Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment Research Articles

Microalgae production in an industrial-scale photobioreactors plant: A comprehensive Life Cycle assessment

Microalgae cultivation provides multiple opportunities to produce valuable bioproducts, but greater clarity must be achieved regarding the real sustainability of current technologies. Numerous life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have been conducted so far. However, most of them were based on literature data and/or extrapolations of lab-scale results, while only a few studies used primary data from pilot or full-scale microalgal plants. Moreover, the obtained results showed great variability, leaving the debate on microalgae sustainability fully open.This work presents a thorough LCA based on primary data from an industrial-scale microalgal facility located in Caltagirone, Italy. The plant is based on vertically-stacked horizontal photobioreactors (total volume of 40.4 m3) installed in a greenhouse and has a capacity of 1200 kgDW/y (Chlorella vulgaris). A cradle-to-gate assessment was performed with the functional unit of 1 kgDW biomass, including operational and infrastructural data. The results emphasized the key role in the generation of potential impacts played by cultivation among process stages and by chemicals (nutrients and cleaning agents) and electricity (mainly for agitation and thermoregulation) among flow types. In comparison with studies from the literature, the analysed microalgal plant has an intermediate environmental performance (e.g., global warming potential of 153 kg CO2,eq/kgDW). This result is encouraging, as it comes from a reliable assessment built on full-scale primary data. On the other hand, it highlights the need to explore alternative strategies (e.g., industrial symbiosis and circular bioeconomy) to reduce the environmental footprint of the process and enhance its economic attractiveness.

Ionic Liquid-Based Green Solvents for Extraction and Purification of Natural Plant Products

Introduction: This research paper explores the environmental sustainability of ionic liquid-based green solvents in the extraction and purification of natural plant products, with a focus on their entire life cycle. The objectives of the study were to assess the environmental impact of ionic liquid synthesis, energy consumption, water usage, emissions, recycling rates, policy effects, and stakeholder perceptions. Method: Methodologically, we conducted a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) that involved primary data collection through field surveys and interviews with key stakeholders in the ionic liquid production and usage industry across various regions in India. The data were analyzed using specialized LCA software tools to quantify environmental impacts. Key findings include the identification of synthesis as a major contributor to environmental impact, emphasizing the need for greener synthesis methods. Result: The study revealed the significant carbon footprint, energy consumption, and water usage during production, highlighting opportunities for improvement. Emissions data underscored the importance of emission control measures, particularly for greenhouse gases and volatile organic compounds. Recycling and reuse were identified as environmentally friendly disposal methods. Policy compliance varied among stakeholders, indicating room for stricter regulations. Stakeholder perceptions varied, with researchers having the most positive outlook. Implications of the findings extend to sustainable chemistry practices, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and the importance of considering the entire life cycle of chemical processes. Conclusion: This research contributes to a deeper understanding of green solvents and provides a foundation for promoting sustainable practices in industrial processes in India and globally

Synergistic optimization: A comprehensive life cycle assessment for high-performance concrete with recycled aggregates and Next-Gen nylon waste fibers

The increasing use of natural resources and pollution caused by construction industries has spurred interest in eco-friendly materials such as recycled aggregates and recycled fibers. This research focuses on evaluating the effects of incorporating varying proportions of RCA and NWFs into HPC on its engineering characteristics and emissions. The environmental effects of the formulated blends on the HPC mixes were evaluated. The system boundary was determined based on cradle-to-gate theory, and Ecoinvent 3.10 was used as the background database for assessing the impacts of concrete mixes. Life cycle Impact assessment was carried out with the help of SimaPro software using CML baseline method. The findings reveal that introducing 0.25–0.5 % NWFs optimizes STS for all RCA percentages. NWFs also effectively mitigate the negative influence of RCA on CS. Incorporating 0.25 % NWFs enhances durability aspects related to permeability. Emissions related to CS are minimized in concrete mixes with 0.25 % NWF, particularly at 75 % RCA substitution levels. Portland cement dominates emissions in concrete, constituting 84.03 % without RCA and escalating to 91.35 % at complete substitution. It significantly influences the GWP, ETP and ADP. NCA exerts the highest environmental impact on FAETP 18.53 % without RCA and notably affects ODP and HTP, while RCA proves more sustainable, with a 66 % reduction in GWP compared to NCA, due to its recycled origin and lower energy demands in production. The optimal transport distance for 75RCA ranges from 25 km to 145 km with specific limits for different impact categories.

