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Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment
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Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2022) | Viewed by 63057

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vladimír Kočí

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Environmental Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: carbon footprint; environmental footprint; life cycle assessment; sustainability assessment; sustainable consumption; ecotoxicology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environment protection with the sustainable development of human society is one of today’s greatest challenges. This Special Issue of Sustainability focuses on articles and thematic challenges related to the sustainable production and consumption in the industrial and individual consumer scale. The development of environmental technologies is undoubtedly an important step in achieving environmental objectives. Without taking into account consumption and general human needs, sustainability will not be an achievable goal. The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together contributions aimed at reducing carbon footprint as well as the overall environmental impact of products and services. Sustainable technologies, technologies with lower carbon footprint, recycling and reuse of waste streams, sustainable energy, and fuels are all topics that are welcome in this special issue.

Prof. Dr. Vladimír Kočí
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Carbon footprint
  • Environmental product declaration
  • Life cycle assessment
  • Sustainability consumption
  • Environmental technology
  • Sustainable energy production

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review, Other

22 pages, 1402 KiB  
Article
The Carbon Footprint of Fruit Storage: A Case Study of the Energy and Emission Intensity of Cold Stores
by Martin Johannes du Plessis, Joubert van Eeden and Leila Louise Goedhals-Gerber
Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7530; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14137530 - 21 Jun 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2226
Abstract
Despite their importance in all transportation chains, logistical sites—and in particular refrigerated facilities—are the weakest link in current emissions literature. This is largely due to a lack of quantitative research that focuses on these facilities. This article is the first of its kind [...] Read more.
Despite their importance in all transportation chains, logistical sites—and in particular refrigerated facilities—are the weakest link in current emissions literature. This is largely due to a lack of quantitative research that focuses on these facilities. This article is the first of its kind to assess the emissions of eight refrigerated facilities that handle and store fresh fruit. In 2020, the analyzed facilities moved a total of 646,572 pallets of fresh fruit and emitted 32,225 t of CO2e. Five of the largest facilities were responsible for handling 18.83% of the total fresh fruit exported from South Africa during 2020. The results revealed that storing and handling a pallet of fruit in a large-scale commercial cold store requires 7.62 kWh of electricity per day. Storing and handling fresh fruit is carbon intensive since each pallet stored translates to 7.52 kg CO2e d−1. However, other factors such as the seasonality and volume of fruit handled, facility characteristics and the availability of solar electricity systems, among others, all have a significant impact on the emissions value of the facility and on the emission intensity per pallet moved through the facility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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17 pages, 3882 KiB  
Article
Integrated Carbon Footprint and Economic Performance of Five Types of Dominant Cropping Systems in China’s Semiarid Zone
by Danqi Luo, Gang Xu, Jiao Luo, Xia Cui, Shengping Shang and Haiyan Qian
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5844; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14105844 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1565
Abstract
Crop production requires large areas of land and makes an important contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Cleaner production of all crop types could be of great significance to realizing carbon neutrality as soon as possible. The present study adopted life cycle assessment (LCA) [...] Read more.
Crop production requires large areas of land and makes an important contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Cleaner production of all crop types could be of great significance to realizing carbon neutrality as soon as possible. The present study adopted life cycle assessment (LCA) combined with the profit accounting method of input-output to compare the differences in greenhouse gas emissions in the entire life cycle of apple (Malus pumila Mill.), grain maize (Zea mays L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), silage maize (Zea mays L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa Linn.) production in eastern Gansu Province with three functional units, including per ha of land, per ton of product, and per 10,000 yuan of output value. The results showed that apple had the largest carbon footprint per ha. Wheat had the largest carbon footprint per ton of product and per 10,000 yuan output. The results of LCA inventory sensitivity analysis showed that the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions for all crops were the production process of agricultural materials such as chemical fertilizer, machinery, and agricultural film. In particular, the excessive input of chemical fertilizer was the driving factor resulting in greenhouse gas emissions. Based on the study results, this paper also puts forward certain suggestions on the future land use of the cropping systems in the study area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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16 pages, 5688 KiB  
Article
The Carbon Inventory of the Reuse Phase’s Life Cycle: The Example of the Reconstruction of a Zero-Carbon Campus on an Unused Military Camp
by Hua-Yueh Liu and Hsi-Chieh Lee
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1064; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14031064 - 18 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1584
Abstract
Quemoy University has taken over Cemetery 2 region after it was released by the military. It became the school’s other campus, with plans to change the site from an unused military camp to a sustainable campus. The finished project will include a carbon [...] Read more.
