20.500.12556/DiRROS-18095-5a543753-3b9b-f76e-de61-582d9c6211b7 Quantifying the environmental implication of cotton-fiber-based nanocrystalline cellulose a life-cycle assessment Considering the increasing demand for nanocrystalline-cellulose in the industry, due to its exceptional physical and biological properties, cheaper and more efficient production processes are sought. Addressing environmental concerns, especially within the framework of EU policies, this study employs Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental performance of a novel nanocrystalline-cellulose production procedure, encompassing biomass depolymerization, rinsing, and bleaching. The LCA aims to identify environmental hotspots, explore mitigation measures, and enables comparisons with other LCA studies on nanocrystalline-cellulose. The results are calculated and reported for 19 environmental impact categories, using the ReCiPe 2016 impact assessment method. The production of 1 kg of dry nanocrystalline-cellulose using the novel process emits 63.7 kg CO2 equivalent, which is lower than the literature average (68 kg CO2 equivalent). The solvent (e.g. diethylene glycol) is the major contributor to the global warming potential and fossil-fuel depletion potential in the product stage of the nanocellulose, while the electricity requirements and glycerin represent environmental hotspots regarding 15 of the 19 impact categories assessed. In terms of the water-consumption potential, the environmental hotspot is production of raw materials (e.g. cotton fibers). Electricity contributes more than 50 % of the burden to the impact categories associated with ionizing radiation, the pollution of aquatic ecosystems and human toxicity related to cancer. It also holds a significant share of the burdens for terrestrial acidification (48 % of the impact), the formation of fine particulate matter (46 % of the impact), and human toxicity related to non-cancer diseases (37 % of the impact). This underscores the importance of optimizing the production process, possibly through upscaling. Additionally, incorporating on-site renewable energy sources and utilizing biomass-derived diethylene glycol can enhance the environmental performance of nanocrystalline-cellulose. LCA cascade use cellulose nanocrystals pilot production environmental performance LCA kaskadna raba kristalinična nanoceluloza pilotna proizvodnja okoljski odtisi true false true Elsevier B.V. Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik © 2024 The Authors. Neznano 2024-02-06 06:58:02 2024-02-06 07:17:26 2024-03-27 08:04:03 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2024 0 0 Available online 29 December 2023, in press, journal pre-proof; Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 10.1. 2024; str. 192-202 Vol. 45 Mar. 2024 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2023-12-29 620.1/.2 2352-5509 10.1016/j.spc.2023.12.026 180321027 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550923003019 1 b157f31e-c4b4-11ee-8001-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=24583 RAZ_Malovrh_Rebec_Katja_2024.pdf RAZ_Malovrh_Rebec_Katja_2024.pdf 1 CE06389AFE934DC98938047B1F1C55E4 31a80d1a70495bc34a2777db58ff1be759ad929db95a75fecfdb689faf08ca5a 5eed6183-c4b7-11ee-8001-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=24584 Zavod za gradbeništvo Slovenije 0 0 0