Comparative Life-Cycle Assessment of Steel and GFRP Rebars for Procurement Sustainability in the Construction Industry

This research examines the potential impact on the procurement sustainability of replacing steel rebars with Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) rebars in the construction industry, focusing on screed pre-cast hollow core topping in a project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) is conducted using One Click LCA (Version 0.26.0) software for cradle-to-grave analysis. The assessment covers various stages, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, usage, and recycling. The comprehensive LCA highlights GFRP rebars as a more sustainable alternative to steel, emitting 17% less CO2 equivalent (2e) per kilogram throughout its life cycle. Additionally, GFRP requires substantially less mass compared to steel, resulting in a dramatic reduction in CO2e emissions ranging from 77.89% to 85.26% across different spacing configurations in real-world construction scenarios, as presented in this research case study. These findings suggest that GFRP rebars offer a promising solution for reducing the environmental impact of construction activities while potentially yielding significant cost savings over the project’s life cycle. Integrating environmental considerations into material selection processes can prioritize sustainability without compromising performance or safety, contributing to a more sustainable future for the construction industry globally.

Life Cycle Assessment of Ammonia Co-firing Power Plants: A Comprehensive Review and Analysis from a Whole Industrial Chain Perspective

Ammonia, a reliable low-carbon alternative fuel with energy storage capabilities, has garnered increasing attention for its application of co-firing in coal-fired power plants as a strategy to mitigate direct carbon emissions. However, various types of ammonia production technologies result in diverse economic feasibility and emission intensities. Simultaneously, each stage, spanning from upstream processes such as raw material extraction to downstream applications, contributes to carbon emissions, which cannot be ignored. It is crucial to select the appropriate assessment method to determine the transformation pathways for co-firing systems. To this end, this review presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment of ammonia co-firing systems from a whole industrial chain perspective, encompassing the entire gamut of processes from fuel production and transportation to co-firing. Studies of the industrial chain perspective and of life cycle assessment methodology that are uniquely tailored for co-firing systems are introduced. A nuanced exploration of distinct technologies across the spectrum of system processes ensues, including the advantages, limitations, and advancement trends, based on carbon emissions and economic criteria. Considering the diverse fuel production, especially ammonia, typologies and intricate processes have undergone comprehensive review. The combustion characteristics, emissions, and economic factors associated with the co-firing process are systematically summarized, drawing upon aspects such as dynamics, experiments, simulations, and demonstration projects. This study illuminates the progression and technology selection of co-firing systems across multiple stages of the whole industry chain, thereby furnishing insights relevant to the low-carbon transformation of ammonia co-firing with coal in power plants.

Life cycle assessment of food consumption in different cities: Analysis of socioeconomic level and environmental hotspots

