
This study presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of photovoltaic (PV) electricity production in Italy based on the composition of the current and future Italian PV scenario. Using detailed and site-specific data, the actual composition of the Italian mix of PV technologies at the end of 2022 and those expected for 2030 were defined. A new LCA modelling of the most relevant PV technologies was carried out using updated and reliable inventory data. The impact assessment was performed adopting the most relevant impact categories of Environmental Footprint Method v. 3.1. The environmental profiles of the two Italian PV scenarios (PV Scenario_2021 and PV Scenario_2030) analysed in this study were compared with that of the PV scenario achievable using unaltered Ecoinvent v 3.9.1 datasets specific to Italian. The obtained results highlighted that the use of Ecoinvent datasets and hypothesis entails a significant overestimation of the environmental impacts of photovoltaic electricity production in Italy; showing higher impacts ranging from 70 % to 30 % (depending on the impact category considered) and the main key factors affecting the results were investigated. However, the wide impacts gaps pointed out the importance of conducting representative LCA studies of the fast-growing and evolving PV context of the countries, to provide reliable impact results to policy makers and to other researchers and who need to include the PV electricity generation in their studies. Furthermore, the environmental performance analysis of the two Italian PV scenarios highlighted the higher sustainability of the PV electricity production in the next years (PV Scenario_2030) for all considered impact categories (except for land use). This improvement can be primarily attributed to the higher annual energy yield and the greater utilization of high-efficiency PV technologies, along with the expansion of ground-mounted PV plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Ferrara
- Ricerca Sistema Energetico (RSE) S.p.A., Via Rubattino, n. 54, 20134 Milano, Italy.
| | - Benedetta Marmiroli
- Ricerca Sistema Energetico (RSE) S.p.A., Via Rubattino, n. 54, 20134 Milano, Italy
| | | | - Pierpaolo Girardi
- Ricerca Sistema Energetico (RSE) S.p.A., Via Rubattino, n. 54, 20134 Milano, Italy
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2
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Ottenbros AB, van Zelm R, Simons J, van der Hulst MK, de Kleijne K, de Neve H, Huijbregts MAJ. Prospective environmental burdens and benefits of fast-swing direct air carbon capture and storage. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16549. [PMID: 39019975 PMCID: PMC11255244 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Direct air capture (DAC) in combination with storage of CO2 can lower atmospheric CO2 concentrations. This study investigates the environmental impact of a new fast-swing solid sorbent DAC system, including CO2 transport and storage, over its life cycle, using prospective life cycle assessment. This DAC technology is currently on technology readiness level 5 and is expected to operate on an industrial scale by 2030. The technology was upscaled to the industrial scale and future changes in the background over the lifetime of the system were included, such as electricity grid mix decarbonization. Environmental trade-offs for the new DAC system were assessed by comparing environmental benefits from CO2 sequestration with environmental burdens from production, operation and decommissioning. We considered three electricity generation configurations: grid-connected, wind-connected, and a hybrid configuration. We found net environmental benefits for all configurations and background scenarios for ecosystem damage and climate change. Net human health benefits were observed when the electricity grid decarbonizes quickly and without the use of a battery. The environmental benefits increase with decreasing electricity footprint and are comparable with other DAC technologies. This illustrates that the new DAC system can help to meet the climate goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne B Ottenbros
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Rosalie van Zelm
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jasper Simons
- Carbyon BV, High Tech Campus 27, 5656 AE, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Mitchell K van der Hulst
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Expertise Group Circularity and Sustainability Impact, TNO, P.O. Box 80015, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kiane de Kleijne
- Technology, Innovation and Society Group, Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Hans de Neve
- Carbyon BV, High Tech Campus 27, 5656 AE, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Mark A J Huijbregts
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Expertise Group Circularity and Sustainability Impact, TNO, P.O. Box 80015, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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3
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Giraldi A, Barbieri R, Lombardozzi L, Delogu M. Machine learning algorithm functional on environmental sustainability assessment in turbomachinery sector: Application on centrifugal compressors. Heliyon 2024; 10:e33480. [PMID: 39027549 PMCID: PMC11255861 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The current government directives have focused industries' attention on environmental sustainability issues in products and processes. There is indeed a growing demand from customers to conduct environmental impact assessments of the products they purchase. This work presents the implementation of a predictive model developed in an industrial context to evaluate the environmental sustainability of a centrifugal compressor rotor assembly. The development of the predictive model arises from the objective of overcoming the limitations of the traditional Life Cycle Assessment approach, which is based on a retrospective evaluation of the product life cycle. The functionality of predictive models is to estimate product environmental sustainability to meet customer demands and guide them toward choices that aim for carbon neutrality. The implementation of the model has been conducted in parallel with a tailored measurement campaign of the primary inventory flows involved in various manufacturing operations. The article details the methodological approach that led to the development of the predictive models and their respective functionality in supporting the design engineer in evaluating the eco-profile of the assembly. In addition to the methodological aspect, the work also includes a case study through which the functionality of the models can be illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Giraldi
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, Via di S. Marta 3, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - Riccardo Barbieri
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, Via di S. Marta 3, 50139, Florence, Italy
| | - Luca Lombardozzi
- Nuovo Pignone S.R.L, Via Felice Matteucci 2, 50127, Florence, Italy
| | - Massimo Delogu
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence, Via di S. Marta 3, 50139, Florence, Italy
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4
