Greatest Environmental Impact Research Articles

Life Cyle Assessment of Activated Carbon from Waste Materials as an Adsorbent in Wastewater Treatment

Activated Carbon (AC) has been a great alternative to reduce the cost of the process in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) but they also have several hidden impacts on the environment. The impact assessment on the waste materials from coconut shells and wood will be identified using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software approach. Through the “Cradle-to-gate” approach, activated carbon made from waste materials is produced and consumed, and its eighteen environmental effects which are fine particulate matter formation, fossil resource scarcity, freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication, global warming, human carcinogenic toxicity, human non-carcinogenic toxicity, ionizing radiation, land use, marine ecotoxicity, marine eutrophication, mineral resource scarcity, human health, terrestrial ecosystem, stratospheric ozone depletion, terrestrial acidification, terrestrial ecotoxicity and water consumption are assessed using the LCA software. This study aims to discover whether the choice of waste material precursors from the Activated Carbon (AC) can help to minimise environmental impacts. The study evaluates the potential benefits of using waste-derived activated carbon in wastewater treatment by comparing the environmental performance of activated carbon obtained from coconut, wood, and coal. This study is based on past studies all around the world. In thirteen of the eighteen impact categories, wood has the greatest environmental impact. Coconut shells on the other hand, has the lowest total environmental impacts, ranking first or second in fifteen among the eighteen environmental categories. The findings help in making choices for environmentally friendly wastewater treatment methods by illuminating the effects of employing waste products as an alternative source of adsorbents.

Comparative life cycle assessment of organic industrial solid waste co-disposal in a MSW incineration plant

Co-disposal experiments involving industrial solid waste (ISW) are conducted at a municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration plant in this study, investing the environmental impact of co-disposal with different ISW addition proportions using life cycle assessment (LCA). Results show that increasing ISW proportions improves economic indicators, reducing the payback period from 7.92 years (0 % ISW) to 6.58 years (40 % ISW). Environmental impact indicators initially decrease and then increase. The indicator with the greatest environmental impact is Eutrophication Potential (EP), the only major indicator with positive values in all scenarios when considering power output. Its normalization value reaches a minimum at 30 % ISW blending, at 7.85 × 10−12. Contribution analysis reveals that the direct emissions of N-containing gases are the primary cause, while the addition of urea, ammonia water, and quicklime in flue gas treatment, as well as the ash-slag landfill, also have significant effects. Technical optimization of stepwise co-disposal, denitrification system and ash-slag reduction will be the focus. Compared to the existing conventional situation, the co-disposal system exhibits considerable improvements in environmental benefits and carbon reduction potential. Notably, there is a significant reduction in non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. This study offers theoretical insights for multi-source waste disposal in MSW incineration plants.

Proposal of an environmental performance index to assess leather-manufacturing companies

Despite the global economic and environmental importance of the leather industry, the specialized literature still presents an important gap in analyzing the environmental performance of the leather manufacturing process from the waste generated. This paper aims to propose an unprecedented index (Index of Leather Manufacturing- ILM) to evaluate the environmental performance of leather manufacturing processes. The development of the index combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and a Multicriteria Decision Method (MCDM) and is oriented to consider the impact of waste on environmental health. Its estimate is based on: the calculation of the environmental potential impact of the waste; the waste quantity produced by the company over a given period; the relative geographic coverage that each waste can achieve; the assessment of the appropriateness of the disposal of waste generated by the firm. The proposed index was tested on a large Brazilian leather manufacturer. The results showed that the waste management in the company is not perfect but is well rated, and residues with the greatest environmental impact are: wetblue shavings, wetblue sawdust, and gaseous emissions from beam house operation.