This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment of the environmental impacts of dietary patterns in different cities, focusing on the correlation between food consumption and environmental impact. The functional unit was the food required to meet one person's yearly needs (1 Inh/year). To determine the quantity and type of food consumed, as well as the income level of the residents, 523 surveys were conducted in households in four cities in Chile (Iquique, Santiago, Temuco, and Coyhaique). Survey data were complemented with secondary information from national statistics and the Ecoinvent database. The environmental impact assessment was carried out using SimaPro, selecting the categories of global warming, terrestrial acidification, terrestrial ecotoxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication, land use, and fossil resource scarcity. The results show that higher-income households generate greater environmental impacts attributed to higher per capita food consumption. In the global warming category, the environmental impact can range from 1.08 kg CO2 eq/inh/year for the first quintile to 2.15 kg CO2 eq/inh/year for the fifth quintile in Santiago. In this category, the impacts in the highest quintiles can be up to 2.2 times greater than those in the lowest quintiles. Similarly, in acidification, this difference can reach 2.3 times. In the freshwater eutrophication category, the highest-income quintiles can double the environmental impacts compared to the lowest (I and II), mainly due to higher consumption of red meat and dairy products. The food production stage was the environmental hotspot across all evaluated impact categories, accounting for 45%–60% of the impacts in global warming, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and fossil resource scarcity; 74%–78% in terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, and land use; and 68%–71% in freshwater ecotoxicity. Meat was pinpointed as the primary environmental hotspot in global warming (44%), terrestrial acidification (56%), freshwater eutrophication (50%), land use (35%), and fossil resource scarcity (30%). Conversely, cereals are the primary environmental hotspot in terrestrial ecotoxicity (30%) and vegetables in freshwater ecotoxicity (18%). The geographical location of cities also influenced the environmental impacts of food consumption, primarily due to the types of available foods in regions near each city. Food availability conditions, diets, and quantities consumed, thus influencing environmental impacts. Finally, household incomes, the geographical location of cities, and the food production systems in each city determine the environmental impacts of food consumption. Different configurations of these variables create unique environmental impact profiles for each city. Despite this, typical environmental hotspots in food consumption were identified across all cities, enabling the implementation of strategies to minimize environmental impacts on a national scale. Thus, circular economy strategies linked to food production systems, as well as food loss and waste, could significantly reduce environmental impacts, presenting an intriguing opportunity for future research in this field.

Life cycle assessment of lead‐free potassium sodium niobate versus lead zirconate titanate: Energy and environmental impacts

AbstractOver the years, lead‐based piezoelectric ceramics found extensive use in vital fields such as sensors and actuators. Despite their exceptional electromechanical properties, lead‐containing materials pose severe environmental risks and foster a new era of lead‐free piezoelectric materials after decades of research. However, recent comparative assessments of potassium sodium niobate (KNN) versus lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric materials proposed that the environmental damage already presented before use due to raw material extraction and processing, invoking concerns on the true greenness of the lead‐free alternatives. Nevertheless, many other factors deserve further consideration, for example, reference geometry and life cycle stage. Herein, the comprehensive life cycle assessment is undertaken on PZT and KNN‐based ceramics with a unit volume of 0.001 m3 from cradle to gate. Results show that PZT exhibits higher negative impacts than KNN‐based counterparts, attributed to lead extraction, processing, and associated environmental emissions. Across primary quantitative impact indicators from toxicity, environmental, and resource aspects, KNN‐based ceramics impose fewer risks on the environment and human health, with the overall impact being only 28% of PZT ceramics. Still, more efficient methods are required for KNN‐based ceramics to reduce the high energy consumption and emission during extraction and purification of raw material Nb2O5. This work not only offers critical insights for material development but also serves as a multifaceted reference for advanced fabrication technologies.image

A comprehensive assessment of the environmental footprint of pomegranate juice production system by life cycle assessment approach

This groundbreaking research conducts the first comprehensive life cycle assessment of pomegranate juice production system, identifying key environmental hotspots, and offering valuable insights for improving environmental performance. This study employs the ReCiPe method within SimaPro software to assess the environmental impacts per pack of 160 g of juice. The findings indicated that a pack of pomegranate juice leads to 0.15 kg CO2 eq. Among all factors affecting global warming, natural gas used for juicing stood out as the most significant, responsible for over one-third of the impacts. In addition, the amount of human carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic toxicity impact categories was equal to 0.004 and 0.063 kg 1,4-DCB, respectively, mainly due to the pomegranate production in the orchard phase. Fruit production is also an environmental hotspot in other impact categories. The emissions from chemical fertilizers and manure application, fruit transportation toward the factory, and diesel fuel consumption by machinery were recognized to be the main hotspots in the orchard. Based on the weighted damage categories, the production of one pack of juice led to 3.64 mPt damage to the environment. The damage to human health contributed to 88% of the weighted environmental damage. The outcome of the sensitivity analysis indicated that natural gas in the juicing process is the most important parameter in damage to human health, ecosystems, and resource. In line with that, efforts for optimized consumption of natural gas and its replacement with eco-friendly alternatives can be a promising approach in pomegranate juice production from the environmental point of view.