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Schick S, Groten R, Weinberger A, Seide GH. A Comparison of Laboratory and Industrial Processes Reveals the Effect of Dwell Time and UV Pre-Exposure on the Behavior of Two Polymers in a Disintegration Trial. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1650. [PMID: 38932000 PMCID: PMC11207445 DOI: 10.3390/polym16121650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Biodegradable biopolymers such as polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate are sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics. However, the factors affecting their degradation must be characterized in detail to enable successful utilization. Here we compared the extruder dwell time at three different melt-spinning scales and its influence on the degradation of both polymers. The melt temperature was the same for all three processes, but the shear stress and dwell time were key differences, with the latter being the easiest to measure. Accelerated degradation tests, including quick weathering and disintegration, were used to evaluate the influence of dwell time on the structural, mechanical, and thermal properties of the resulting fibers. We found that longer dwell times accelerated degradation. Quick weathering by UV pre-exposure before the disintegration trial, however, had a more significant effect than dwell time, indicating that degradation studies with virgin material in a laboratory-scale setting only show the theoretical behavior of a product in the laboratory. A weathered fiber from an industrial-scale spinning line more accurately predicts the behavior of a product placed on the market before ending up in the environment. This highlights the importance of optimizing process parameters such as the dwell time to adapt the degradability of biopolymers for specific applications and environmental requirements. By gaining a deeper insight into the relationship between manufacturing processes and fiber degradability, products can be adapted to meet suitable performance criteria for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Schick
- Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University, Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167RD Geleen, The Netherlands;
| | - Robert Groten
- Department of Textile and Clothing Technology, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Campus Mönchengladbach, Webschulstrasse 31, 41065 Mönchengladbach, Germany
| | | | - Gunnar H. Seide
- Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (AMIBM), Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University, Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167RD Geleen, The Netherlands;
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5
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Hennequin T, van Vlimmeren L, Mostoni S, Pomilla FR, Scotti R, Stauch C, van der Hulst MK, Huijbregts MAJ, van Zelm R. Environmental Impact Prediction of a New Tire Vulcanization Activator. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING 2024; 12:6102-6110. [PMID: 38665801 PMCID: PMC11041116 DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c06640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is the most common curing activator used to manufacture tires. To minimize environmental impacts by decreasing the zinc content and rolling resistance of tires, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) anchored on SiO2 NPs (ZnO@SiO2) are currently under development as new activators at the pilot scale. Here, we applied prospective life cycle assessment to predict the impacts on human health, ecosystem quality, and resource scarcity of synthesizing ZnO@SiO2 for the production of passenger car tires at an industrial scale. We found that the life cycle impacts of the synthesis are expected to decrease by 89 to 96% between the pilot and industrial scale. The largest contributors to the synthesis of ZnO@SiO2 were electricity consumption and waste treatment of the solvent. Using the new activator for tire production led to potential reductions of 9 to 12% in life cycle impacts compared to tires that are currently in use. Those reductions were due to the expected decrease in rolling resistance, leading to lower fuel consumption, which outweighed the additional environmental impacts of the synthesis, as well as the potential decrease in lifetime. Our work highlights an opportunity for manufacturers to mitigate their impacts over the full life cycle of the tire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hennequin
- Department
of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lotte van Vlimmeren
- Department
of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Silvia Mostoni
- Department
of Material Science, INSTM, University of
Milano-Bicocca, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Rita Pomilla
- Department
of Material Science, INSTM, University of
Milano-Bicocca, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Roberto Scotti
- Department
of Material Science, INSTM, University of
Milano-Bicocca, Via Roberto Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
- Institute
for Photonics and Nanotechnologies-CNR, Via Alla Cascata 56/C, Povo, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Claudia Stauch
- Fraunhofer
Institute for Silicate Research, Neunerpl. 2, 97082 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mitchell K. van der Hulst
- Department
of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Expertise
Group Circularity & Sustainability Impact, TNO, P.O. Box 80015, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mark A. J. Huijbregts
- Department
of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rosalie van Zelm
- Department
of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental
Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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6
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Boyce J, Sacchi R, Goetheer E, Steubing B. A prospective life cycle assessment of global ammonia decarbonisation scenarios. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27547. [PMID: 38524566 PMCID: PMC10958214 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
A prospective life cycle assessment was performed for global ammonia production across 26 regions from 2020 to 2050. The analysis was based on the IEA Ammonia Roadmap and IMAGE electricity scenarios model for three climate scenarios related to a mean surface temperature increase of 3.5 °C, 2.0 °C, and 1.5 °C by 2100. Combining these models with a global perspective and new life cycle inventories improves ammonia's robustness, quality, and applicability in prospective life cycle assessments. It reveals that complete decarbonisation of the ammonia industry by 2050 is unlikely from a life cycle perspective because of residual emissions in the supply chain, even in the most ambitious scenario. However, strong policies in the 1.5 °C scenario could significantly reduce climate impacts by up to 70% per kilogram of ammonia. The cumulative greenhouse gas emissions from the ammonia supply chain between 2020 and 2050 are estimated at 24, 21, and 15 gigatonnes CO2-equivalent for the 3.5 °C, 2.0 °C, and 1.5 °C scenarios, respectively. The paper examines challenges in achieving these scenarios, noting that electrolysis-based (yellow) ammonia, contingent on electricity decarbonisation, offers a cleaner production pathway. However, achieving significant GHG reductions is complex, requiring advancements in technologies with lower readiness, like carbon capture and storage and methane pyrolysis. The study also discusses limitations such as the need to reduce urea demand, potential growth in ammonia as a fuel, reliance on CO2 transport and storage, expansion of renewable energy, raw material scarcity, and the longevity of existing plants. It highlights potential shifts in environmental impacts, such as increased land, metal, and mineral use in scenarios with growing renewable electricity and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Boyce
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Romain Sacchi
- Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Earl Goetheer
- Process and Energy, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Technical University of Delft, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Steubing
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, the Netherlands
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7
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Rogy N, Pastor A, Sferratore A, Géhéniau N, Hélias A, Loiseau E. Taking the spatio-temporal effects of climate change into account for Life Cycle Assessment of prospective scenarios to secure water supplies in agricultural areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:169345. [PMID: 38097082 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