Knowledge, behaviours, practices, and expectations regarding climate change and environmental sustainability among health workers in France: a multicentre, cross-sectional study

Faced with climate change, hospitals are confronted with a dual challenge. On one hand, they need to embark on a far-reaching ecological transformation to reduce their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts; on the other hand, they need to limit the effects of climate change on their activities. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, behaviours, practices, and expectations of health workers in French hospitals regarding climate change and environmental sustainability. This multicentre, cross-sectional study was carried out in six French hospitals from June 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2022. All health workers at the hospitals were eligible to participate and were recruited through internal publicity. We designed a structured questionnaire consisting of five parts: participant characteristics, knowledge and perceptions of climate change, pro-environmental behaviours, practices concerning environmental sustainability actions, and expectations. A multilevel logistic regression model was used to evaluate associations between the knowledge, behaviours, and practices of health workers and the characteristics of the health workers and hospitals. Of 57 034 health workers across the six hospitals, 4552 (8·0%) participated in the study. Of those for whom gender data were available, 3518 (78·2%) participants were women and 979 (21·8%) were men. Participants considered energy consumption (71·0%) and waste and discharges related to medical activities (55·6%) and non-medical activities (50·2%) to be the three activities with the greatest environmental impact. On a scale of 1 (not a priority) to 10 (high priority), the median rating attributed by the participants to the commitment of their hospitals to ecological transformation was 5·0 (IQR 3·0-6·0). 1079 (23·7%) of 4552 participants had already initiated at least one environmental sustainability action in their hospital. Barriers reported by participants to the implementation of environmental sustainability-related projects were the lack of dedicated time (40·4%), hierarchical support (32·5%), methodological support (28·9%), and access to training (23·7%). The presence of a sustainable development steering committee, especially one with more than 5 years of activity, was positively associated with health workers feeling better informed about the ecological transformation of their hospital (adjusted odds ratio 1·78 [95% CI 1·29-2·45]), having better knowledge of the environmental impacts of their hospital (1·83 [1·32-2·53]), and initiating a larger number of environmental sustainability actions (1·74 [1·33-2·29]). We showed that health workers in French hospitals seem to be committed to the ecological transformation of their workplaces, and identified some drivers and barriers to further support these essential transformations. There is an urgent need to bolster training for all health workers, enhance structural frameworks within hospitals, and encourage future interdisciplinary research on the vulnerability of health-care facilities to climate change. The University Hospital of Poitiers.

Single mixed refrigerant biomethane liquefaction plant integrated with solar energy: Dynamic simulation for the decarbonization of the heavy road transport sector

This works proposes a dynamic thermoeconomic analysis of a liquefied biomethane production plant to meet the fuel demand of a fleet of heavy duty trucks in the south of Italy. The biomethane is obtained from the upgrading of the biogas produced by means of anaerobic digestion through a plug flow reactor fed by organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The upgrading of the biogas is realized using a three-stage membrane compression process, producing a 96 % pure biomethane. The biomethane liquefaction is realized using a single-mixed refrigerant process and compared to a Linde cycle process. The whole system is assisted by solar energy to reduce the fossil energy consumption of the process and feed-in tariffs are considered as funding policy. The models for the anaerobic digestion, the biogas upgrading, and the biomethane liquefaction are in detail developed in MatLab. The anaerobic digestion model is based on the ADM1 biological model, integrated with a suitable heat transfer model. The biogas upgrading model is based on a simplified Fick model. The liquefaction model is based on an equivalent two heat-exchangers model, taking into account the transient heat transfer. All the components are then integrated in TRNSYS to perform the dynamic simulation for one operating year of the whole system. Results from the thermoeconomic analysis are outstanding in terms of profitability, showing a payback period of less than 2 years and a Net Present Value of the system of 402 M€. The great environmental impact is also confirmed by a Primary Energy Saving of 91 % and a dramatic reduction of 86 % of the CO2 equivalent emissions.