Quemoy University has taken over Cemetery 2 region after it was released by the military. It became the school’s other campus, with plans to change the site from an unused military camp to a sustainable campus. The finished project will include a carbon inventory of the buildings and landscape of the original camp, and overall campus planning and design. Incorporating the concept of applying GIS, the planning and survey data mentioned above will be used as the basis for the future research design and implementation. Aerial maps will be combined with cadastral and topographic maps to establish a basic evaluation resource map: a site plan map, data point map, building carbon footprint map, and route carbon footprint map. The main carbon hotspot of each building’s life cycle total carbon footprint is 549,293.14 kgCO2e/30 yr. Through putting solar panel systems on the buildings’ rooftops and the 30 year landscape carbon inventory principle of no disturbance as the carbon offset, the unused military campus will become a zero-carbon campus. The maps above will act as carbon diagnostics for future campus operation carbon footprint analysis and provide the current situation of the campus’s environmental sustainability and future visual scenario simulations, helping decision makers to build a sustainable campus environment strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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15 pages, 4629 KiB  
Article
Open-Source Carbon Footprint Estimator: Development and University Declination
by Clément Auger, Benoit Hilloulin, Benjamin Boisserie, Maël Thomas, Quentin Guignard and Emmanuel Rozière
Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4315; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13084315 - 13 Apr 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 11149
Abstract
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut to limit climate change. Thus, universities, in the same way as citizens and companies, are starting to raise awareness about this issue and to take action to reduce their carbon footprint. Centrale Nantes, a French [...] Read more.
Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut to limit climate change. Thus, universities, in the same way as citizens and companies, are starting to raise awareness about this issue and to take action to reduce their carbon footprint. Centrale Nantes, a French “Grande école”, initiated a low carbon transition with the calculation of the 2018 carbon footprint of the university. This report presents an individual carbon footprint estimator developed within the scope of the university, based on the new open-source French national simulator called “Nos Gestes Climat” proposed by ABC (Association Bilan Carbone (Association for the implementation of Carbon footprint assessment)) and ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency). Development context and important features of the national version are described. Then, to meet university user’s expectations, feedback from a panel of testers has been collected in order to guide the declination development and promote good practices ensuring user engagement. The transparency of the data model, the accurate explanations, the variety of actions have been found to be key success factors for the development and the adoption of such a simulator. Results also suggested that users are keen to involve themselves in the university initiative to reach carbon neutrality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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23 pages, 3653 KiB  
Article
Learnings from Developing a Context-Specific LCA Tool for Buildings—The Case of LCAbyg 4
by Kai Kanafani, Regitze Kjær Zimmermann, Freja Nygaard Rasmussen and Harpa Birgisdóttir
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1508; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13031508 - 01 Feb 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3004
Abstract
Buildings are a major cause of global resource consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other impacts on the environment, originating from both operational energy and material use. Informed design decisions can help mitigate potential impacts on the environment, by the use of life [...] Read more.
Buildings are a major cause of global resource consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other impacts on the environment, originating from both operational energy and material use. Informed design decisions can help mitigate potential impacts on the environment, by the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) in the early project stages. In order to mitigate building environment impacts throughout the industry, architects and engineers need tools that are integrated in the design workflow and based on the information available. Existing LCA tools for building design professionals are predominantly embedded in a specific context such as a country or a sustainability scheme. This paper provides learnings for the development of context-tailored tools for building-LCA using the case of Denmark, with specific focus on GHG-emissions that are in focus worldwide. Based on stakeholder involvement, four key areas were defined: Default information, flexibility, environmental design feedback and transparent results. Tool functions include a component library and a quantity estimator for bridging incomplete building information. A comparison monitor displays the performance of design solutions selected in the model, while a number of graphs and tables provide analysis of inventory and results. Finally, a customisable model data export, a complete input/output file for revision and custom analysis are among key functions for transparency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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12 pages, 3345 KiB  
Article
Should the Same Products Consumed in Different Retail Channels Have an Identical Carbon Footprint? An Environmental Assessment of Consumer Preference of Retail Channels and Mode of Transport
by Jenhung Wang and Pei-Chun Lin
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 615; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13020615 - 11 Jan 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2212
Abstract
This study involved an environmental assessment of retail channels using the simplified life-cycle assessment (LCA) method to quantify the environmental impact of packaged beverages consumed in 7-Eleven convenience stores (c-stores) and Carrefour hypermarkets, with the aim of offering shoppers more environmentally friendly chain [...] Read more.
