Impact of Nanoparticle Additions on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Ceramic Tiles Production.

The ceramic tile industry, with significant energy and material demands in its manufacturing processes, has employed technological innovations in energy efficiency, advanced equipment and tile thickness reduction to address these challenges. This study aimed to assess the impact of Ag2O, CuFe2O4, Fe3O4, and SiO2 nanoparticles (0%, 1%, and 5% by weight) on the mechanical strength, water absorption, and apparent thermal conductivity of ceramic tiles, as well as their capacity to reduce energy and raw material consumption. This reduction translates into a decrease in environmental impacts, which have been evaluated through life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology applied to the manufacturing processes. Nanoparticles (Ag2O, CuFe2O4, Fe3O4, and SiO2) were initially screened on TF clay (0%, 1%, 5% w/w), and the most effective were applied to CR1 and CR2 clays (0%, 1%, 5% w/w). Findings indicated a 32% increase in temperature gradient and a 16% improvement in flexural strength with the addition of Fe3O4 nanoparticle at 1% (w/w) in TF clay. Furthermore, there was a potential 48% reduction in energy consumption, and up to 16% decrease in tile weight or thickness without affecting the flexural strength property of the test tiles. LCA results demonstrated that the addition of Fe3O4 nanoparticle has potential reductions of up to 20% in environmental impacts. This study suggests that nanoparticle addition offers a viable alternative for reducing energy and material consumption in the ceramic tile industry. Future research should focus on assessing the economic impact of transitioning to a sustainable business model in the ceramic tile industry with nanoparticles addition.

Life Cycle Assessment of Functionalized Bionanocompounds with Ice Nucleation Protein for Freezing Applications.

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of functionalized bionanocompounds with ice nucleation protein (INP) as a novel approach for freezing applications in terms of how much energy is used during each step of freezing when water bionanocompound solutions were compared with pure water. According to the results of the manufacturing analysis, water required 28 times less energy than the silica + INA bionanocompound and 14 times less than the magnetite + INA bionanocompound. These findings showed that water used the least energy during the manufacturing process. In order to determine the associated environmental implications, an analysis of the operating stage was also conducted, taking the defrosting time of each bionanocompound during a 4 h work cycle into account. Our results showed that bionanocompounds may substantially reduce the environmental effects by achieving a 91% reduction in the impact after their use during all four work cycles in the operation stage. Additionally, given the energy and raw materials needed in this process, this improvement was more significant than at the manufacturing stage. The results from both stages indicated that, when compared with water, the magnetite + INA bionanocompound and the silica + INA bionanocompound would save an estimated 7% and 47% of total energy, respectively. The study's findings also demonstrated the great potential for using bionanocompounds in freezing applications to reduce the effects on the environment and human health.

Comparison by Life-Cycle Assessment of Alternative Processes for Carvone and Verbenone Production.

Verbenone and carvone are allylic monoterpenoid ketones with many applications in the fine chemicals industry that can be obtained, respectively, from the allylic oxidation of α-pinene and limonene over a silica-supported iron hexadecachlorinated phthalocyanine (FePcCl16-NH2-SiO2) catalyst and with t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as oxidant. As there are no reported analyses of the environmental impacts associated with catalytic transformation of terpenes into value-added products that include the steps associated with synthesis of the catalyst and several options of raw materials in the process, this contribution reports the evaluation of the environmental impacts in the conceptual process to produce verbenone and carvone considering two scenarios (SI-raw-oils and SII-purified-oils). The impact categories were evaluated using ReCiPe and IPCC methods implemented in SimaPro 9.3 software. The environmental impacts in the synthesis of the heterogeneous catalyst FePcCl16-NH2-SiO2 showed that the highest burdens in terms of environmental impact come from the use of fossil fuel energy sources and solvents, which primarily affect human health. The most significant environmental impacts associated with carvone and verbenone production are global warming and fine particulate matter formation, with fewer environmental impacts associated with the process that starts directly from turpentine and orange oils (SI-raw-oils) instead of the previously extracted α-pinene and limonene (SII-purified-oils). As TBHP was identified as a hotspot in the production process of verbenone and carvone, it is necessary to choose a more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient oxidizing agent for the oxidation of turpentine and orange oils.