Mechanical and acoustic performance of mortar with partial replacement by biochar from civil construction wood waste at advanced ages

Civil construction generates large amounts of solid waste, most of which are non-toxic, but extremely voluminous, resulting in a contemporary sanitary health problem. Furthermore, cement fabrication, a widely used binding material, is responsible for the emission of 8% of the world’s CO2 into the atmosphere, making it an industry with a great environmental impact. The consumption figures of cement show an significant increasing over the years. Therefore, much research has focused on the search for energy efficiency in the production processes of cement and materials with potential use as additions, allowing the reduction of clinker consumption, the main component of the cement. In this sense, this research made use of wood waste from civil construction, and through the pyrolysis process, partially replaced cement with biochar at high levels compared to existing research, seeking to find an efficient replacement limit and analyzing its sound absorption and mechanical properties at advanced ages. Mortars were produced with levels of 5%, 10%, and 15% (m/m), replacing cement with biochar. The results demonstrated better mechanical performance at advanced ages, up to 30% for compression and 15% for tensile strength with 10% biochar, and lower water absorption by capillarity. Its acoustic performance showed that the samples with biochar did not exhibit properties of a sound-absorbing material.

Geopolymeric Composites Containing Industrial Waste Reinforced with Arundo donax Fibers

Traditional Portland cement-based composites have a great environmental impact. Alkali-activated binders can offer an alternative, particularly if they can be obtained even partially from waste. Two residuals derived from the finishing steps of the traditional ceramic industry have been used as possible polymerizable sources mixed with metakaolin. Moreover, to contrast the low dimensional stability of alkali-activated materials and their mechanical brittleness, natural fibers derived from the Arundo donax plant have been added to the mortars. The use of renewable natural fibers instead of synthetic ones can contribute a further environmental advantage. The fresh (consistency) and cured (mechanical) properties of composite materials prepared with residuals and metakaolin were analyzed here. For comparison’s sake, a reference set of composite materials not loaded with fibers but with an identical binder/sand and liquid/binder ratio was cast. A room-temperature curing condition was selected that, although inadequate to promote the short-time reactivity of the wastes, has a minimal energy requirement and allows on-site applications. A small-scale decrease in the properties in the compression mode tests was observed in the waste-modified mortars, while the Arundo addition improved their flexural strength and dimensional stability.

Investigation and mapping of toxic fumes produced by detonation of ANFO explosives in underground space

AbstractPost‐blast fumes are hazardous and known to cause severe health related issues of workers. Further, these harmful gases have a significant impact on the surrounding environment. Thus, it is imperative to have an in‐depth understanding of the real time detonation fume generation in underground space to avoid hazardous health risk of the worker. In this context, the mapping of toxic fume concentrations generated by the detonation of ANFO explosives in the actual field is a fascinating area of research that has a great environmental impact. This article examined the real‐time analysis of toxic fumes generated by ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) explosives at various locations of a metalliferous underground mine. Furthermore, detonation parameters of various ANFO explosive compositions were also studied at the mining site. On‐site blasting studies were performed with ANFO explosives, and post‐detonation fume measurements enabled us to map the CO and NOx concentrations in underground spaces. Toxic fumes like CO and NOx were analyzed before and after each blasting operation at different intervals, and found within the allowed limit as per the Directorate General of Mines Safety guidelines. Additionally, an empirical correlation has been established to evaluate the maximum detonation velocity based on the alteration of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil composition.

Assessing the Economic Value of Copper Mineral Resources in Ta Phoi Area, Lao Cai Province