Life Cycle Assessment of Plasterboard Production: A UK Case Study

Plasterboard, which serves as a nonstructural building material, is widely employed for lightweight wall construction and surface finishing in walls and ceilings. Amid mounting concerns regarding product sustainability and the adoption of Net Zero strategies, evaluating the environmental performance of materials has become crucial. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) for wall gypsum plasterboard, aiming to pinpoint areas for potential environmental improvement. The LCA methodology, adhering to established guidelines and considering midpoint impact categories, was employed to quantify environmental impacts across various stages of the plasterboard life cycle—encompassing raw material extraction, plasterboard manufacturing, transportation during all stages, and end-of-life treatment of plasterboard waste. Primary data were sourced directly from a plasterboard manufacturer and recycler and supplemented with secondary data obtained from the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and the Ecoinvent 3.9 database. Among the identified impact categories, the human carcinogenic toxicity category emerged as the most affected category, primarily due to the raw material supply stage, followed by freshwater ecotoxicity, which was impacted due to the material supply stage.

Life Cycle Assessment and Model Optimization for Sustainable Energy Cross-Border E-Commerce

INTRODUCTION: In an in-depth study of the application of sustainable energy in cross-border e-commerce, a comprehensive assessment and model optimization of its life cycle are conducted to promote the practical application of sustainable development in e-commerce. With the increasing global concern for renewable energy and environmental protection, e-commerce, as an international business model, has attracted much attention in terms of the environmental and social impacts of its sustainability.OBJECTIVES: The aim is to provide scientific assessment methods and effective model optimization strategies to promote the feasibility and sustainability of cross-border e-commerce for sustainable energy.METHODS: A comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) model was constructed using the system life cycle assessment (SLCA) methodology by collecting data from various aspects of sustainable energy cross-border e-commerce. The model considers the entire life cycle process from energy production, logistics, transportation, and product manufacturing to final consumption and integrates various factors such as resource utilization, environmental emissions, and social responsibility. Based on the assessment, a series of model optimization strategies are proposed, including suggestions for improving supply chain efficiency, promoting green energy applications, and strengthening social responsibility.RESULTS: This study achieved significant life cycle assessment and model optimization results. In terms of energy use, promoting the application of renewable energy significantly reduces carbon emissions; in terms of supply chain management, optimization leads to an overall efficiency improvement and a reduction in resource wastage; and in terms of social responsibility, the enterprise strengthens employee training and community involvement, which enhances its social image. These results show that sustainable energy cross-border e-commerce can better achieve sustainable development goals through systematic assessment and optimization.CONCLUSION: Life cycle assessment and model optimization provide scientific assessment methods and practical suggestions for sustainable energy cross-border e-commerce. In global sustainable development, the e-commerce industry should actively adopt sustainable energy and minimize its negative impacts on the environment and society by optimizing production and supply chain management. Future research can continue to expand the assessment model and deeply explore the potential of sustainable energy in e-commerce to provide more precise guidance for the industry's sustainable development.

Towards a low-emission resource circulation of valuable metals from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