This study involved an environmental assessment of retail channels using the simplified life-cycle assessment (LCA) method to quantify the environmental impact of packaged beverages consumed in 7-Eleven convenience stores (c-stores) and Carrefour hypermarkets, with the aim of offering shoppers more environmentally friendly chain stores. The life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) of packaged drinks at the point of sale (POS) shows the environmental impact of (1) consumer transportation mode and (2) truck distribution. A comparative analysis was conducted on the consumption of 1800 cartons of packaged beverages in c-stores compared to hypermarket channels replenished by individual distribution systems. The paired t-test was used to assess the impact of the consumption of 1800 boxes of 24 packs of 10-ounce drinks. The significance level of the beverages consumed in Carrefour and 7-Eleven c-stores differed by 0.1. The logistics-focused LCA explained the environmental and business rationale for replenishment and sustainable customer transportation. We conclude that, due to consumer preference for retail channels and mode of transport, the carbon footprint for the same products consumed in different channels should not be identical. The research demonstrated a tool to convey more environmental profiles of transportation mode selection to consumers and contribute to building sustainable communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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23 pages, 4709 KiB  
Article
Carbon Footprint Assessment of Construction Waste Packaging Using the Package-to-Product Indicator
by Jan Pešta, Markéta Šerešová and Vladimír Kočí
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 10094; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122310094 - 03 Dec 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2175
Abstract
The environmental impacts of buildings are based on the construction products, which together with their packaging can be assessed as one product system. To reduce the environmental impacts of buildings, the products and their packaging need to be optimised and analysed using environmental [...] Read more.
The environmental impacts of buildings are based on the construction products, which together with their packaging can be assessed as one product system. To reduce the environmental impacts of buildings, the products and their packaging need to be optimised and analysed using environmental assessment. The purpose of this study is to assess the packaging related to the product according to the Life Cycle Assessment method. The environmental assessment was performed using the Product Environmental Footprint methodology, version 3.0. To compare the primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging, the results of the climate change indicator were used as a base to calculate the Package-to-Product (PtP) indicator. Among the considered scenarios to handle the waste packaging (landfilling scenario, material recovery scenario, energy recovery scenario, and the mixed scenario), the material recovery scenario is the most preferable and, for most of the packaging materials, the scenario with the lowest impact. Following the PtP result, the secondary packaging in the roof tile system has a significant share of the impact of the whole system (16% for the energy recovery scenario). Moreover, the results confirm the PtP indicator as the appropriate indicator to analyse the environmental impacts of construction products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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18 pages, 2630 KiB  
Article
Comparative Assessment of Carbon Footprints of Selected Organizations: The Application of the Enhanced Bilan Carbone Model
by Željko Jurić and Davor Ljubas
Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9618; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12229618 - 18 Nov 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2729
Abstract
Making organizations aware of their carbon footprint (CF) and proposing measures to reduce it are important segments of climate change mitigation. As a part of this process, an enhanced Bilan Carbone model with incorporated country-specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factors was applied for [...] Read more.