Copper ore is one of the minerals that play an important role in the economic development of Lao Cai province. However, this is a non-renewable resource with high risk and great environmental impact in the mining process. Therefore, it is necessary to study and evaluate the economic value of mineral resources, creating a basis for planning the process of exploration, exploitation, rational use of resources, and environmental protection. This paper evaluates the economic value of mineral resources using resource assessment techniques. The total reserves and identified resources are 21,473 thousand tons of ore, corresponding to 160,278 tons of copper. In the case of using level 122 reserves, the identified resources is 16,412 thousand tons of ore, corresponding to 129,433 tons of copper. The forecasted resources are approximately 41,050 thousand tons of ore, which is equivalent to 198,235 tons of copper. The accompanying minerals, with a resource level 333, include 6.34 tons of gold (Au) and 24.39 tons of silver (Ag). The results show that copper content in the area is varied from 0.01% to 9.18% with an average of 1.50%, and the ore grade is changed from poor to medium. The distribution of copper ores is relatively uniform to very uneven, with the largest concentration found in the Ta Phoi area. The calculated potential recovery value (GTNth) and unit area value (URV) of copper minerals in the study area are substantial, with the highest URV is observed in the Ta Phoi area and the lowest one is obtained in the Coc San area. During the extraction process, the investor should consider recovering accompanying elements such as gold and silver to enhance the mine's economic value.

A synergistic integration of life cycle assessment and response surface methodology to optimize grape stalk waste-based biosorption for effective Cd(II) removal

In order to remove Cd(II) ions from aqueous solutions, this research suggests an in-depth study on a laboratory scale for the efficient and sustainable removal of Cd(II) in aqueous solution using wine industry grape stalk waste. The maximum biosorption capacity that was achieved was 84.74 mg/g for the Langmuir isotherm model. The kinetic studies revealed that the biosorption data were better explained by a pseudo-second order model. By using the response surface method with desirability functions, the optimal variables were determined for three optimization scenarios. The first optimization scenario yielded the highest percentage of cadmium removal, reaching 87.75%. The goal of that scenario was intended to obtain the maximum percentage of cadmium removal while minimizing the cost of the process. In this scenario, the greatest environmental impact was on the marine aquatic ecotoxicity (2.685 kg 1.4 DB eq.) with a power consumption of 27.05 W. Furthermore, the values for the input variables were an initial cadmium concentration of 0.6 mg/l, pH of 7.5, stirring time of 10 min, stirring speed of 100 rpm, a process temperature of 15 °C, and a dose of grape stalk of 0.50 g. The experimental and predicted findings agree. This suggests that grape stalk waste has potential applications as a biosorbent for the removal of Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution.

Environmental sustainability of post-orthodontic dental retainers: a comparative life-cycle assessment of Hawley and Essix retainers.

Environmental sustainability has been brought into the limelight due to the global climate crisis. This crisis is driven by human activities and even the healthcare sector is no exception. Within dentistry, orthodontics is a large global market; hence, the use of post-orthodontic retainers has a significant environmental footprint. The aim of this study was to determine the environmental sustainability of post-orthodontic retention using Hawley and Essix retainers. A comparative life-cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out to compare the environmental impact of both retainers. All inputs and outputs were accounted for using the Ecoinvent database, v3.7.1, and openLCA software. Sixteen impact categories were used to determine their environmental burden. Of the 16 impact categories, the Hawley had a greater environmental burden than the Essix retainer in 12 categories. The Hawley's most significant contributors to its impact values are factory manufacturing and in-house production, with an average of 41.45% and 52.52%, respectively. For the Essix, the greatest contributor is factory manufacturing, with an average of 64.63%. However, when factoring in the lifespan of the retainers, the Essix would have a greater environmental impact than the Hawley retainer. This study employed a comparative LCA. There were also assumptions made, but these were supported by research. On the basis of the evidence gathered in this study, Hawley retainers are more environmentally sustainable than Essix retainers. These results would better enable clinicians to factor in the environmental impact and make informed decisions on the choice of retainer type.