The incineration fly ash (IFA) resulting from municipal solid waste combustion is laden with heavy metals, necessitating proper treatment not only for environmental management but also to reclaim the metal values. The surge in non-traditional metals like cobalt as emerging contaminant within IFA samples further attracts to address this issue. In response, the hydrometallurgical recycling of a cobalt-bearing IFA has been studied. Thereby, approximately 98 % zinc and 96 % cobalt were leached using a 1.0 mol/L H2SO4 solution at 90 °C and 1 h of leaching time. In-depth analysis of the leaching process unveiled metals' dissolution primarily via the ion-exclusion mechanism, as evidenced by lower diffusion coefficients (between 10−9 and 10−11 m2/s) and activation energies (9.6–14.9 kJ/mol). Above 99 % separation of zinc from the cobalt-bearing leach liquor was achieved by extraction with 1.0 mol/L D2EHPA at an equilibrium pH below 3.0, followed by stripping with a 2.0 mol/L H2SO4 solution. Cobalt, remained in the raffinate was efficiently precipitated by adding a 20 % excess dosage of oxalic acid to the stoichiometric ratio of C2O42−:Co2+, resulting in only 5 mg/L cobalt left in the solution when precipitation occurred at a pH of 2.8. Additionally, the conversion of CoC2O4 to high-purity Co3O4 was conducted through heat-treatment at 600 °C. The resulting Co3O4 was mixed with Li2CO3 at a Li/Co molar ratio of 1.1, yielding a LiCoO2 precursor that exhibited good electrochemical properties with a capacity of 128 mAh/g, thus affirming the high quality of the recycled cobalt. A comprehensive life-cycle assessment of the recycling process revealed that cobalt precipitation alone contributes approximately 50 % of the total global warming potential (GWP = 4.2624 kg CO2-eq). Notably, this value is remarkably lower than the GWP reported for primary cobalt production, highlighting the environmentally-friendly approach of this recycling endeavor.

Critical reviews and benchmarking Tunisian clinker and cement with life cycle assessment results

Clinker and cement production is an energy-intensive and high resource requirement industry with significant environmental impacts, and yet, there is a dearth of environmental research in Tunisia on its Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Additionally, there is a tendency either to overlook or underestimate the selection of appropriate life cycle impact assessment methods. This study aims to address these issues by conducting a comprehensive LCA of Tunisian cement production with the goal of analyzing and comparing the results using various methods and benchmarking against existing literature. Three different Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods, including IMPACT 2002+, CML (baseline), and ReCiPe Midpoint (2008–2016) (H), were used. These methods were chosen for their different coverage (regional/global) of their impact categories, leading to a more comprehensive comparison of the performance of clinker and cement to the literature. In addition, the similarity with published values demonstrates reliability for LCA results, except ionizing radiation, ozone layer depletion, and respiratory organics in IMPACT 2002+ for clinker, CEM-I, and CEM-II; fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity and marine aquatic ecotoxicity in CML (baseline) for CEM-I; and photochemical oxidant formation: ecosystem quality and human health in ReCiPe for CEM-I. This low variability with the reported values in the literature suggests the capability of using the benchmarking approach as a proxy in a context of lack of data.

Beyond flight operations: Assessing the environmental impact of aircraft maintenance through life cycle assessment

As the aviation industry strives to minimise its environmental footprint, understanding the full life cycle impacts, including maintenance, becomes essential for sustainable development. This paper addresses the critical research gap in the environmental assessment of aircraft maintenance by conducting a comprehensive life cycle assessment based on an Airbus A320 aircraft. By combining a top-down check-level analysis and a detailed examination of the aircraft manufacturer’s maintenance planning document, this study provides significant insights into the environmental implications of maintenance activities. The check-level analysis provides a general overview, while the analysis of the maintenance planning document delves into individual tasks, enabling the identification of components with the highest ecological impacts. This research emphasises the importance of including aircraft maintenance activities in life cycle assessment studies and provides valuable guidance for researchers, industry practitioners, and policy makers in prioritising sustainability measures and enhancing the environmental performance of aircraft throughout their life cycle.