Making organizations aware of their carbon footprint (CF) and proposing measures to reduce it are important segments of climate change mitigation. As a part of this process, an enhanced Bilan Carbone model with incorporated country-specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factors was applied for CF calculations of three organizations (Agency, Faculty, and Institute). The model, fully in line with international CF calculation standards, can be applied to calculate the CF of any organization on the global level. The paper provides a comparative assessment of CFs of considered organizations and preconditions for a reliable comparison. The calculated CFs values for 2017 were 513.4 t CO2 e for the Agency, 4254.7 t CO2 e for the Faculty, and 477.0 t CO2 e for the Institute. Comparing specific CF, the Faculty had the highest value per employee (9.4 t CO2 e/employee) and the lowest value per heated area (131 kg CO2 e/m2), followed by the Institute (5.4 t CO2 e/employee and 222 kg CO2 e/m2) and the Agency (4.5 t CO2 e/employee and 294 kg CO2 e/m2). Using the enhanced Bilan Carbone model, adapted to national conditions, could lead to the harmonization of the organizations’ CF calculation and enable the identification of significant emission sources. This will facilitate the definition of GHG reduction targets and the identification of mitigation measures for achieving the targets, as presented in the example of the Institute. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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21 pages, 5342 KiB  
Article
The Development of a CO2 Emission Coefficient for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles with Different Road Slope Conditions Using Multiple Linear Regression, and Considering the Health Effects
by Natthakrit Bamrungwong, Varin Vongmanee and Wanchai Rattanawong
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6994; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12176994 - 27 Aug 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2456
Abstract
The current studies on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the impacts on public health focus mainly on evaluating CO2 emissions from two types of emission sources. The first is a fixed source type from industrial plants, which can be controlled [...] Read more.
The current studies on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the impacts on public health focus mainly on evaluating CO2 emissions from two types of emission sources. The first is a fixed source type from industrial plants, which can be controlled or easily evaluated. The second is a mobile source type from the transport sector, especially from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs), which produce high emissions. However, the common methods of evaluation of the average value of CO2 emissions per kilometer of a vehicle use a general Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) model that does not consider the topography or road conditions. This affects the accuracy of CO2 emission assessments and, in turn, affects the accuracy of any analysis needed to establish health policies and the management of public health within the affected area. In this paper, therefore, we present the development of emission coefficient calculations with varying topography conditions for MHDVs with consideration of the health effects on the populace. The study area was the Asian highway network in Thailand that passes through all regions and is geographically diverse. Data were collected from the Department of Highway’s records, global positioning system (GPS) and electronic control unit (ECU) with data consisting of road data, slope, distance, traffic level and vehicle weight, as well as fuel consumption along the transportation route. To analyze and map out the correlation of the CO2 emission coefficients for each road slope, we determined the coefficient of the CO2 emissions using multiple linear regression analysis and validated this using Huber–White robust standard errors for heteroscedasticity. This method was more cost-efficient and time-efficient compared to the conventional approaches. We also created CO2 emission maps with risk points for health effects, and we propose policy designs and plans to manage the traffic level in each of these areas prone to higher levels of such emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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13 pages, 2613 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Electronic Retail of Household Products
by Jan Matuštík and Vladimír Kočí
Sustainability 2020, 12(11), 4604; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12114604 - 04 Jun 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3716
Abstract
Electronic shopping is getting more and more popular, and it is not only clothes and electronics that people buy online, but groceries and household products too. Based on real-life data from a major cosmetics and household products retailer in the Czech Republic, this [...] Read more.
Electronic shopping is getting more and more popular, and it is not only clothes and electronics that people buy online, but groceries and household products too. Based on real-life data from a major cosmetics and household products retailer in the Czech Republic, this study set to assess the life cycle environmental impact of parcel delivery. Two archetype parcels containing common household and hygiene products were designed and packed in two distinct ways, and the environmental impact was quantified using the Life Cycle Assessment method. It showed that it is environmentally beneficial to use plastic cushions to insulate the goods instead of paper. However, the most important process contributing to the environmental burden was found to be electricity consumption in the logistics center. Hence, the importance of energy efficiency and efficient space utilization was demonstrated on alternative scenarios. Since the cardboard box the goods are packed in turned out to be another important contributor, an alternative scenario was designed where a reusable plastic crate was used instead. Even though the scenario was based on several simplistic assumptions, it showed a clear potential to be environmentally beneficial. In the study, contribution of other processes was scrutinized, as well as sensitivity to variation of parameters, e.g. transportation distances. The main scientific contribution of this work is to show the importance of logistics and distribution of products to end customers in the rapidly developing field of electronic retail of household products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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26 pages, 5118 KiB  
Article
Carbon Footprint of Lamb and Wool Production at Farm Gate and the Regional Scale in Southern Patagonia
by Pablo L. Peri, Yamina M. Rosas, Brenton Ladd, Ricardo Díaz-Delgado and Guillermo Martínez Pastur
Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3077; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12083077 - 11 Apr 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 10775
Abstract
Natural steppe grasslands are the principal food resource for sheep in the Patagonia region, reared for meat and wool. However, there is currently a concern about the relationship between ruminant livestock and climate change due to its contribution to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) [...] Read more.