Impact of mediterranean diet promotion on environmental sustainability: a longitudinal analysis

ObjectiveThis article aims to estimate the differences in environmental impact (greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, land use, energy used, acidification and potential eutrophication) after one year of promoting a Mediterranean diet (MD). MethodsBaseline and 1-year follow-up data from 5800 participants in the PREDIMED-Plus study were used. Each participant's food intake was estimated using validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires, and the adherence to MD using the Dietary Score. The influence of diet on environmental impact was assessed through the EAT-Lancet Commission tables. The influence of diet on environmental impact was assessed through the EAT-Lancet Commission tables. The association between MD adherence and its environmental impact was calculated using adjusted multivariate linear regression models. ResultsAfter one year of intervention, the kcal/day consumed was significantly reduced (−125,1 kcal/day), adherence to a MD pattern was improved (+0,9) and the environmental impact due to the diet was significantly reduced (GHG: −361 g/CO2-eq; Acidification:-11,5 g SO2-eq; Eutrophication:-4,7 g PO4-eq; Energy use:-842,7 kJ; and Land use:-2,2 m2). Higher adherence to MD (high vs. low) was significantly associated with lower environmental impact both at baseline and one year follow-up.Meat products had the greatest environmental impact in all the factors analysed, both at baseline and at one-year follow-up, in spite of the reduction observed in their consumption. ConclusionsA program promoting a MD, after one year of intervention, significantly reduced the environmental impact in all the factors analysed. Meat products had the greatest environmental impact in all the dimensions analysed.

A User-Friendly Tool to Increase Awareness about Impacts of Human Daily Life Activities on Carbon Footprint

In recent decades, climate change has demanded more and more attention. Consumers have the power to influence the carbon footprint of goods and services through their purchasing decisions, but to do this they need to learn more. To address this need, it is necessary to develop online questionnaires able to make people aware of which activities have a greater environmental impact in their daily lives. Focusing on this goal, we formulated two tools for quantifying an individual’s carbon footprint over a year. The innovativeness of these tools lies in being user-friendly and providing online open access to compilers, as well as using specific emission factors for the reference context. Specifically, we focused on the main emission sources: gas and electricity consumption, mobility, food, and waste. During these last years, the tools have been proposed to Italian students at different levels of education and to employees of Italian and international companies. The responses from 3260 users revealed an average annual direct carbon footprint per capita of about 5600 kg CO2-eq, which, integrated with the estimate of indirect emissions, provides an estimate in good agreement with the value provided by the Italian National Inventory of greenhouse gases. With the developed tools, people are able to observe which sectors have the greatest impact and consequently are stimulated to emit less by adopting more sustainable behaviors.

Grill and Chill: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Environmental Impacts of Private Household Barbecuing in Germany

Rising environmental consciousness has prompted increased scrutiny of the environmental impact of everyday activities, such as barbecuing—a popular summertime activity in Germany. This study aimed to explore the environmental impacts of three grilling techniques, charcoal (including reusable types such as swivel, round, and kettle grills, as well as disposable charcoal grills), gas, and electric grills, utilizing a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach including the manufacturing of grills, consumption of energy sources and grilling ingredients, as well as the end-of-life of the grills. Five impact categories were considered: global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), abiotic depletion potential fossil (ADP), and land use (LU) according to the CML2016 and ReCiPe 2016 methodology. This study found that a barbeque event for four people results in GWP, AP, EP, ADP, and LU values ranging from 18 to 20 kg CO2-eq., 174 to 179 g SO2-eq., 166 to 167 g PO4-eq., 102 to 138 MJ, and 36 to 38 m2 annual crop-eq., respectively, across different types of grills. Furthermore, the ingredients proved to be the most significant contributor, surpassing 70% in all impact categories. Among the three types of grills, the electric grill emerged as the most environmentally friendly, while the disposable grill had the greatest environmental impact across the majority of categories. Lastly, the environmental impacts of varying consumer behaviors were evaluated to potentially assist consumers in adopting more sustainable grilling practices.