A new approach of ecologically based life cycle assessment for biological wastewater treatments focused on energy recovery goals.

The energy potential of high-organic loaded agro-industrial effluents receiving biological treatment is often neglected, particularly in emergent regions, because of different technical and regulatory drawbacks. In addition, small alternative bioenergy sources are forced to compete disadvantageously with conventional energy supply, hindering their more extended exploitation. Thus, smart strategies to prove the environmental/economic potential of biogas and sludge produced in biological wastewater treatment systems (Bio-WWTs) are required to promote them as truly sustainable energy sources. In this view, the present study depicts a refined methodological framework for a more appropriate appraisal of Bio-WWTs promoting bioenergy recovery. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and emergy analysis (EmA) methods were merged around the statement of some identified and stated Principle-Criteria of Sustainability (PCS) for this kind of "water-energy nexus." As a result, a novel set of four single sustainability development indicators (SDIs) and one aggregated SDI were obtained to address sustainable conditions for valorization of bio-energy from agro-industrial Bio-WWTs. These indicators were made up of an environmental term coming from an LCA based on a system expansion approach as well as a second or "eco-economic" term obtained by means of EmA. This work introduces and shapes the "additionality" notion as an expression of overall sustainability and uses novel sustainability charts to interpret the obtained SDIs and their shifting or changes for different Bio-WWTs' life cycle scenarios. The "proof of concept" of this methodology is discussed along the obtained results for two case studies in Colombia.

Human urine fertiliser in the Brazilian semi-arid: Environmental assessment and water-energy-nutrient nexus.

This manuscript aimed to identify the energy demand, and environmental aspects and impacts of crop fertilisation with human urine when compared to using mineral fertilisers. The Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment methods were adopted covering the options from "cradle to grave". The fertilisation with human urine included the collection, storage, transportation, application and field emissions, while the fertilisation with mineral fertilisers included primary production of fertilisers, transportation, application and field emissions. The reference flows were based on the fertilisation of 1 ha of maize with 225 kg of nitrogen, 29 kg of phosphorus and 48 kg of potassium oxide. We analysed the environmental aspects such as nitrogen and phosphorus mass balance, energy demand and water depletion, as well as environmental impacts such as global warming, human toxicity, photochemical ozone formation, acidification, eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, water scarcity and resource depletion. The agricultural fertilisation with full volume of human urine closer to the source presented smaller energy demand and environmental impact indicator values when compared to solid mineral fertiliser, despite the uncertainties. The fertilisation with human urine was more advantageous with transportation distances up to 134 km (energy demand) and 84 km (environmental categories) by truck compared to 1841 km of mineral fertiliser. Ammonia volatilisation control was key to reduce acidification and eutrophication indicator values. When considering additional gains such as the reduction of water demand and wastewater generation from a waterless collection of human urine, the indicator values of environmental aspects and impacts of fertilisation with human urine were smaller than those with mineral fertiliser and reached a break-even point of 193 km (energy demand) and 185 km (environmental categories). The nutrient cycling through resource-based sanitation offers an opportunity to expand sanitation access with smaller environmental impacts and more efficient water-energy-nutrient nexus.

Life Cycle Assessment of prospective MSW management based on integrated management planning in Campo Grande, Brazil.

A crucial first step in transforming problematic waste management into sustainable integrated systems is comprehensive planning and analysis of environmental and socio-economic effects. The work presented here is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) that addressed the environmental performance of prospective development pathways for the municipal solid waste (MSW) management system in a large urban area, i.e. Campo Grande, Brazil. The research built on data and expanded the main development pathway proposed in the municipalities integrated waste management plan, which covers a period of 20 years (2017-2037). The system progression was assessed for milestone years (5-year intervals) considering projections of future population and waste generation growth, as well as addressing the development of surrounding systems, such as energy production. Results reveal that the rather conservative planned development pathway, which is largely based on gradual increase in selective collection, could successfully counter negative environmental externalities that would otherwise materialize due to increasing waste generation. A second, more ambitious, pathway with additionally scheduled actions to treat mixed MSW and upgrade certain treatment technologies (e.g. from composting to anaerobic digestion of collected organics), was used to illustrate a potential range for significantly higher impact reduction and even positive externalities, given a zero burden approach before waste generation.

Environmental improvement in the printing industry: the case study of self-adhesive labels.