An evaluation of the environmental impact and energy efficiency of producing geopolymer mortar with plastic aggregates

The imperative to mitigate carbon emissions and seek sustainable alternatives to cementitious materials has driven the advancement of geopolymer binders, which are inorganic binders of aluminosilicate industrial-waste materials activated by alkaline agents. The use of geopolymers carries the potential for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emission. Furthermore, the incorporation of plastic waste as aggregates addresses not only resource conservation but also environmental sustainability. This study conducted a comprehensive life-cycle assessment of the use of geopolymers from fly ash as a precursor with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste as a substitute for natural aggregates. It was observed that when replacing natural aggregates with PET waste to the maximum extent, the global warming potential (GWP) in the category of emissions related to aggregate preparation increased by 16.7 %. This increase was attributed to significant emissions generated during PET processing, including activities such as washing and grinding. The total GWP to produce one cubic meter of geopolymer mixture was 643.55 kgCO2-e without PET aggregates and 667.86 kgCO2-e with maximum use of PET aggregates. The optimization of energy-intensive PET preparation processes led to a remarkable reduction of 19.63 % for production of geopolymer mixture with maximum use of PET aggregates. These findings show the potential for improved sustainability in the production of geopolymer mixtures and emphasize the critical role of optimizing the production processes in mitigating their environmental impact.

Assessing the environmental performance of optimized commercial refrigerators with alternative refrigerants and remote monitoring system: A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment

Refrigerators, as other cooling systems, are responsible for a significant parcel of anthropogenic emissions since they are essential and heavy appliances that use energy during its lifespan and are loaded with refrigerant gases. Three types of commercial refrigerators and their new versions, with incorporated CO2 as refrigerant gas and an wireless system for maintenance monitoring (WSMM) were investigated to evaluate how optimization could impact on the environmental performance during their entire life cycle. This study conducted a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the refrigerators, from the production to their end-of-life. The findings revealed that the use phase and the raw materials were responsible for most of the environmental impact throughout the refrigerators' life cycle. Key impact categories such as Fossil Resource Scarcity, Freshwater Eutrophication, and Global Warming were particularly affected, largely due to the electricity mix in the use phase. Additionally, the extraction and production of raw materials, specifically steel and copper, made significant contributions to Terrestrial Ecotoxicity and Human Carcinogenic Toxicity categories. The optimization measures impacted mainly in the energy consumption during the use phase, resulting in a notable reduction of approximately 57 % for models that underwent refrigerant change and 60 % for the model that underwent both refrigerant change and electronic system installation. As a result of decreased energy consumption, there was a significant decrease of 13 %–16 % across all impact categories, underscoring the positive environmental implications of these optimization strategies.

Does carinata, an oilseed crop for sustainable aviation fuel, improve the eco-efficiency of crop rotations in South Georgia, United States?

In 2019, the aviation sector emitted about five percent of the total energy-related carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions in the United States. The replacement of conventional aviation fuel with drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) derived from various biomass-based feedstocks is vital to reduce the overall CO2e emissions of the aviation sector. The SAF derived from Brassica carinata (carinata), an oilseed winter crop, could help the aviation sector mitigate CO2e emissions. Therefore, it is vital to develop a framework for assessing the eco-effectiveness of carinata in crop rotations by combining economic and environmental benefits. We identified 292 crop rotations (over a four-year rotation period with and without carinata) in South Georgia, a major agricultural region of the United States. We conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment to determine the total carbon emissions of selected crop rotations. We combined the carbon emissions and profitability information using data envelopment analysis (DEA) to estimate the eco-efficiency score of each crop rotation. The results indicate that crop rotations with carinata emit less CO2e than crop rotations without it, especially when carinata replaces winter wheat. Carinata's profitability (net present value of $2996/acre) is highest in a “corn-corn-soybean” rotation at a contract price of $441 per metric ton. Finally, “cotton-carinata-cotton-fallow-soybean-fallow-cotton-carinata” is the most eco-efficient rotation at the same contract price. Overall, carinata increases eco-efficiency at the farm level and, thereby, has the potential to promote the bioeconomy in South Georgia and beyond.

