An abbreviated alternatives assessment process for product designers: a children’s furniture manufacturing case study

Alternatives assessment is becoming increasingly popular to evaluate the potential environmental and human health hazards of materials. A three step process was used to identify and evaluate alternative products for a children's furniture manufacturer. An alternatives assessment framework was developed to analyze alternative mattresses. The framework specifically addresses those environmental and safety attributes applicable to the product and the product components in accordance with the product’s intended use. The result of the assessment allowed the manufacturer to select the most environmentally friendly alternative and eliminate polyvinyl chloride from their product.     

An environmental impact assessment of quantum dot photovoltaics (QDPV) from raw material acquisition through use

Some emerging technologies are expected to be pivotal for solving many of the environmental challenges faced today, especially those related to energy. However, many of these technologies may incur significant environmental impacts over their life cycle, while having environmental benefits during their use. This paper presents results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a proposed type of nanophotovoltaic, quantum dot photovoltaic (QDPV) module. The LCA is confined to the stages of raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, and use. The impacts of QDPV are compared with other types of PV modules and energy sources - both renewable and nonrenewable. To provide a comprehensive comparative assessment, QDPV modules were compared with mature as well as emerging PV types for which data are available. Comparative assessment with other types of energy sources includes coal, oil, lignite, natural gas, diesel, nuclear, wind, and hydropower.QDPV modules may have the potential to overcome two current barriers of solar technology: low efficiencies and high manufacturing costs. If higher efficiencies are realized, QDPV modules could pave the way to large scale implementation of solar energy, helping nations move toward greater energy independence. On the other hand, candidate materials as quantum dots for solar cell applications are mostly compound semiconductors such as cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, and lead sulfide which may be toxic and for which renewable options are limited. Toxic effects of these materials may be exacerbated by their nanoscale features.The LCA was carried out using the software SimaPro, and the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database supplemented with available literature and patent information. Our results indicate that while QDPV modules have shorter Energy PayBack Time (EPBT), lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), SO_x and NO_x emissions than other types of PV modules, they have higher heavy metal emissions, underscoring the need for investigation of emerging technologies, especially nano-based ones, from a life cycle perspective. QDPV modules are better in all impact categories assessed than carbon-based energy sources but they have longer EPBT than wind and hydropower and higher GWP.     

LCA of eucalyptus wood charcoal briquettes

This paper sets out to describe the environmental impact assessment for wood charcoal briquettes produced from eucalyptus wood in Brazil, with specific reference to those impacts associated with Global Warming Potential. To achieve that objective, the work was undertaken in accordance with ISO 14040 "Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework" which describes essential LCA characteristics and good practices. Charcoal briquettes are produced from two basic raw materials, charcoal fines and starch. The fines result from the production of charcoal from sustainably managed eucalyptus plantations. Starch is extracted from babaçu pulp in the Amazon region. Multi-output processes were allocated based on income from the different by-products. The results showed that more than 90% of incoming CO₂ was due to biomass production for charcoal, and the remainder to starch biomass production. Based on Brazilian data, as well as information provided by the GaBi4.3 database, it turned out that supplying the energy content of 1 kg of briquettes resulted in the sequestration of 3.9690 kg of CO₂, i.e. around 4 kg of CO₂ per kg of briquettes produced. CO₂ emissions throughout the briquette production process are totally compensated for by the environmental quality of the raw materials used.     

石漠化山地复合生态系统评价——以广西平果县龙何屯生态重建示范区为例

以广西平果县龙何生态重建示范区的石漠化山地复合生态系统为例,依据试验研究及专家咨询的结果,构建了一个基于自然子系统、社会子系统、经济子系统的评价指标体系,采用层次分析法对指标体系中各指标的权重值进行了分析,应用指数评价模型对石漠化山地复合生态系统进行综合评估。层次分析结果表明,植被覆盖率、人类活动强度、物种多样性、物质生活指数、石漠化程度、水土流失程度等指标的权重值较大,是石漠化山地复合生态系统的重要影响因子;指数评价模型的评价结果表明,石漠化山地复合生态系统的总体质量较差,但通过生态示范区建设,改善复合生态系统中的植被状况,改善农业生产条件和推广先进农业技术,提高系统中人类的生活水平,可以使复合生态系统中社会、经济、环境3个子系统的转运功能逐渐趋于协调,总体质量逐渐好转。     

