Environmental impact assessment of nanoparticles and nano-enabled products using LCA frameworks

Permanent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20212409
Title:
Environmental impact assessment of nanoparticles and nano-enabled products using LCA frameworks
Creator:
Pourzahedi, Leila (Author)
Contributor:
Eckelman, Matthew J. (Advisor)
Isaacs, Jacqueline A. (Committee member)
Bosso, Christopher (Committee member)
Larese-Casanova, Philip (Committee member)
Language:
English
Publisher:
Boston, Massachusetts : Northeastern University, 2016
Date Accepted:
May 2016
Date Awarded:
August 2016
Type of resource:
Text
Genre:
Dissertations
Format:
electronic
Digital origin:
born digital
Abstract/Description:
Forecasts show rapid expansion of the nanotechnology industry, with a global annual growth rate of more than 20% through this decade. Despite the performance benefits of using engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) for various applications, the environmental and health implications are not yet fully understood. Uncertainties still exist regarding potential nanomaterial emissions, their fate and transport in the environment, the human or environmental exposure and effects, and their relationship to particle specific characteristics. To address the environmental concerns, this research developed and applied life cycle assessment (LCA) models to evaluate ENMs and nano-enabled products.

LCA is a multi-criteria, systems analysis tool for quantifying their ecological and human health impacts of different products and processes during their life cycle, from material extraction to end-of-life. Environmental LCA entails coupled emission inventory, fate and transport, exposure, and effect modeling of pollutants, linking nanomaterials and nano-enabled products to various impact categories, including global warming potential, human health effects, and ecotoxicity. Four core nano-LCA studies were carried out, including: evaluation of a nanosilver-enabled commercial bandage from its material extraction to disposal, comparison of various nanosilver synthesis routes, investigation of contribution from nanosilver to production environmental impacts of various nanosilver containing products, and quantification of life cycle benefits of using nanotechnology as a substitute for conventional systems for a case of carbon nanotube-enabled electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields for satellites.

In contrast to the focus on nanomaterial releases in the literature, nanosilver synthesis impacts were shown to be of significance, driven by the upstream indirect impacts from silver extraction, regardless of the nanoparticle synthesis method. Ecotoxicity impacts of ENM manufacturing were found to be several times those of direct particle release during product use and disposal. The contribution of nanosilver to the overall burdens of nano-enabled product manufacturing was shown to be a function of nanosilver loading, product composition, and particle surface area. Finally, net energy benefits were established for the case of carbon nanotube EMI shielding in terms of savings in weight, fuel use and primary energy demand.

This work makes meaningful contributions to the field of nano-LCA through generation of consistent and comparative life cycle inventory data sets on manufacturing nanoparticles and nano-enabled products, as well as model development through function-based expression of results. Findings of these studies could potentially influence material and process selection, help prioritize of research and development measures including green chemistry efforts, and guide evolving policy discussions on nano labeling and regulation.
Subjects and keywords:
environmental impact assessment
life cycle assessment
nanotechnology
silver nanoparticles
Nanostructured materials -- Environmental aspects
Nanostructured materials -- Health aspects
Carbon nanotubes
Nanoparticles
Silver -- Industrial applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17760/D20212409
Permanent Link:
http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20212409
Use and reproduction:
In Copyright: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the right-holder(s). (http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/)
Copyright restrictions may apply.

Downloads