Labels are used for marketing, technical information, local of production and environmental declarations of products. The aim of the study was to evaluate the life cycle of two sets of front and back adhesive labels made with different liners: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and glassine paper. The study is a pioneering initiative in the labelling industry using life cycle assessment, especially in Brazil. The attributional life cycle assessment method was based on the ISO 14044 standard and covered the entire life cycle, cradle to grave. Primary data for key suppliers, printing facility and label use composed the foreground data, while the ecoinvent database composed the background data. The material efficiency was assessed through mass balance. The impact assessment methods were cumulative energy demand for non-renewable energy and ILCD 2011 midpoint for the environmental categories. The glassine liner is heavier than the PET which resulted in larger environmental indicator values for production, transportation and waste treatment. On the other hand, energy demand of label set with glassine liner was lower than the PET. Furthermore, the hotspot analysis of each impact category was presented per process and substance. The label set made with glassine liner tended to present larger environmental indicator values in most categories, 13 of the 16 assessed, compared to the label set made with PET liner, despite the uncertainties. Contribution analysis identified that the pre-manufacturing step presented larger environmental indicator values than manufacturing, use and post-use steps along the label set life cycle. Therefore, environmental improvement opportunities were evaluated through scenarios of end of life, recycled inputs, domestic suppliers, waste prevention and product redesign. Moreover, the life cycle assessment was useful for diagnosing the energy and environmental profiles of self-adhesive labels and planning cleaner production measures that avoid environmental tradeoffs.

Environmental assessment of solar photo-Fenton processes in combination with nanofiltration for the removal of micro-contaminants from real wastewaters.

Scarcity of water and concerns about the ecotoxicity of micro-contaminants are driving an interest in the use of advanced tertiary processes in wastewater treatment plants. However, the life cycle environmental implications of these treatments remain uncertain. To address this knowledge gap, this study evaluates through life cycle assessment the following four advanced process options for removal of micro-contaminants from real effluents: i) solar photo-Fenton (SPF) operating at acidic pH; ii) acidic SPF coupled with nanofiltration (NF); iii) SPF operating at neutral pH; and iv) neutral SPF coupled with NF. The results show that acidic SPF coupled with NF is the best option for all 15 impacts considered. For example, its climate change potential is almost three times lower than that of the neutral SPF process (311 vs 928 kg CO2 eq./1000 m3 of treated effluent). The latter is the worst option for 12 impact categories. For the remaining three impacts (acidification, depletion of metals and particulate matter formation), acidic SPF without NF is least sustainable; it is also the second worst option for seven other impacts. Neutral SPF with NF is the second worst technology for climate change, ozone and fossil fuel depletion as well as marine eutrophication. In summary, both types of SPF perform better environmentally with than without NF and the acidic SPF treatment is more sustainable than the neutral version. Thus, the results of this work suggest that ongoing efforts on developing neutral SPF should instead be focused on further improvements of its acidic equivalent coupled with NF. These results can also be used to inform future development of policy related to the removal of micro-contaminants from wastewater.

Environmental assessment of existing and alternative options for management of municipal solid waste in Brazil.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate and compare three different categories of management systems for municipal solid waste (MSW) in Brazil: (1) mixed waste direct disposal systems, (2) separate collection systems, based on wet-dry streams, and (3) mixed waste mechanical-biological systems, including materials recovery. System scenarios were built around main treatment techniques available and applicable in developing countries, and considered barriers as well as potential synergies between waste management and other industrial production. In the first category systems, we measured the impact magnitude of improper disposal sites (semi-controlled and controlled dumps) still used for approximately 40% of collected MSW, and found that sanitary landfills could decrease it 3-5 fold (e.g. GWP, from 1100-1200 to 250-450 kg CO2 eq. t-1 waste). As an alternative, waste incineration did not show significant benefits over sanitary landfilling, due to limitations in energy utilization and the low-carbon background electricity system. Category two of systems, revealed recycling benefits and the necessity as well as potential risks of biological treatment for wet streams. Simple wet-dry collection could result in relatively high levels of contamination in compost outputs, which should be mitigated by intensive pre- and post-treatment. Potential impact of air emissions from biological degradation processes was important even after anaerobic digestion processes. Biogas upgrading and use as vehicle fuel resulted in bigger savings compared to direct electricity production. Lastly, category three, mechanical-biological systems, displayed savings in most environmental impact categories, associated with materials recovery for recycling and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production and utilization in cement manufacturing.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Wind Power Generation: Application of the Methodology and the Generator to Power System

