The feasibility of including sustainability in LCA for product development

The feasibility of combining the concept of sustainability principles and the methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is examined. The goal is to achieve an operational tool that incorporates sustainability in product development and strategic planning. While the method outlined has the structure of LCA, it emphasises aspects and parameters often omitted from traditional LCA. The analysis and results can be either qualitative or semi-quantitative. Although a qualitative analysis is less time consuming, it can still highlight the important issues. Qualitative information, which is easily lost in a quantitative analysis, can be emphasised. One of the conclusions is that the method is well suited for screening analysis.     

Integrated nutrient management and waste recycling for restoring soil fertility and productivity in Japanese mint and mustard sequence in Uttar Pradesh, India

Supplementing the nutrient requirement of crops through organic manures plays a key role in sustaining soil fertility, and crop productivity and reducing use of fossil fuels. Field experiments were conducted for 2 years at two different locations (i.e. Lucknow and Pantnagar) in Uttar Pradesh, India. The objectives of the study were to assess the herb and essential oil yields of Japanese mint (Mentha arvensis cv. Hy 77), and its nutrient accumulation under single and combined applications of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers (NPK). Changes in physical and chemical characteristics of the soils (Fluvisols, Mollisols) were also determined. Eight treatments comprising different combinations of NPK through inorganic fertilizers and farm yard manure (FYM) were compared. The distilled waste of mint after extraction of essential oil was recycled to soils in the plots to supplement the nutritional requirement of the succeeding mustard crop (Brassica juncea cv. Pusa Bold). Herb and essential oil yield of mint were significantly higher with combined application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients as compared to single applications. Accumulation of N and P was at par under full inorganic and combined supply whereas, K accumulation was higher with the former. Soil organic C and pH after harvest of mint did not significantly differ among the treatments, but the level of mineralizable N, Olsen-P and NH₄OAc extractable K were higher in soil with integrated supply of nutrients. Significant increase in soil water stable aggregates, organic C, available NPK and microbial biomass, and decrease in soil bulk density were observed with waste recycling over fertilizer application. These benefits were reflected in the seed and stubble yield of mustard which succeeded mint. This study indicates that combined application of inorganic fertilizers with organics helps in increasing the availability of nutrients and crop yield and provides a significant effect to the succeeding crop. Similarly, recycling crop residues reduces the need for fossil fuel based fertilizer, and helps in sustaining and restoring soil fertility in terms of available nutrients and major physical and chemical characteristics of the soil.     

沈阳张士污灌区镉循环的分室模型与污染防治对策研究

对沈阳张士污灌区大气、水、土壤和生物各分室中Ｃｄ的库存量和各分室间Ｃｄ的循环通量进行了研究，建立了土壤－水稻系统中Ｃｄ流分室模型。该模型表明，Ⅱ闸和Ⅲ闸地区土壤分室中Ｃｄ的库存增量均为正值。可见，该污灌区近年来Ｃｄ污染程度由于污水灌溉仍然处于加剧的趋势。研究最后指出，该污灌区Ｃｄ的污染防治对策主要是减少污水灌溉量、进一步降低灌溉水中Ｃｄ的浓度和通过富Ｃｄ植物收获带走Ｃｄ．其中，以野生苋的收获带走Ｃｄ最有意义，它可使Ⅱ闸和Ⅲ闸地区Ｃｄ的下降速率分别依次达到２９．４９和２２．８１ｍｇ／（ｍ￣２·ａ）。     

浙江三界、谷来地区1/5万区域地质调查工作的主要进展

三界谷来地区主要出露中、新生代火山岩。进行 １／５万区域地质调查时，采用火山活动旋回－火山构造－火山地层－岩相、岩性－体化思路，按照同旋回火山机构或火山喷发区为单元，确定岩石地层单位和填图单元。火山岩划分为九种岩相类型，建立了两个岩相模式和一个三相一体成因模式。根据火山岩浆作用的旋回性及其产物与火山构造形迹时、空、成因一致性原理，将中、新生代火山岩浆作用分为四个火山活动旋回，圈定了相应的火山机构或火山喷发中心，建立了竹田头复活破火山演化模式。新生代玄武岩中发现二辉斜长麻粒岩等深源包体，为研究区域深部地质作用过程提供了证据。侵入岩按岩石谱系单元划分了七个岩石单元一个超单元，将侵入岩－潜火山岩－火山岩作为岩浆作用整体研究，为正确阐明岩浆作用及其演化规律奠定了基础。区域线型构造发育，与环形火山构造组合，形成火山岩区特有的线一环构造格局。中上元古界陈蔡群变质岩划分为上、下两个岩组，探讨了变质岩的原岩性质及其形成的大地构造环境。     