To cope with climate change, agricultural territories are forced to implement adaptation strategies, including the implementation of irrigation infrastructures. These strategies are deployed over a long term, and their environmental performance may vary in time and space due to climate change. Environmental assessment methods that include spatio-temporal dynamics must be developed to identify long term "no-regret" scenarios. This study proposes an innovative approach based on the coupling between a crop model, i.e. AquaCrop, and the Territorial-Life Cycle Assessment (T-LCA) framework. Results are exemplified and discussed, with comparison of scenarios with or without irrigation, between 1981 and 2099, at six contrasting locations in terms of climate and soil conditions for the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 5-8.5 scenario developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The assessments report that climate change can affect the eco-efficiency of irrigated perimeters over time. Moreover, climate change may alter the conclusions of the comparison of scenarios with or without irrigation infrastructure at a given location. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is performed on key parameters of the study highlighting the importance of the electricity mix. Finally, spatio-temporal dynamics need to be considered to assess the environmental performance of long-term land planning scenarios and account for environmental effects such as climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Rogy
- ITAP, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France; Elsa, Research Group for Environmental Lifecycle and Sustainability Assessment, Montpellier, France
| | - Amandine Pastor
- ITAP, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France; Elsa, Research Group for Environmental Lifecycle and Sustainability Assessment, Montpellier, France
| | - Agata Sferratore
- Société du Canal de Provence et d'Aménagement de la Région Provençale, CS 70064, Le Tholonet, Cedex 5 Aix-en-Provence 13182, France
| | - Nicolas Géhéniau
- BRL Ingénierie, 1105 avenue Pierre Mendès France BP 94001, Nîmes F-30001, France
| | - Arnaud Hélias
- ITAP, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France; Elsa, Research Group for Environmental Lifecycle and Sustainability Assessment, Montpellier, France
| | - Eléonore Loiseau
- ITAP, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France; Elsa, Research Group for Environmental Lifecycle and Sustainability Assessment, Montpellier, France.
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Zuiderveen EAR, Kuipers KJJ, Caldeira C, Hanssen SV, van der Hulst MK, de Jonge MMJ, Vlysidis A, van Zelm R, Sala S, Huijbregts MAJ. The potential of emerging bio-based products to reduce environmental impacts. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8521. [PMID: 38129383 PMCID: PMC10739733 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43797-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The current debate on the sustainability of bio-based products questions the environmental benefits of replacing fossil- by bio-resources. Here, we analyze the environmental trade-offs of 98 emerging bio-based materials compared to their fossil counterparts, reported in 130 studies. Although greenhouse gas life cycle emissions for emerging bio-based products are on average 45% lower (-52 to -37%; 95% confidence interval), we found a large variation between individual bio-based products with none of them reaching net-zero emissions. Grouped in product categories, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions ranged from 19% (-52 to 35%) for bioadhesives to 73% (-84 to -54%) for biorefinery products. In terms of other environmental impacts, we found evidence for an increase in eutrophication (369%; 163 to 737%), indicating that environmental trade-offs should not be overlooked. Our findings imply that the environmental sustainability of bio-based products should be evaluated on an individual product basis and that more radical product developments are required to reach climate-neutral targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma A R Zuiderveen
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, VA, Italy.
| | - Koen J J Kuipers
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carla Caldeira
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, VA, Italy.
| | - Steef V Hanssen
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mitchell K van der Hulst
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Circularity & Sustainability Impacts, TNO, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Melinda M J de Jonge
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Anestis Vlysidis
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, VA, Italy
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Rosalie van Zelm
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Serenella Sala
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, VA, Italy.
| | - Mark A J Huijbregts
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Circularity & Sustainability Impacts, TNO, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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9
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Jeswani HK, Perry MR, Shaver MP, Azapagic A. Biodegradable and conventional plastic packaging: Comparison of life cycle environmental impacts of poly(mandelic acid) and polystyrene. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166311. [PMID: 37591397 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Most of plastic packaging waste does not degrade over time, which can lead to harmful effects on aquatic life and humans, highlighting the need for packaging materials that are easily degradable. Poly(mandelic acid) (PMA) is a biodegradable polymer that has been proposed as an alternative to polystyrene for use in packaging. However, its potential to replace the existing packaging materials also depends, among other factors, on the environmental sustainability of its production. This study aims to estimate and compare the life cycle environmental impacts of the production of PMA via polymerisation of 5-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-one (Ph-DOX) and o-carboxyanhydride (OCA) monomers. For each route, the impacts are evaluated for 18 ReCiPe categories for reported laboratory scales and potential scaled-up commercial production. The results suggest that most of the impacts of PMA production via the Ph-DOX route are significantly lower (≥20%) than that of the OCA route for both the laboratory and large scales. However, compared to polystyrene, the impacts of large-scale PMA production via the (better of the two) Ph-DOX route are more than five times higher. This is largely due to the use of benzaldehyde, enzymes, hydrocyanic acid and sodium phosphate in the production of mandelic acid and the solvents utilised in monomer synthesis. A sensitivity analysis shows that the bio-transformation of bio-glycerol to produce mandelic acid would reduce 16 out of 18 life cycle impacts of PMA by 6-77%. The impacts are also sensitive to the assumptions used in the scaling-up of laboratory data for solvents. However, the results indicate clearly that, despite all the uncertainties in the scaling-up method, the proposed production routes for PMA would still have several times higher environmental impacts than polystyrene. Therefore, further research would be needed to improve significantly the production process for (bio-)mandelic acid, synthesis of monomers and their polymerisation before PMA can be considered an environmentally sustainable option for packaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish K Jeswani
- Sustainable Industrial Systems, Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Mitchell R Perry
- Department of Materials, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub, Henry Royce Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Michael P Shaver