Natural steppe grasslands are the principal food resource for sheep in the Patagonia region, reared for meat and wool. However, there is currently a concern about the relationship between ruminant livestock and climate change due to its contribution to anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this study was to determine the carbon footprints (CF) of sheep meat (lamb) and wool on a range of farms using empirical data collected on farm and then upscaled to the regional scale using models that use topographic, climatic, and vegetation indices as independent variables. At the regional level, the total CF of lamb and wool (the combination of emissions produced on farm, via transport, and via industrial processing) varied from 10.64 to 41.32 kg CO2-eq/kg for lamb meat (carcass) and from 7.83 to 18.70 kg CO2-eq/kg for fine-grade wool. For both, the predominant contribution was from primary production on-farm (75–90%), followed by industrial processing (2–15%), and transportation. We used multiple regression models to produce maps of lamb and wool CF at farm gate across Santa Cruz province. The model for variation of lamb CF explained 95% of the variance on the data and the most significant predictor variables were temperature seasonality and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, dimensionless). The most important variables for the model of CF of greasy wool production at farm gate were isothermality, temperature seasonality, and NDVI explained 98%. The lowest CF values of both products (lamb and wool) were located in more productive grasslands. The successful management of livestock GHG emissions becomes an important challenge to the scientific, commercial, and policy communities. The results of CF for lamb and wool production found in the present work assist in characterizing the greenhouse gas emissions profile of livestock products in Southern Patagonia by providing a baseline against which mitigation actions can be planned and progress monitored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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17 pages, 1401 KiB  
Article
Proposal of Package-to-Product Indicator for Carbon Footprint Assessment with Focus on the Czech Republic
by Markéta Šerešová and Vladimír Kočí
Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 3034; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12073034 - 10 Apr 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4438
Abstract
Today, packaging is an integral part of most foods and beverages. However, excessive and just one-time applications of packaging can bring about indisputable environmental impacts in the form of large amounts of waste generated. If we want to monitor the environmental impacts of [...] Read more.
Today, packaging is an integral part of most foods and beverages. However, excessive and just one-time applications of packaging can bring about indisputable environmental impacts in the form of large amounts of waste generated. If we want to monitor the environmental impacts of packaging materials, it is advisable to assess them in a complex way including not only the specific packaging but also specific products. No universal methodology currently exists that would enable this type of complex assessment regarding the environmental impacts of packaging in relation to particular products. Therefore, the aim of our study was to develop and test a Package-to-Product (PtP) indicator. For this purpose, the life cycle assessment (LCA) was employed to analyse four selected products considering different life cycle stages of packaging and their impacts on the climate change category. The results of the study confirm that the values of the PtP indicator significantly differ for various products, thus emphasising the need to establish a uniform methodology for individual product groups, such as meat, dairy and vegetable products or beverages. The application of this indicator, however, enables a clear impact assessment of different packaging materials and allows the packaging manufacturers to reduce their overall environmental impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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Review

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30 pages, 2780 KiB  
Review
Status of Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A Case Study of South Korea
by Golden Odey, Bashir Adelodun, Sang-Hyun Kim and Kyung-Sook Choi
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6234; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13116234 - 01 Jun 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5135
Abstract
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as an environmental-impact assessment tool has received increasing attention over the years. Unlike the water footprint (WF) and carbon footprint (CF) assessments, whose focus is only on a single environmental aspect, the LCA systematically analyzes the different impacts [...] Read more.