ABSTRACT Sustainability and economics are current issues in the generation of electricity. The energy matrix is diversified and some forms have stood out, such as wind. Some tools have been developed to improve project efficiency, one of which is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This presents solidity when assisting projects financially and environmentally, evaluating materials and processes. The present study aimed to analyze the application of LCA in a wind power plant. After searching the main databases and using filters, the analysis was developed from the information of an article that described the application of the LCA to a wind power plant using computational simulation, providing an overview of the production and potential environmental impacts for the process manufacturing, parts maintenance, disposal and recycling at end of lifespan. The phases, steps and the threshold diagram of the LCA system were observed. The results showed a high rate of reuse/recycling of some materials and significant reductions in emissions, financial costs and abatement of environmental payback if the materials were recycled at the end of lifespan. Recycling has shown positive environmental aspects and a significant cost reduction, allowing the expansion of markets and optimization of wind projects.

Estimating 20-year land-use change and derived CO2 emissions associated with crops, pasture and forestry in Brazil and each of its 27 states.

Land-use change (LUC) in Brazil has important implications on global climate change, ecosystem services and biodiversity, and agricultural expansion plays a critical role in this process. Concerns over these issues have led to the need for estimating the magnitude and impacts associated with that, which are increasingly reported in the environmental assessment of products. Currently, there is an extensive debate on which methods are more appropriate for estimating LUC and related emissions and regionalized estimates are lacking for Brazil, which is a world leader in agricultural production (e.g. food, fibres and bioenergy). We developed a method for estimating scenarios of past 20-year LUC and derived CO2 emission rates associated with 64 crops, pasture and forestry in Brazil as whole and in each of its 27 states, based on time-series statistics and in accordance with most used carbon-footprinting standards. The scenarios adopted provide a range between minimum and maximum rates of CO2 emissions from LUC according to different possibilities of land-use transitions, which can have large impacts in the results. Specificities of Brazil, like multiple cropping and highly heterogeneous carbon stocks, are also addressed. The highest CO2 emission rates are observed in the Amazon biome states and crops with the highest rates are those that have undergone expansion in this region. Some states and crops showing large agricultural areas have low emissions associated, especially in southern and eastern Brazil. Native carbon stocks and time of agricultural expansion are the most decisive factors to the patterns of emissions. Some implications on LUC estimation methods and standards and on agri-environmental policies are discussed.

Avaliação do ciclo de vida e apoio à decisão em gerenciamento integrado e sustentável de resíduos sólidos urbanos / Life cycle assessment and decision making support in integrated and sustainable municipal solid waste management

O estudo da participação de diferentes atores sociais por meio de técnicas estruturadas de apoio à decisão na montagem de cenários ou alternativas futuras de coleta e tratamento de resíduos sólidos urbanos foi aplicado ao município de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Utilizando a ferramenta de avaliação de ciclo de vida foram avaliados oito cenários distintos, montados com a participação dos atores sociais e técnicos municipais. Diferentes alternativas de coleta (seletiva e conteinerizada) e de tratamento (reciclagem, compostagem, digestão anaeróbia, processos térmicos e disposição em aterro) foram consideradas. Conclui-se que a aplicação da avaliação de ciclo de vida facilita o apoio à decisão em sistemas municipais de gestão de resíduos sólidos urbanos, sendo que, no caso em estudo, o cenário mais sustentável foi construído pelos atores vinculados diretamente ao órgão municipal de gestão de resíduos.

The study of the participation of different stakeholders through structured techniques to support decision making in building future alternatives or scenarios for the collection and treatment of municipal solid waste was applied to the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Using the life cycle assessment tool, eight different scenarios, constructed with the participation of social stakeholders and municipal technicians, were evaluated. Different collection alternatives (selective and containerized) and treatment (recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, thermal processes and landfill disposal) were considered. We conclude that the application of the life cycle assessment tool facilitates decision-making support systems in municipal solid waste management. In our case study, the most sustainable scenario was built by municipal waste management stakeholders.