- Department of Materials, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub, Henry Royce Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Adisa Azapagic
- Sustainable Industrial Systems, Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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10
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Lucas KRG, Caldarelli CE, Ventura MU. Agriculture and biodiversity damage: A prospective evaluation of the impact of Brazilian agriculture on its ecoregions through life cycle assessment methodology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 899:165762. [PMID: 37495148 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165762] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
The natural ecosystems' replacement by farmland and the consequent biodiversity damage (BD) for agriculture are one of the principal concerns worldwide. The development of the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology involves enormous efforts to include BD parameters and develop a prospective LCA approach for future evaluations of production and technologies use. Thus, this work aims to determine the current impacts and estimate the future impacts in terms of damage to biodiversity caused by land occupation by agricultural commodities produced in Brazil, such as coffee, corn, oranges, and sugar cane, for the six ecoregions present in the country-Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, Pampas, and Pantanal-in the 20-year period from 2015 to 2035. For this and to search for hotpots, we applied the indicators proposed by Chaudhary and Books (2018), for inventories whose functional unit is production per m2 of 1 kg of crop. Although the Cerrado is one of the ecoregions in which deforestation has advanced the most, it has the area/production ratio that has evolved the most. In contrast, Pampas and Caatinga, which are not seen as agricultural frontiers, increased their impacts. The most optimistic scenarios for the future have been those in regions considered agricultural frontiers; however, these are the regions where agriculture is more technologically developed, for example, coffee production in the Atlantic Forest and in the Cerrado. The results indicate that the technological development of agriculture can contribute to mitigating the impacts of damage to biodiversity in the future, and that the implementation of legislative and inspection measures is fundamental to supporting the correct use of the soil and preventing illegal soil change. Otherwise, in the future, we will see the increasing disappearance of species. Thus, we need researchers, farmers, and policy makers to move from development to conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kássio R G Lucas
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Carlos Eduardo Caldarelli
- Department of Economy, Center of Applied Social Studies, State University of Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Cx. Postal 10.011, CEP 86.057-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Maurício Ursi Ventura
- Department of Agronomy, Center of Agrarian Sciences, State University of Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Cx. Postal 10.011, CEP 86.057-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil
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11
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Vélez-Henao JA, Pauliuk S. Material Requirements of Decent Living Standards. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:14206-14217. [PMID: 37696762 PMCID: PMC10537420 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Decent living standards (DLS) provide a framework to estimate a practical threshold for the energy, GHG, and material consumption required to alleviate poverty. Currently, most research has focused on estimating the energy required to provide the DLS. However, no attempt has been made to estimate the material consumption needed to provide the DLS. Thus, we ask the following questions: First, what is the amount of materials in stocks and flows needed to provide a DLS? Second, which lifestyle and technology choices are effective in providing a DLS without creating an excessive demand for additional materials? To provide a DLS, a material footprint (MF) of 6 t/(cap*yr) with a lower and upper bound between 3 and 14 t/(cap*yr) is required. The direct and indirect in-use stocks required are estimated at 32 t/cap and 11 t/cap, respectively. Nutrition (39%) and mobility (26%) contribute the most to total MF. Buildings account for 98% of direct stocks, while the construction sector accounts for 61% of indirect stocks. We extend the coverage of the DLS by including the collective service dimension and link the material stock-flow-service nexus and life cycle assessment to compute the MF and in-use stocks needed to provide the DLS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Andrés Vélez-Henao
- Faculty of Environment and
Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, 8 Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Pauliuk
- Faculty of Environment and
Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, 8 Tennenbacher Straße 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
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Ebner S, Spirk S, Stern T, Mair-Bauernfeind C. How Green are Redox Flow Batteries? CHEMSUSCHEM 2023; 16:e202201818. [PMID: 36722298 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202201818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Providing sustainable energy storage is a challenge that must be overcome to replace fossil-based fuels. Redox flow batteries are a promising storage option that can compensate for fluctuations in energy generation from renewable energy production, as their main asset is their design flexibility in terms of storage capacity. Current commercial options for flow batteries are mostly limited to inorganic materials such as vanadium, zinc, and bromine. As environmental aspects are one of the main drivers for developing flow batteries, assessing their environmental performance is crucial. However, this topic is still underexplored, as researchers have mostly focused on single systems with defined use cases and system boundaries, making the assessments of the overall technology inaccurate. This review was conducted to summarize the main findings of life cycle assessment studies on flow batteries with respect to environmental hotspots and their performance as compared to that of other battery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Ebner
- Institute of Environmental System Science, University of Graz, Merangasse 18, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Stefan Spirk
- Institute for Biobased Products and Paper Technology, Technical University of Graz, Inffeldgasse 23, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Tobias Stern
- Institute of Environmental System Science, University of Graz, Merangasse 18, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Claudia Mair-Bauernfeind
- Institute of Environmental System Science, University of Graz, Merangasse 18, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Wood K Plus-Competence Center for Wood Composites and Wood Chemistry, Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH Altenberger Straße 69, 4040, Linz, Austria
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13