Investigation of comfort characteristics of knitted fabric produced from neppy yarn

Fabric made from fancy yarn, especially neppy yarn has a great environmental impact because the fabric does not need any additional dyeing process. This study involved knitting neppy yarn of two distinct spinning processes, vortex and ring spinning, each having three different percentages of neps. The comfort properties of six different fabrics were evaluated by analyzing various parameters, including moisture management properties, water vapor transmission rate, air permeability, hand feel properties, and bursting strength. Microscopic views were also examined for analyzing the physical appearance of the fabric’s surface. The experimental results revealed that fabrics made from vortex-spun neppy yarn (VSNY) exhibit better moisture management, breathability, and hand feel properties than ring-spun neppy yarn (RSNY). Alternatively, bursting strength and water vapor evaporation rate showed a lower trend in fabrics made from vortex-spun neppy yarn. The research findings contribute valuable insights into the potential of vortex spinning techniques for sustainable and comfortable textile production.

Bio-leather: Sustainable clothing fabrics made from simple media ingredients and slime mold Physarum polycephalum

The textile industry contributes significantly to global warming and pollution, especially the leather industry, which uses livestock and toxic tanning processes that have a great environmental impact. Currently, efforts are being made to mitigate the negative impacts of the textile industry by using alternative non-toxic chemicals or by recycling fabric. More recent efforts explore utilization of non-conventional biomaterials and organisms, such as mushroom mycelia, algae or genetically-engineered microorganisms. In this study, we implemented slime mold Physarum polycephalum perfused through leather-like fabrics made from air-dried simple nutritious media in order to develop environmentally friendly, easy-to-manufacture and sustainable fabrics. Plasmodium was validated for its viability and propagation under non-sterile conditions and in contaminated environments on different media compositions made from agar, peach gum, gelatin, carrageenan or glycerol. We determined optimal media components to be agar, gelatin and glycerol which supported plasmodium growth and yielded sturdy and flexible fabric sheets after air-drying. Ultimately, plasmodium-perfused fabric sheets were sewed into apparel and footwear. This study demonstrates the use of simple media as a clothing fabric perfused with plasmodium, which produces intricate colors and patterns on the fabric. Plasmodium has the ability to enhance fabric properties due to its natural problem-solving abilities, such as biosensing, fabric self-repair, and distant fabric communication.

Economic value and environmental impact of Saddang River sand mining, Pinrang Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

This research aimed to determine the social, economic, and environmental impact of Saddang River sand mining on local communities and the Pinrang district government. Primary data collection used field surveys to obtain supporting data on economic aspects consisting of production capacity, costs, selling price of sand at the miner level and market price at the consumer level, number of grains, and various other economic values such as indirect value and indirect use value. The primary data collection method uses a total sampling of 80 miners operating in the research area. Consumer data uses a field survey method with 8 hours of observation per day. Saddang River sand mining provides great socio-economic value and environmental impact, directly or indirectly. This significant socio-economic value and impact, if not accompanied by good management, can result in over-exploitation, which impacts the physical and ecological damage of the Saddang River. On the other hand, the high rate of sedimentation from upstream of the Saddang River results in shallowing, so sand mining activities help normalize the Saddang River. Therefore, to continue providing economic benefits and the Saddang River to avoid physical and ecological damage due to mining activities, sustainable management of Saddang River sand mining is needed.

Stepped solar tracking model with different acceptance angles for various solar concentration schemes

In the last decade, the energy industry has taken a great social, environmental and economic impact due to the exponential increase in the use of fossil fuels. World governments have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to promote research and development of renewable energy technologies for their global exploitation. The energy potential of the Sun is shown as one of the most adaptable alternatives for domestic and industrial uses. Several mathematical models of direct solar radiation have been carried out using various solar tracking strategies; The importance of these systems lies in optimizing the amount of solar radiation in any type of collector. In this research work, the mathematical analysis of incident solar radiation on a flat surface is proposed using MATLAB of various solar tracking schemes in clear sky conditions for the geographical coordinates and climatological conditions of the city of Zacatecas. When comparing the different cases of solar tracking, the following is observed: (a) More solar radiation reaches the surfaces that comply with some sun tracking scheme per month, compared to those surfaces that do not move. (b) The surface that receives the least amount of solar radiation every month is the horizontal surface. The solar irradiation per month estimated for this case is approximately 25% below the maximum calculated value corresponding to the monitoring of heliotrope-type solar collection. Regarding the comparative analysis of the data obtained, it can be seen that: The clear sky model prepared by ESRA has a behavior very close to the data from the Zacatecas_04 Solarimetric Station, having a difference with a maximum value of 0.13% for the month of January same year.

