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In order to enlarge the shelf life and avoid the waste of fresh-cut (FC) products, novel packaging techniques with antimicrobial properties have been proposed. In this work, we analyzed the potential environmental benefits of using films reinforced with bactericidal ZnO nanoparticles (NP) for FC produce packaging, when compared to the traditional polypropylene (PP) films. A biodegradable, polylactic acid (PLA) package and a non-biodegradable, polypropylene package, both coated with ZnO NP, were considered as novel technologies. The eco-profile of the considered alternatives was assessed via two life cycle assessments (LCAs). Firstly, an attributional LCA was performed in order to compare the materials in terms of their production and end of life (EOL) processes, allowing us to extend the conclusions to different food products. Secondly, a consequential LCA was performed taking into account the whole life cycle of the fresh vegetable, with special attention to the environmental implications of the produce losses among the chain. The uncertainties of the models were assessed via Monte Carlo approach. In both cases, the scenarios concerning the PLA and PP active packages with ZnO NP showed a better profile than the traditional techniques, specifically when considering the full supply chain of the FC vegetables in the consequential LCA. As agricultural production is the main contributor to the environmental impact of the cycle, the avoidance of wastes by extending the shelf life through the novel packages leads to the impact reduction of FC products.
Miguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa-Laza; Jv Alvarez Cabal; Francisco Ortega-Fernández. Sustainability Analysis of Active Packaging for the Fresh Cut Vegetable Industry by Means of Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7207 .
AMA StyleMiguel Vigil, Maria Pedrosa-Laza, Jv Alvarez Cabal, Francisco Ortega-Fernández. Sustainability Analysis of Active Packaging for the Fresh Cut Vegetable Industry by Means of Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):7207.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa-Laza; Jv Alvarez Cabal; Francisco Ortega-Fernández. 2020. "Sustainability Analysis of Active Packaging for the Fresh Cut Vegetable Industry by Means of Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 7207.
Fresh-cut vegetables, namely those that undergo processes such as washing, sorting, or chopping while keeping their fresh state, constitute an important market element nowadays. Among those operations, the washing step becomes really important due both to the extensive use of water resources and to the utilization of controversial water sanitizing agents, such as chlorine. To ideally eliminate those chlorinated compounds while decreasing water consumption, four novel filtrating technologies (pulsed corona discharge combined with nanofiltration, NF-PCD; classical ultrafiltration, UF; nanofiltration membranes integrating silver nanoparticles, NF-AgNP; and microfiltration with cellulose acetate membranes containing chitin nanocrystals, ChCA) have been proposed to eliminate any contaminating agent in recirculated water. Here, we performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental effects of introducing these new solutions and to compare those impacts with the burden derived from the current strategy. The novel technologies showed a decreased environmental burden, mainly due to the enhanced water recirculation and the subsequent decrease in energy consumption for pumping and cooling the water stream. The environmental gain would be maintained even if a certain amount of chlorine was still needed. This analysis could serve as an aid to decision-making while evaluating the introduction of new sanitizing techniques.
Miguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa Laza; Henar Moran-Palacios; Jv Alvarez Cabal. Optimizing the Environmental Profile of Fresh-Cut Produce: Life Cycle Assessment of Novel Decontamination and Sanitation Techniques. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3674 .
AMA StyleMiguel Vigil, Maria Pedrosa Laza, Henar Moran-Palacios, Jv Alvarez Cabal. Optimizing the Environmental Profile of Fresh-Cut Produce: Life Cycle Assessment of Novel Decontamination and Sanitation Techniques. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (9):3674.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa Laza; Henar Moran-Palacios; Jv Alvarez Cabal. 2020. "Optimizing the Environmental Profile of Fresh-Cut Produce: Life Cycle Assessment of Novel Decontamination and Sanitation Techniques." Sustainability 12, no. 9: 3674.
In the process of converting pig iron into steel, some co-products are generated—among which, basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag is highlighted due to the great amount generated (about 126 kg of BOF slag per ton of steel grade). Great efforts have been made throughout the years toward finding an application to minimize the environmental impact and to increase sustainability while generating added value. Finding BOF slag valorization is difficult due to its heterogeneity, strength, and overall swallowing, which prevents its use in civil engineering projects. This work is focused on trying to resolve the heterogeneity issue. If many different types of steel are manufactured, then different types of slag could also be generated, and for each type of BOF slag, there is an adequate valorization option. Not all of the slag can be valorized, but it can be a tool for reducing the amount that must go to landfill and to minimize the environmental impact. An analysis by means of data mining techniques allows a classification of BOF slag to be obtained, and each one of these types has a better adjustment to certain valorization alternatives. In the plant used as an example of the application of these studies, eight different slag clusters were obtained, which were then linked to their different potential applications with the aim of increasing the amount valorized.
Sara M. Andrés-Vizán; Joaquín M. Villanueva-Balsera; J. Valeriano Álvarez-Cabal; Gema Martinez-Huerta. Classification of BOF Slag by Data Mining Techniques According to Chemical Composition. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3301 .
AMA StyleSara M. Andrés-Vizán, Joaquín M. Villanueva-Balsera, J. Valeriano Álvarez-Cabal, Gema Martinez-Huerta. Classification of BOF Slag by Data Mining Techniques According to Chemical Composition. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (8):3301.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSara M. Andrés-Vizán; Joaquín M. Villanueva-Balsera; J. Valeriano Álvarez-Cabal; Gema Martinez-Huerta. 2020. "Classification of BOF Slag by Data Mining Techniques According to Chemical Composition." Sustainability 12, no. 8: 3301.
Rare earths have appeared in the market with new energy and Information Technology and Communications (ITC) applications. While their demand grows exponentially, their production is experiencing a bottleneck given that their deposits are concentrated in very few locations, mainly in China. This scarcity and dependence have turned them into strategic minerals, and the location of new sources has become vital. On the other hand, the inevitable trend towards sustainability favors the reuse of waste to avoid the degradation of new areas and the need for waste storage. One of the biggest generators of waste is iron mining. The tailings are stored in huge ponds with consequent environmental problems and risks. As tailings come from a concentration process, they incorporate different amounts of rare earths depending on their separation behavior. To evaluate the viability of these resources as potential repositories of rare earths, samples of different types of deposits and treatments were selected. The presence of different rare earths in them was determined through spectroscopy techniques to evaluate their use as a deposit. The results show an increase in the concentration of rare earths, especially high-density ones, which, although currently not economically feasible given the very wide geographical distribution of iron mining, represent a fundamental strategic reserve.
Henar Morán Palacios; Francisco Ortega-Fernandez; Raquel Lopez-Castaño; Jose V. Alvarez-Cabal. The Potential of Iron Ore Tailings as Secondary Deposits of Rare Earths. Applied Sciences 2019, 9, 2913 .
AMA StyleHenar Morán Palacios, Francisco Ortega-Fernandez, Raquel Lopez-Castaño, Jose V. Alvarez-Cabal. The Potential of Iron Ore Tailings as Secondary Deposits of Rare Earths. Applied Sciences. 2019; 9 (14):2913.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHenar Morán Palacios; Francisco Ortega-Fernandez; Raquel Lopez-Castaño; Jose V. Alvarez-Cabal. 2019. "The Potential of Iron Ore Tailings as Secondary Deposits of Rare Earths." Applied Sciences 9, no. 14: 2913.