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Sun Y, Wang X, Ren N, Liu Y, You S. Improved Machine Learning Models by Data Processing for Predicting Life-Cycle Environmental Impacts of Chemicals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:3434-3444. [PMID: 36537350 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Machine learning (ML) provides an efficient manner for rapid prediction of the life-cycle environmental impacts of chemicals, but challenges remain due to low prediction accuracy and poor interpretability of the models. To address these issues, we focused on data processing by using a mutual information-permutation importance (MI-PI) feature selection method to filter out irrelevant molecular descriptors from the input data, which improved the model interpretability by preserving the physicochemical meanings of original molecular descriptors without generation of new variables. We also applied a weighted Euclidean distance method to mine the data most relevant to the predicted targets by quantifying the contribution of each feature, thereby the prediction accuracy was improved. On the basis of above data processing, we developed artificial neural network (ANN) models for predicting the life-cycle environmental impacts of chemicals with R2 values of 0.81, 0.81, 0.84, 0.75, 0.73, and 0.86 for global warming, human health, metal depletion, freshwater ecotoxicity, particulate matter formation, and terrestrial acidification, respectively. The ML models were interpreted using the Shapley additive explanation method by quantifying the contribution of each input molecular descriptor to environmental impact categories. This work suggests that the combination of feature selection by MI-PI and source data selection based on weighted Euclidean distance has a promising potential to improve the accuracy and interpretability of the models for predicting the life-cycle environmental impacts of chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin150090, P. R. China
| | - Xiuheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin150090, P. R. China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin150090, P. R. China
| | - Yanbiao Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Textile Pollution Controlling Engineering Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Donghua University, Shanghai201620, China
| | - Shijie You
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin150090, P. R. China
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14
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Sun Y, Bai S, Wang X, Ren N, You S. Prospective Life Cycle Assessment for the Electrochemical Oxidation Wastewater Treatment Process: From Laboratory to Industrial Scale. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:1456-1466. [PMID: 36607808 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical oxidation (EO) is a promising technology for water purification, but indirect environmental burdens may arise in association with consumption of materials and energy during electrode preparation and process operation. This study evaluated the life cycle environmental impacts of emerging EO technology from laboratory scale to industrial scale using prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) on a quantitative basis. Environmental impacts of EO technology were assessed at laboratory scale by comparing three representative anode materials (SnO2, PbO2, and boron-doped diamond) and other two typical processes (adsorption and Fenton method), which verified the competitiveness of the EO process and identified the key factors to environmental hotspots. Thereafter, LCA of scale-up EO was performed to offer guidance for practical application, and the life cycle inventory was compiled upon thermodynamic and kinetic simulations, empirical calculation rules, and similar technical information. Results demonstrated EO to be effective for destructing recalcitrant organic pollutants, but visible direct benefits might be outweighed by increased indirect environmental burdens associated with the preparation of anode materials, use of electrolytes, and energy consumption during the operation stage at both laboratory scale and larger scale. This necessitated attention to overall life cycle profiles by taking into account reactor design, anode materials, electrolyte and flow pattern, and decentralized location with a large share of renewable power station and rigorous contamination control strategies for wastewater treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Shunwen Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Xiuheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
| | - Shijie You
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, P. R. China
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15
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Jouannais P, Hindersin S, Löhn S, Pizzol M. Stochastic LCA Model of Upscaling the Production of Microalgal Compounds. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:10454-10464. [PMID: 35763500 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae are currently being investigated for their promising metabolites but assessing the environmental impact of producing these compounds remains a challenge. Microalgae cultivation performance results from the complex interaction of biological, technological, geographical, and physical factors, which bioengineers try to optimize during the upscaling process. The path from the discovery of a microalgal compound to its industrial production is therefore highly uncertain. Nonetheless, it is key to anticipate the potential environmental impacts associated with the future production of a microalgal target compound. This is achieved in this study by developing an ex-ante, parameterized, and consequential LCA model that performs dynamic simulations of microalgae cultivation. The model is applied to calculate the environmental impacts of 9000 stochastically generated combinations of photobioreactor geometries and operational setups. The demonstration of the model is done for a fictive microalgal strain, parameterized to resemble Chlorella vulgaris, and a fictive target compound assumed to be a carbohydrate. The simulations are performed in Aalborg, Denmark, and Granada, Spain to appreciate geographical variability, which highly affects the requirements for thermoregulation. Open-source documentation allows full reproducibility and further use of the model for the ex-ante assessment of microalgal products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Jouannais
- Department of Planning, Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Stefan Hindersin
- Sea & Sun Technology LTD, Arndtstraße 9 -13, 24610 Trappenkamp, Germany
| | - Sarah Löhn
- Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Waste Resource Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstraße 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Massimo Pizzol
- Department of Planning, Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
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16
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Implementation of Cross‐Industrial Networks Targeting CO
2
Reduction from a Systemic Approach. CHEM-ING-TECH 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cite.202200028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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17
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Nanosafety: An Evolving Concept to Bring the Safest Possible Nanomaterials to Society and Environment. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12111810. [PMID: 35683670 PMCID: PMC9181910 DOI: 10.3390/nano12111810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of nanomaterials has been increasing in recent times, and they are widely used in industries such as cosmetics, drugs, food, water treatment, and agriculture. The rapid development of new nanomaterials demands a set of approaches to evaluate the potential toxicity and risks related to them. In this regard, nanosafety has been using and adapting already existing methods (toxicological approach), but the unique characteristics of nanomaterials demand new approaches (nanotoxicology) to fully understand the potential toxicity, immunotoxicity, and (epi)genotoxicity. In addition, new technologies, such as organs-on-chips and sophisticated sensors, are under development and/or adaptation. All the information generated is used to develop new in silico approaches trying to predict the potential effects of newly developed materials. The overall evaluation of nanomaterials from their production to their final disposal chain is completed using the life cycle assessment (LCA), which is becoming an important element of nanosafety considering sustainability and environmental impact. In this review, we give an overview of all these elements of nanosafety.