Software as a bridge between theory and practice in life cycle assessment

Three mutually dependent elements are required for the application of life cycle assessment: methodology, data and software. Obviously, the design of software is determined by the methodology and the type of data available. Conversely, the development of software dictates the way in which data should be collected and recorded, and improves the theoretical framework, as it forces one to state the principles clearly and unambiguously. The influence of the development of software on both data and methodology is addressed and illustrated by examples, with reference to two key terms: transparency and explicitness. Three types of influence are distinguished: the design of a protocol, the formulation in terms of recipes, and the presentation of data.     

Biogeochemical sulphur cycle in Haihe River Basin

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Laws of annual nutrient uptake in a Paulownia plantation

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The application of life cycle assessment to design

This paper explores the practical application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to product system development. While life cycle assessment methods have been studied and demonstrated extensively over the last two decades, their application to product design and development has not been critically addressed. Many organizational and operational factors limit the integration of the three LCA components (inventory analysis, impact assessment and improvement assessment) with product development. Design of the product system can be considered a synthesis of individual decisions and choices made by the design team, which ultimately shape the system's environmental profile. The environmental goal of life cycle design is to minimize the aggregate environmental impacts associated with the product system. Appropriate environmental information must be supplied to decision makers throughout each stage of the development process to achieve this goal. LCA can serve as a source of this information, but informational requirements can vary as the design moves from its conceptual phase, where many design choices are possible, to its detailed design and implementation. Streamlined approaches and other tools, such as design checklists, are essential. The practical use of this tool in product development also depends on the nature and complexity of the product system (e.g. new vs. established), the product development cycle (time-to-market constraints), availability of technical and financial resources, and the design approach (integrated vs. serial). These factors will influence the role and scope of LCA in product development. Effective communication and evaluation of environmental information and the integration of this information with cost, performance, cultural and legal criteria will also be critical to the success of design initiatives based on the life cycle framework. An overview of several of these design initiatives will be presented.     

生态农业建设中的水资源生命周期及系统功能响应

论文从生命周期角度，对原先自然环境恶劣、通过生态农业建设取得了良好效果的3个生态农业县的水资源利用进行了全过程研究。结果表明，水资源生命周期过程的进展情况受多种因素影响。目前，各生态农业县水资源生命周期过程仍处在发育的初级阶段。这一过程的完整性与系统生态、经济和社会功能的提高成正比。     

The effects of land use and its patterns on soil properties in a small catchment of the Loess Plateau

Due to relatively strong human activities in the hilly area of Loess Plateau,the natural vegetation has been destroyed,and landscape pattern based on agricultural land matrix was land use mosaic composing of shrub land,grassland,woolland and orchard.This pattern has an important effect on soil moisture and soil nutrients.The Danangou catchment,a typical small catchment,was selected to study the effects of land use and its patterns on soil moisture and nutrients in this paper.The results are as follows:The comparisons of soil moisture among seven land uses for wet year and dry year were performed:(1)the average of soil moisture content for whole catchment was 12.11% in wet year,while it was 9.37% in dry year;(2)soil moisture among seven land uses was significantly different in dry year,but not in wet year;(3) form wet year to dry year,the profile type of soil moisture changed from decreasing type to fluctuation-type and from fluctuant type to increasing type;(4)the increasing trend in soil moisture from the top to foot of hillslope occurred in simple land use along slope,while complicated distribution of soil moisture was observed in multiple land uses along slope.The relationships between soil nutrients and land uses and landscape positions were analysed:(1)five nutrient contents of soil organic matter(SOM),total N(TN),available N(AN),total P(TP) and available P(AP) in hilly area were lower than that in other areas.SOM content was less than 1%,TN content less than 0.07%,and TP fallow land and cropland,and higher level in soil fertility was found in crop-fruit intercropping land among croplands;(3)soil nutrient distribution and responses to landscape positions were variable depending on slope and the location of land use types.