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as an environmental-impact assessment tool has received increasing attention over the years. Unlike the water footprint (WF) and carbon footprint (CF) assessments, whose focus is only on a single environmental aspect, the LCA systematically analyzes the different impacts along the entire life cycle, making possible the identification of potential environmental tradeoffs. In Korea, LCA has drawn much attention from both industry and academia since the mid-1990s. However, the level of Korean-related LCA studies with respect to different sectors in the last 20 years has not been analyzed. This study, therefore, sought to assess the status of environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies in South Korea. Specifically, the study focused on a bibliometric review of LCAs conducted in South Korea in the last 20 years and identified potential research gaps. Online searches of English-written articles published between 2000 and 2019 were conducted on Google, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, using eligible keywords. At the end of the search, about 91 LCA-related studies were discovered for South Korea within the study period. The majority of these studies focused on the construction (47%) and energy (30%) sectors, with fewer environmental studies on manufacturing (11%), transportation (9%), agriculture (2%), and information and communication (1%) industries. Based on publication trends, results show that LCA studies in South Korea have been on the rise in the past 20 years, even though the number of publications has not followed a constant pace. In comparison with the economic sectors of the country, reports show an inadequacy in the coverage of major industries of growing economic relevance, such as tourism, health, and agriculture, suggesting a need to increase and improve LCA-related studies in these sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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18 pages, 1202 KiB  
Review
An Overview of Economic Analysis and Environmental Impacts of Natural Gas Conversion Technologies
by Freida Ozavize Ayodele, Siti Indati Mustapa, Bamidele Victor Ayodele and Norsyahida Mohammad
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 10148; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122310148 - 04 Dec 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4594
Abstract
This study presents an overview of the economic analysis and environmental impact of natural gas conversion technologies. Published articles related to economic analysis and environmental impact of natural gas conversion technologies were reviewed and discussed. The economic analysis revealed that the capital and [...] Read more.
This study presents an overview of the economic analysis and environmental impact of natural gas conversion technologies. Published articles related to economic analysis and environmental impact of natural gas conversion technologies were reviewed and discussed. The economic analysis revealed that the capital and the operating expenditure of each of the conversion process is strongly dependent on the sophistication of the technical designs. The emerging technologies are yet to be economically viable compared to the well-established steam reforming process. However, appropriate design modifications could significantly reduce the operating expenditure and enhance the economic feasibility of the process. The environmental analysis revealed that emerging technologies such as carbon dioxide (CO2) reforming and the thermal decomposition of natural gas offer advantages of lower CO2 emissions and total environmental impact compared to the well-established steam reforming process. Appropriate design modifications such as steam reforming with carbon capture, storage and utilization, the use of an optimized catalyst in thermal decomposition, and the use of solar concentrators for heating instead of fossil fuel were found to significantly reduced the CO2 emissions of the processes. There was a dearth of literature on the economic analysis and environmental impact of photocatalytic and biochemical conversion processes, which calls for increased research attention that could facilitate a comparative analysis with the thermochemical processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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Other

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8 pages, 803 KiB  
Brief Report
MPN Drop Agar Method for Determination of Heterotrophic Microorganisms in Soil and Water Samples Using Tissue Plate as a Carrier
by Jana Chumchalová and Martin Kubal
Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8252; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12198252 - 07 Oct 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3522
Abstract
The most probable number (MPN) method is a culture-based method commonly used in the field of environmental microbiology to examine microbial populations in liquid substrates. The MPN tests require a wide range of special laboratory equipment, a lot of laboratory space, and skilled [...] Read more.
The most probable number (MPN) method is a culture-based method commonly used in the field of environmental microbiology to examine microbial populations in liquid substrates. The MPN tests require a wide range of special laboratory equipment, a lot of laboratory space, and skilled staff, which together limit their applicability. This paper presents a modified MPN method, which reduces the experimental requirements by applying tissue plate as a carrier. The modified MPN method introduces a fast-filled tissue plate with 5 × 5 squares as agar carrier, instead of the commonly used set of glass tubes. Further, self-refilling automatic syringe Socorex® was implemented to apply samples to the plate. The response of the modified MPN method was tested on eight selected bacterial strains as well as on soil and water samples. Simultaneously, all the strains and samples were tested by standard spread plate method. High linear correlation between the two methods was found, which makes a new modified MPN method a useful alternative within the field of environmental microbiology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Assessment)
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