Reduced global warming potential in carbon-based perovskite solar modules: Cradle-to-gate life cycle analysis

Given the superior stability, technologically developed and cost effectiveness of carbon-based perovskite solar cells over conventional metallic electrode-based architectures, this work investigates the environmental performance of two industrial front-runners architectures i.e., high temperature processed carbon-based perovskite solar modules (CPSMs) and low temperature processed CPSMs using cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment analysis assuming a manufacturing plant in India. According to the study, most of the impacts are due to energy consumption in the annealing and screen print paste process used in ETL, perovskite, HTL and cathode layer for both the architectures. Material selection for the perovskite and other layers has a significant environmental impact on both architectures. Compared to low temperature processed architecture, high temperature processed CPSMs have a greater environmental impact. For a five-year lifetime, the global warming potential (GWP) values for high temperature and low temperature processed CPSMs are 0.180 kg CO2-eq and 0.126 kg CO2-eq, respectively, which are marginally higher than those indicated for commercially available silicon solar cells. Thus, a sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the minimum lifetime required to compete with GWP values comparable to commercial PVs. High and low temperature processed CPSM needed 16 and 11 years of lifetime, respectively, to match silicon's 25 years of lifetime. On the other hand, the study finds the human toxicity contribution by mono-silicon is extremely high compared to the two CPSM architectures because of the contribution by electricity (44.01%) and use of heavy metals such as copper (16.83%) and steel (11.52%).

Comparative life cycle assessment of battery-electric and diesel underground mining trucks

The mining sector is currently confronted with an energy market and evolving regulatory landscape that exerts pressure on the industry to consistently enhance its strategies and decision-making in support of sustainable practices. Traditionally, the ore is transported using heavy-duty trucks powered by diesel engines which have been identified as a primary contributor to environmental degradation. An emerging and technologically advanced solution of considerable interest is the implementation of battery-electric trucks, which still generates some uncertainty about its actual impact on the environment. The primary hypothesis under investigation is that battery-electric vehicles have significantly lower environmental impacts than conventional combustion vehicles. Thorough research is needed to bridge this knowledge gap and robustly understand the environmental effects of these technologies in the mining context. This study uses Life Cycle Assessment to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of battery-electric trucks compared to diesel trucks in a theoretical underground mine. The study analyses the environmental impacts around three main stages: the raw material supply for the manufacture of the vehicles, the energy supply (electricity or diesel fuel), and other indirect impacts associated with the operation of both types of trucks. The characterization methodology used is the ReCiPe2016 Midpoint (Hierarchical) using open-access software OpenLCA v1.10.3 for the impact assessment. The functional unit selected is one ton of material transported over 1 km. Our results for the baseline Chilean scenario indicate that diesel trucks have a considerably greater environmental impact in two of the five categories studied: global warming potential and stratospheric ozone depletion. The energy supply is the ‘hotspot’ for the electric truck life cycle, while the diesel truck life cycle has the operation and the energy supply as the main environmental impact sources due to the upstream and direct emissions associated with diesel supply and combustion, respectively. However, when considering particulate matter formation and water consumption, electric trucks exhibit higher impacts due to the technologies employed for generating the electricity used to charge their batteries. Furthermore, the environmental profile of the electric truck improves considerably when renewable sources of electricity substantially substitute coal in the electricity mix, as projected in the Chilean policy context. The main novelty of this study is that it is the first initiative comparing a battery-electric truck with a diesel truck considering an approach to the underground operation reality for the mining sector.