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Environmental and Economic Assessment of Repairable Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymers in Circular Economy Perspective. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15092986. [PMID: 35591321 PMCID: PMC9105246 DOI: 10.3390/ma15092986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The explosive growth of the global market for Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) and the lack of a closing loop strategy of composite waste have raised environmental concerns. Circular economy studies, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC), have investigated composite recycling and new bio-based materials to substitute both carbon fibers and matrices. However, few studies have addressed composite repair. Studies focused on bio-based composites coupled with recycling and repairing are also lacking. Within this framework, the paper aims at presenting opportunities and challenges of the new thermosetting composite developed at the laboratory including the criteria of repairing, recycling, and use of bio-based materials in industrial applications through an ex ante LCA coupled with LCC. Implementing the three criteria mentioned above would reduce the environmental impact from 50% to 86% compared to the baseline scenario with the highest benefits obtained by implementing the only repairing. LCC results indicate that manufacturing and repairing parts built from bio-based CFRP is economically sustainable. However, recycling can only be economically sustainable under a specific condition. Managerial strategies are proposed to mitigate the uncertainties of the recycling business. The findings of this study can provide valuable guidance on supporting decisions for companies making strategic plans.
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19
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Life Cycle Assessment of the High Performance Discontinuous Fibre (HiPerDiF) Technology and Its Operation in Various Countries. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031922] [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
Composite waste is a growing issue due to the increased global demand for products manufactured from these advanced engineering materials. Current reclamation methods produce short length fibres that, if not realigned during remanufacture, result in low-value additives for non-structural applications. Consequently, to maximise the economic and functional potential, fibre realignment must occur. The High Performance Discontinuous Fibre (HiPerDiF) technology is a novel process that produces highly aligned discontinuous fibre-reinforced composites, which largely meet the structural performance of virgin fibres, but to date, the environmental performance of the machine is yet to be quantified. This study assessed the environmental impacts of the operation of the machine using life cycle assessment methodology. Electrical energy consumption accounts for the majority of the greenhouse gas emissions, with water consumption as the main contributor to ecosystem quality damage. Suggestions have been made to reduce energy demand and reuse the water in order to reduce the overall environmental impact. The hypothetical operation of the machine across different European countries was also examined to understand the impacts associated with bulk material transport and electricity from different energy sources. It was observed that the environmental impact showed an inverse correlation with the increased use of renewable sources for electricity generation due to a reduction in air pollutants from fossil fuel combustion. The analysis also revealed that significant reductions in environmental damage from material transport between the reclamation facility to the remanufacturing site should also be accounted for, and concluded that transportation routes predominantly via shipping have a lower environmental impact than road and rail haulage. This study is one of the first attempts to evaluate the environmental impact of this new technology at early conceptual development and to assess how it would operate in a European scenario.
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20
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Upscaling via a Prospective LCA: A Case Study on Tomato Homogenate Using a Near-to-Market Pasteurisation Technology. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14031716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Thanks to food technology, the production of cold tomato soups such as salmorejo, a traditional Spanish dish, has become industrialised. Thermal treatments play an important role in ready-to-eat meals, prolonging their shelf-life. Radiofrequency (RF) heating is less energy-intensive than conventional heat exchangers and has been successfully used to pasteurise food; novel applications, however, provide results at laboratory or pilot scale, so conclusions might not be translatable to industry. In this study, a prospective Life-Cycle Assessment of salmorejo pasteurised using RF was performed to highlight the relevance of upscaling and to compare its environmental impacts with those of conventional pasteurisation. “Gate-to-gate” results show that the pilot has greater environmental impacts due to its greater energy consumption, as thermal energy is not recovered. The packing and landfill of organic waste exhibit the highest impacts at industrial scale. RF technology does not imply significant environmental improvements versus conventional pasteurisation. Potential changes in the energy background of future scenarios have relevant consequences in the environmental impacts. “Farm-to-factory-gate” analysis highlights ingredients and tomato valorisation as the most impacting stages. The prospective LCA of scaled up scenarios constitutes a tool for environmental screening in food ecodesign, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 12.
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21
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On the Relationship between Circular and Innovation Approach to Economy. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su132111829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The first and most important target of the industrial world is to offer products that appeal to customers’ demands (affordable prices), while at the same time, respect the global effort of CO2 emissions reductions, which is required under strict emissions rules. There is, however, an apparent contradiction between the two concepts; productivity and sustainability, leading to two strategies—innovation economy and circular economy, respectively. To this end, this work aims, through modeling the long-term environmental impact of producing new goods in short terms (innovation economy) and impact of rebuying, repairing and reusing products for extended use (circular economy), to study the relationship between the two economies. For this purpose, the terms of innovation and circular economy are introduced and described, in order to define the environmental impact during the lifecycle of a product. Two products are assessed for this study—a well-known, medium price vehicle, as well as an expensive mobile phone with several generations. The cost of purchase and the recurring costs are used as indicators of environmental impact, instead of calculating the impact directly for the production phase, due to the enormous size of the production data that are desired. The results, despite being indicative of the modelling complexity, can still be used to pave the way towards a modelling framework, proving, at the same time, that innovation and circular economy are not contradictive concepts.
