Teleconsultation for Preoperative Anesthesia Evaluation: Identifying Environmental Potentials by Life Cycle Assessment.

Introduction: Teleconsultations for preoperative evaluation in anesthesiology proved to be feasible during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, widespread implementation of teleconsultations has not yet occurred. Besides time savings and economic benefits, teleconsultations in anesthesia may have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions. Methods: We conducted a life cycle assessment based on prospective surveys to assess the potential environmental benefits of preoperative anesthesia teleconsultations in comparison to the status-quo in-person consultations. Within 1 month, all patients presenting at the preoperative anesthesia clinic at RWTH Aachen University Hospital were asked about the distance traveled and mode of transportation to the hospital. The main outcome measure was the potential environmental benefit resulting from the implementation of teleconsultations. Results: In total, 821 out of 981 patients presenting at the anesthesia clinic participated in the survey. Most patients visited on an outpatient basis (62.9%) and traveled by car (81.7%). The median travel distance was 25 km [interquartile range 12-40]. If patients who came to the hospital solely for the anesthesia appointment had scheduled virtual appointments, the emissions of 3.03-ton CO2 equivalents (CO2-eq) could be avoided in the first month after implementation. The environmental impact associated with the production of teleconsultation equipment is outweighed by the reduction in patient travel. If all outpatient appointments were performed virtually, these savings would triple. Within 10 years, more than 1,300 tons CO2-eq could be avoided. Conclusion: Teleconsultations can mitigate the environmental impact of in-person anesthesia consultations. Further research is essential to leverage teleconsultations for preoperative evaluation also across other medical specialties.

Recycling potential of carbon fibres in the construction industry: From a technical and ecological perspective.

Even though carbon fibres (CFs) have been increasingly used, their end-of-life (EOL) handling presents a challenge. To address this issue, we evaluated the use of recycled CFs (rCFs), produced through pyrolysis, as rovings to be used in textile reinforced concrete structures. Mechanical processing (hammer mill) with varying machine settings was then used to assess EOL handling, considering the separation potential of rCFs and the length of separated rCFs. The results showed that rCF rovings can be separated from concrete with an average of 87 wt.-%, whereas the highest rCF length and separation yield were observed in different machine settings. In addition, a techno-environmental assessment on the mechanical process was performed to compare different machine settings. The machine settings with the highest yield of rCF rovings also had the highest fine fraction that cannot be further separated. Furthermore, life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted covering three life cycles of CFs and an additional LCA for comparing rCF with virgin CF. LCA results revealed that CF reinforced plastic and concrete productions are the two main contributors to environmental impacts. The comparative LCA between virgin CF and rCF also showed that using rCF is environmentally advantageous, as virgin CF production causes 230% more global warming potential compared to rCF. Future studies assessing different allocation approaches, quantifying the quality of rCF, and its inclusion in LCA are relevant.