Grave-to-cradle photothermal upcycling of waste polyesters over spent LiCoO2

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and plastics are pivotal components of modern society; nevertheless, their escalating production poses formidable challenges to resource sustainability and ecosystem integrity. Here, we showcase the transformation of spent lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) cathodes into photothermal catalysts capable of catalyzing the upcycling of diverse waste polyesters into high-value monomers. The distinctive Li deficiency in spent LCO induces a contraction in the Co−O6 unit cell, boosting the monomer yield exceeding that of pristine LCO by a factor of 10.24. A comprehensive life-cycle assessment underscores the economic viability of utilizing spent LCO as a photothermal catalyst, yielding returns of 129.6 $·kgLCO−1, surpassing traditional battery recycling returns (13–17 $·kgLCO−1). Solar-driven recycling 100,000 tons of PET can reduce 3.459 × 1011 kJ of electric energy and decrease 38,716 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This work unveils a sustainable solution for the management of spent LIBs and plastics.

Feasibility analysis and environmental impact evaluation of biochar derived from mango pit for blast furnace injection

Biochar, produced by the pyrolysis of carbon–neutral biomass, has great potential to replace pulverized coal (PC) injection in blast furnace (BF) ironmaking. Herein, this study aimed to develop a low-ash and low-alkali metal biochar from mango pit (MP) and evaluate its environmental impact as an alternative fuel for BF ironmaking. This paper first studied the feasibility of mango pit biochar (MPB) as an alternative fuel. Compared with other preparation conditions, MPB prepared at 600 °C for 60 min (MPB-600–60) had the most similar fuel performance to PC, which was confirmed by principal component analysis (PCA). Moreover, MPB-600–60 exhibited lower ash and alkali metal content compared to PC. The co-combustion experiment demonstrated that MPB-600–60 could promote the combustion of mixed fuel, and the optimal combustibility was achieved when the addition ratio of MPB-600–60 was 80%. Comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) revealed that the reduction of global warming potential (GWP) amounted to 220 kg CO2 eq/tHM if MPB 100% replaced PC. These results indicated that MPB could significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental impact of BF ironmaking. This study provides a novel and promising approach for developing low-carbon and clean alternative fuels in BF ironmaking.

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Battery and Fuel Cell Electric Cars, Trucks, and Buses

Addressing the pressing challenge of global warming, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector is a critical imperative. Battery and fuel cell electric vehicles have emerged as promising solutions for curbing emissions in this sector. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) for typical passenger vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, and city buses using either proton-exchange membrane fuel cells or Li-ion batteries with different cell chemistries. To ensure accuracy, we supplemented existing studies with data from the literature, particularly for the recycling phase, as database limitations were encountered. Our results highlight that fuel cell and battery systems exhibit large emissions in the production phase. Recycling can significantly offset some of these emissions, but a comparison of the technologies examined revealed considerable differences. Overall, battery electric vehicles consistently outperform fuel cell electric vehicles regarding absolute greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, we recommend prioritizing battery electric over fuel cell vehicles. However, deploying fuel cell electric vehicles could become attractive in a hydrogen economy scenario where other factors, e.g., the conversion and storage of surplus renewable electricity via electrolysis, become important.

Sustainable Blue Foods from Rice-Animal Coculture Systems.

Global interest grows in blue foods as part of sustainable diets, but little is known about the potential and environmental performance of blue foods from rice-animal coculture systems. Here, we compiled a large experimental database and conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment to estimate the impacts of scaling up rice-fish and rice-crayfish systems in China. We find that a large amount of protein can be produced from the coculture systems, equivalent to ∼20% of freshwater aquaculture and ∼70% of marine wild capture projected in 2030. Because of the ecological benefits created by the symbiotic relationships, cocultured fish and crayfish are estimated to be carbon-negative (-9.8 and -4.7 kg of CO2e per 100 g of protein, respectively). When promoted at scale to displace red meat, they can save up to ∼98 million tons of greenhouse gases and up to ∼13 million hectares of farmland, equivalent to ∼44% of China's total rice acreage. These results suggest that rice-animal coculture systems can be an important source of blue foods and contribute to a sustainable dietary shift, while reducing the environmental footprints of rice production. To harvest these benefits, robust policy supports are required to guide the sustainable development of coculture systems and promote healthy and sustainable dietary change.