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Kikuchi Y, Suwa I, Heiho A, Dou Y, Lim S, Namihira T, Mochidzuki K, Koita T, Tokoro C. Separation of cathode particles and aluminum current foil in lithium-ion battery by high-voltage pulsed discharge Part II: Prospective life cycle assessment based on experimental data. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 132:86-95. [PMID: 34325331 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.07.016] [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: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This series of papers addresses the recycling of cathode particles and aluminum (Al) foil from positive electrode sheet (PE sheet) dismantled from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) by applying a high-voltage pulsed discharge. As concluded in Part I of the series (Tokoro et al., 2021), cathode particles and Al foil were separated in water based on a single pulsed power application. This separation of LIB components by pulsed discharge was examined by means of prospective life cycle assessment and is expected to have applications in LIB reuse and recycling. The indicators selected were life cycle greenhouse gas (LC-GHG) emissions and life cycle resource consumption potential (LC-RCP). We first completed supplementary experiments to collect redundant data under several scale-up circumstances, and then attempted to quantify the uncertainties from scaling up and progress made in battery technology. When the batch scale of pulsed discharge separation is sufficiently large, the recovery of cathode particles and Al foil from PE sheet by pulsed discharge can reduce both LC-GHG and LC-RCP, in contrast to conventional recycling with roasting processes. Due to technology developments in LIB cathodes, the reuse of positive electrode active materials (PEAM) does not always have lower environmental impacts than the recycling of the raw materials of PEAM in the manufacturing of new LIB cathodes. This study achieved a proof of concept for resource consumption reduction induced by cathode utilization, considering LC-GHG and LC-RCP, by applying high-voltage pulsed discharge separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasunori Kikuchi
- Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan; Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan; Presidential Endowed Chair for "Platinum Society", Organization for Interdisciplinary Research Project, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
| | - Izuru Suwa
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Aya Heiho
- Presidential Endowed Chair for "Platinum Society", Organization for Interdisciplinary Research Project, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Yi Dou
- Presidential Endowed Chair for "Platinum Society", Organization for Interdisciplinary Research Project, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Soowon Lim
- Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Takao Namihira
- Institute of Industrial Nanomaterials, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Mochidzuki
- Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan; Retoca Laboratory LLC, 3-9-1 Maebarahigashi, Funabashi, Chiba 274-0824, Japan
| | - Taketoshi Koita
- Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Chiharu Tokoro
- Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan; Department of Systems Innovation, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
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Mullen E, Morris MA. Green Nanofabrication Opportunities in the Semiconductor Industry: A Life Cycle Perspective. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:1085. [PMID: 33922231 PMCID: PMC8146645 DOI: 10.3390/nano11051085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The turn of the 21st century heralded in the semiconductor age alongside the Anthropocene epoch, characterised by the ever-increasing human impact on the environment. The ecological consequences of semiconductor chip manufacturing are the most predominant within the electronics industry. This is due to current reliance upon large amounts of solvents, acids and gases that have numerous toxicological impacts. Management and assessment of hazardous chemicals is complicated by trade secrets and continual rapid change in the electronic manufacturing process. Of the many subprocesses involved in chip manufacturing, lithographic processes are of particular concern. Current developments in bottom-up lithography, such as directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCPs), are being considered as a next-generation technology for semiconductor chip production. These nanofabrication techniques present a novel opportunity for improving the sustainability of lithography by reducing the number of processing steps, energy and chemical waste products involved. At present, to the extent of our knowledge, there is no published life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluating the environmental impact of new bottom-up lithography versus conventional lithographic techniques. Quantification of this impact is central to verifying whether these new nanofabrication routes can replace conventional deposition techniques in industry as a more environmentally friendly option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Mullen
- CRANN and AMBER Research Centres, School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, D02 W085 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael A. Morris
- CRANN and AMBER Research Centres, School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, D02 W085 Dublin, Ireland
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Erakca M, Baumann M, Bauer W, de Biasi L, Hofmann J, Bold B, Weil M. Energy flow analysis of laboratory scale lithium-ion battery cell production. iScience 2021; 24:102437. [PMID: 33997708 PMCID: PMC8102913 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been proven as an enabling technology for consumer electronics, electro mobility, and stationary storage systems, and the steadily increasing demand for LIBs raises new challenges regarding their sustainability. The rising demand for comprehensive assessments of this technology's environmental impacts requires the identification of energy and materials consumed for its production, on lab to industrial scale. There are no studies available that provide a detailed picture of lab scale cell production, and only a few studies provide detailed analysis of the actual consumption, with large deviations. Thus, the present work provides an analysis of the energy flows for the production of an LIB cell. The analyzed energy requirements of individual production steps were determined by measurements conducted on a laboratory scale lithium-ion cell production and displayed in a transparent and traceable manner. For the comparison with literature values a distinction is made between the different production scales. Energy analysis of lab scale lithium-ion pouch cell production The energy data stem from in-house electricity measurements (primary data) The main contributors are coating, drying, formation process, and the dry room Different production scales such as lab, pilot, and industrial are compared
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Erakca
- ITAS, Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
- HIU, Helmholtz-Institute for Electrochemical Energy Storage, KIT, Ulm, Germany
- Corresponding author
| | - Manuel Baumann
- ITAS, Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
- CICS.NOVA - OAT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campolide, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Werner Bauer
- IAM – ESS, Institute for Applied Materials - Energy Storage Systems, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Lea de Biasi
- IAM – ESS, Institute for Applied Materials - Energy Storage Systems, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Janna Hofmann
- wbk, Institute of Production Science, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Benjamin Bold
- wbk, Institute of Production Science, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Marcel Weil
- ITAS, Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany
- HIU, Helmholtz-Institute for Electrochemical Energy Storage, KIT, Ulm, Germany
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25
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LCA Practices of Plastics and Their Recycling: A Critical Review. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11083305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In a bid to help address the environmental footprints associated with products and services, life cycle assessment (LCA) applications have become increasingly popular throughout the years. This review summarizes some important methodological developments in recent years, such as the advent of dynamic LCA, as well as highlighting recent LCA applications in the context of plastics/recycling with a focus on their methodological choices. Furthermore, this review aims to offer a set of possible research lines to improve the gap between LCA and decision-making (policy). It was found that the majority of reviewed papers are mostly conservative in their methodological practice, employing mostly static analyses and making little use of other methods. In order to bridge the gap between LCA and policy, it is suggested to broaden system boundaries through the integration of dynamic modelling methods, incorporating interactions between fore- and background systems, and including behavioral components where relevant. In addition, advanced sampling routines to further explore and assess the policy space are recommended. This is of paramount importance when dealing with recycling processes as the molecules/polymers constituting the output of those processes have to be benchmarked in terms of costs and, crucially, their sustainability character against virgin ones.
