Comparative Life-Cycle Assessment of Liquefied Natural Gas and Diesel Tractor-Trailer in China

Many countries, especially China, have extensively promoted liquefied natural gas (LNG) to replace diesel in heavy-duty vehicles for to achieve sustainable transport aims, including carbon peaks and neutrality. We developed a life-cycle calculation model for environmental load differences covering vehicle and fuel cycles to comprehensively compare the LNG tractor-trailer and its diesel counterpart in China on a full suite of environmental impacts. We found that the LNG tractor-trailer consumes less aluminum but more iron and energy; emits less nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, nonmethane volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter but more greenhouse gases (GHG) and carbon monoxide (CO); and causes less abiotic depletion potential, acidification potential, and human toxicity potential impacts but more global warming potential (GWP) and photooxidant creation potential (POCP) impacts. Poor fuel economy was found to largely drive the higher life-cycle GHG and CO emissions and GWP and POCP impacts of the LNG tractor-trailer. Switching to the LNG tractor-trailer could reduce carbon dioxide by 52.73%, GWP impact by 44.60% and POCP impact by 49.23% if it attains parity fuel economy with its diesel counterpart. Policymakers should modify the regulations on fuel tax and vehicle access, which discourage improvement in LNG engine efficiency and adopt incentive polices to develop the technologies.

A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Gasoline Blending with Different Oxygenates in India

This paper includes a cradle-to-gate life cycle impact evaluation of gasoline blends in India. The potential environmental impacts of gasoline blends with three major components, i.e., methanol, ethanol, and n-butanol are assessed. The production of methanol from the natural gas reforming process, ethanol from hydrogenation with nitric acid, and n-butanol from the oxo process are considered in the current study. The results show that the gasoline blending with methanol has the lowest impact (11 categories) and is nearly constant from 5 to 15%. For gasoline with ethanol as an additive, the global warming potential, ozone depletion potential, and abiotic depletion potential rise with increasing ethanol addition. Meanwhile, increasing ethanol addition reduces the acidification potential and terrestric ecotoxicity potential impact of gasoline blends. Similarly, gasoline with n-butanol as an additive has higher acidification potential, eutrophication potential, human toxicity potential, terrestric ecotoxicity potential, marine aquatic ecotoxicity potential, and photochemical ozone creation potential compared to methanol and ethanol.

Behavioural, Histopathological, Genetic and Organism-Wide Responses to Phenanthrene-Induced Oxidative Stress in Eisenia Fetida Earthworms in Natural Soil Microcosms

Phenanthrene (PHE) contamination not only changes the quality of soil environment but also threatens to the soil organisms. There is lack of focus on the eco-toxicity potential of contaminants in real soil in the current investigation. Here, we assessed the toxic effects of PHE on earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in natural soil matrix. PHE exhibited a relatively high toxicity to E. fetida in natural soil, with the LC50 determined to be 56.68 mg kg−1 after a 14-day exposure. Excessive ROS induced by PHE, leading to oxidative damage to biomacromolecules in E. fetida, including lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and DNA damage. The antioxidant defense system (total antioxidant capacity, glutathione S-transferase, peroxidase, catalase, carboxylesterase, and superoxide dismutase) in E. fetida responded quickly to scavenge excess ROS and free radicals. Exposure to PHE resulted in earthworm avoidance responses (2.5 mg kg−1) and habitat function loss (10 mg kg−1). Histological observations indicated that the intestine, body wall, and seminal vesicle in E. fetida were severely damaged after exposure to high-dose PHE. Moreover, earthworm growth (weight change) and reproduction (cocoon production and the number of juvenile) were also inhibited after exposure to this pollutant. Furthermore, the integrated toxicity of PHE toward E. fetida at different doses and exposure times was assessed by the integrated biomarker response (IBR), which confirm that PHE is more toxic to earthworms in the high-dose and long-term exposure groups. Our results showed that PHE exposure induced oxidative stress, disturbed antioxidant defense system, and caused oxidative damage in E. fetida. These effects can trigger behavior changes and damaged histological structure, finally cause growth inhibition, genotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity in earthworms. The strength of this study is the comprehensive toxicity evaluation of PHE to earthworms and highlights the need to investigate the t eco-toxicity potential of exogenous environmental pollutants in a real soil environment.

Effects of Sarcocephalus latifolius Afzel. Ex R.Br. Leaf Powder on the Kidney Function of Alloxan-Induced Diabetes Rats

This study assessed the effects of Sarcocephalus latifolius Afzel. Ex R.Br. leaf powder on the kidney function of alloxan-induced diabetes rats. Forty-five healthy female albino rats were used in the experiment and assigned into 9 different groups. Diabetes was induced intravenously with 150 mg/kg body weight alloxan. Normal and diabetic rats were administered orally with 300, 600, 750mg/kg/ b.w of S. latifolius. After 28 days, the animals were sacrificed and blood with the kidney were harvested for biochemical and histological studies. In our result, significant (p<0.05) increase was observed in creatinine concentration of diabetic rats, which was significantly (p<0.05) decreased upon administration of 300 and 750 mg/kg body weight of Sarcocephalus latifolius leaf powder. No significant (p>0.05) difference was observed in the urea concentration of all the groups. Significant (p<0.05) difference in sodium concentration was only observed between the diabetic untreated and metformin treated groups whereas, potassium concentration varied significantly (p<0.05) across the groups. Certain degenerative changes in the kidney of normal and diabetic rats treated and untreated with S. latifolius leaf powder were observed but at a lower degree in the group treated with the 300 mg/kg/bw of the leaf powder. The result of this study showed the possible renal toxicity potential of the plant at high dose.

Penilaian Dampak Lingkungan Industri Tahu Menggunakan Life Cycle Assessment (Studi Kasus: Pabrik Tahu Sari Murni Kampung Krajan, Surakarta)

The problem faced by the tofu industry is waste management. So, it is necessary to do so that tofu waste does not pollute the environment by managing waste and emissions, efficient consumption of energy, materials, andwater. One way to identify environmental pollution is by Life Cycle Assessment. This study uses the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The LCA flow in this study is to determine goals and scopes, create inventory data, make grouping impacts and how much impact they generate, as well as interpreting to provide improvements. The functional unit in this study is 1 kg of tofu which is produced in 1 day. The results of this study were divided into five impact categories, namely, climate change, the most important being 2195 kg CO2, human toxicity potential at 2187 kg 1,4-Dikchloro benzene, eutrophication at 0.935 kg PO4, photo oxidant at 0.797 kg C2H4, and acidification at 15,915 kg. SO2. The recommended improvement alternative is to make efforts to use water efficiently during the tofu production process, including the need to clean the scale in the steam boiler to increase the volume of steam produced, so that the use of water and energy is more efficient.