葛洲坝至古老背江段鱼类的水声学调查

2004年10月~2006年5月利用Bisonics DT-X科学回声探测仪(200 kHz)对葛洲坝至古老背-葛洲坝下游中华鲟(Acipenser sinensis Gray)自然保护区核心江段(30 km)的鱼类进行了5次水声学调查。结果表明：鱼类在该江段中分布呈现不均一性,深潭处分布集中,而急流处分布很少,葛洲坝至艾家河江段鱼的密度明显大于艾家河至古老背江段;在中华鲟产卵日,鱼类在葛洲坝至庙咀江段高度密集,2004年的平均密度达到62.62±24.77尾/1 000 m3,2005年的平均密度达到70.58±37.45尾/1 000 m3;整个江段中,体长60~106 mm的鱼类占有较高比例,约7.0%以上,53 mm以下的鱼类和750 mm以上的鱼类占较低比例,均小于2.0%;调查期间,探测到中华鲟产卵亲鱼,初步估算2004年的资源量约为1 453尾,2005年的资源量约为789尾;95%置信度下分别为1 370~1 537尾、775~803尾。     

Sedimentary record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Lake Erhai, Southwest China

The temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in a sediment core from Lake Erhal in Southwest China using gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method.The total organic carbon (TOC) normalized total PAHs concentrations (sum of US Environmental Protection Agency proposed 16 priority PAHs) ranged from 31.9 to 269 μg/g dry weight (dw),and were characterized by a slowly increasing stage in the deeper sediments and a sharp increasing stage in the upper sediments.The PAHs in the sediments were dominated by low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs,suggesting that the primary source of PAHs was low- and moderate temperature combustion processes.However,both the significant increase in high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs in the upper sediments and the vertical profile of diagnostic ratios pointed out a change in the sources of PAHs from low-temperature combustion to high-temperature combustion.The ecotoxicological assessment based on consensus-based sediment quality guidelines implied that potential adverse biological impacts were possible for benzo(ghi)perylenelene and most LMW PAHs.In addition,the total BaP equivalent quotient of seven carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (BaA,CHr,BbF,BkF,BaP,DBA and INP) was 106.1 ng/g,according to the toxic equivalency factors.Although there was no great biological impact associated with the HMW PAlls,great attention should be paid to these PAH components based on their rapid increase in the upper sediments.     

电镀行业清洁生产指标体系的修正

文章旨在通过剖析清洁生产指标体系建立的全过程,发现《电镀行业清洁生产指标体系(试行)》存在的缺陷与不足,并进行修正,采用层次分析法对修正后的定量指标体系赋权.最后选用三家电镀企业,对修正前后的指标体系进行评价与对比,并据此证明:修正后的指标体系更能客观评价企业真实的清洁生产水平.     

兰州银滩湿地5种植物对重金属吸附能力的分析

利用原子吸收分光光度法测定兰州银滩湿地5种植物及其生长土壤(表层)中Cu、Pb、Zn的含量,结果表明,采样区域表层土壤存在轻度Cu、Zn、Pb污染,其中Cu、Pb的来源或污染途径可能相同,且Cu、Zn、Pb的生物可利用性较低,TCLP生态风险评价显示均小于国际标准值;采样区域表层土壤Cu、Zn、Pb总量与TCLP提取量...     

南淝河沉积物有机物污染及其生态风险评价

参照文献报道的提取方法,利用GC和HPLC对南淝河不同河段沉积物中的四种浓度较高有机污染物(苯酚、氯代苯类、多环芳烃(PAHs)和邻苯二甲酸酯类(PAEs))进行了定量分析,结果表明其浓度高低顺序为多环芳烃类＞邻苯二甲酸酯类＞氯代苯类＞苯酚类.与世界各地表层沉积物中有机污染物的浓度进行对比,分析了南淝河各河段沉积物的有...     

生命周期评价应用于温室气体排放的研究进展

致使全球气候变暖的温室气体排放问题已经全面引起了人们的广泛关注。生命周期评价作为一种评价环境负荷的评价工具,用于科学定量地估算产品、服务及工艺流程改造等方面的温室气体排放有其独特的优势。文章介绍了估算温室气体排放简化生命周期的技术框架及生命周期评价方法在第一产业(种植业、畜牧业),第二产业(硬纸板加工、橡胶生产、废塑料燃烧的能源再利用)以及第三产业(交通运输、旅游业)的应用情况,并综述了三个产业中的主要系统边界划分原则以及对温室气体排放影响的主要因素;同时,介绍了我国在节能减排方面利用生命周期评价方法的研究与应用实例。