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26
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Life Cycle Assessment of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Processes Regarding Energy Production from the Sludge Line. ENERGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/en14020356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The efficient and timely removal of organic matter and nutrients from water used in normal municipal functions is considered to be the main task of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Therefore, these facilities are considered to be essential units that are required to avoid pollution of the water environment and decrease the possibility of triggering eutrophication. Even though these benefits are undeniable, they remain at odds with the high energy demand of wastewater treatment and sludge processes. As a consequence, WWTPs have various environmental impacts, which can be estimated and categorized using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis. In this study, a municipal WWTP based in Poznań, Poland, was examined using the method defined in ISO 14040. ReCiPe Endpoint and Midpoint (v1.11), in a hierarchical approach, were used to evaluate the environmental impacts regarding 18 different categories. All calculations were conducted using a detailed database from 2019, which describes each chosen facility. It was found that the energy component, related to the wastewater treatment process demand and electricity production, is the main determinant of the sum of the environmental impact indicators in light of the modelled energy mix. Therefore, it determines the entire process as an environmentally friendly activity.
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Nitkiewicz T, Wojnarowska M, Sołtysik M, Kaczmarski A, Witko T, Ingrao C, Guzik M. How sustainable are biopolymers? Findings from a life cycle assessment of polyhydroxyalkanoate production from rapeseed-oil derivatives. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 749:141279. [PMID: 32818854 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The main purpose of the article was to compare different scenarios of biopolymer production and their impacts on the environment using Life Cycle Assessment. Three alternative polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA: amorphous PHA and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), P(3HB)) production scenarios were considered to assess its environmental impact: Scenario A - Production of mcl-PHA/P(3HB) from crude vegetable oil; Scenario B - Production of P(3HB) with biodiesel by-product; Scenario C - Production of mcl-PHA/P(3HB) from used vegetable oil. Subject to the scenario considered, it was shown that the environmental efficiency of PHA production is highly dependent on carbon sources used, and it is strongly supporting production of mcl-PHA instead of P(3HB). As LCA study shows, due to low yield of P(3HB) in comparison to mcl-PHA production in considered processes, all the P(3HB) production scenarios have higher impacts than the production of mcl-PHA. Production processes based on bacterial fermentation had its impacts related mostly to the raw materials used and to its separation phase. Additionally, using secondary materials instead of raw ones, namely used oil instead of virgin oil, gives significant improvement with regard to environmental impact. The resource efficiency is also the identified as the key factor with sensitivity analysis that indicates the possible increase of biopolymer yield as the most beneficial factor. Biobased polymers have big environmental potential but still need significant improvement with regard to their manufacturing processes in order to become more economically benign. Preferably production of these microbial polymers should be integrated into biorefinery blocks, where such waste stream arises (e.g. biodiesel production plant).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Nitkiewicz
- Life Cycle Modelling Centre, Faculty of Management, Częstochowa University of Technology, al. Armii Krajowej 19B, 42-200 Częstochowa, Poland
| | - Magdalena Wojnarowska
- Department of Product Technology and Ecology, Cracow University of Economics, ul. Rakowicka 27, 31-510 Kraków, Poland
| | - Mariusz Sołtysik
- Department of Management Process, Cracow University of Economics, ul. Rakowicka 27, 31-510 Kraków, Poland
| | - Adam Kaczmarski
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland
| | - Tomasz Witko
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland
| | - Carlo Ingrao
- Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Kore University of Enna, Cittadella Universitaria, 94100 Enna, Italy
| | - Maciej Guzik
- Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow, Poland.
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Lu J, Kumagai S, Fukushima Y, Ohno H, Kameda T, Saito Y, Yoshioka T. Combined Experiment, Simulation, and Ex-ante LCA Approach for Sustainable Cl Recovery from NaCl/Ethylene Glycol by Electrodialysis. Ind Eng Chem Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.0c03565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Lu
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Shogo Kumagai
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Fukushima
- Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Hajime Ohno
- Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Tomohito Kameda
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Yoshioka
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
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Perspectives on the Capabilities for the Selection of Strategic Projects. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12198191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Strategic projects are large scale, complex, and require significant investments and resources. These projects aim at gaining long-term social and economic benefits. Therefore, organizations focusing on strategic projects should use a consistent approach that suits their strategy, capability, and long-term expectations. Based on the four research questions and content analysis of the literature, generic processes used for the strategic project selection in tandem with the managerial capabilities are identified in this paper. The generic processes and managerial capabilities are used to develop a generic framework for strategic project selection. The framework is used for literature analysis in the paper. The review shows that both qualitative and quantitative methods are used for strategic project selection. Some possible research directions have also been proposed at the end of the review. The paper provides value to both researchers and practitioners in terms of tools available and a guidance on project selection through a structured process framework.
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