1. |
- Andersen, Maj Munch, et al.
(författare)
-
Green Nanotechnology in Nordic Construction: Eco-innovation Strategies and Dynamics in Nordic Window Value Chains
- 2010
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This project analyzes Nordic trends in the development and industrial uptake of green nanotechno-logy in construction. The project applies an evolutionary economic perspective in analyzing the innovation dynamics and firm strategies in the window value chains in three Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Hence the project investigates two pervasive parallel market trends: The emergence of the green market and the emergence of nanotechnology. The analysis investigates how a traditional economic sector such as the construction sector reacts to such major trends.Conclusions are multiple, but among the most important are: Eco-innovation has become the perhaps most important driver for innovation in the construction sector. Search into eco-innovative business opportunities is intense among all companies along the three analyzed Nordic window chains. While we generally find a low uptake of nanotechnology in the construction sector in the Nordic countries we do find quite a high number of nanotech applications in the Nordic window chains. Eco-innovation is influencing strongly on the nanotech development. We see several examples of nano-enabled smart, multifunctional green solutions in the Nordic window chains already or about to having a commercial impact. Currently, it seems the greening of markets is beginning to affect the roles different companies play in the chain. We see a marked shift towards more sys-temic, smart eco-innovative solutions which fit well with nanotech opportunities. Overall, the recent greening of the market seems to be opening a window of opportunity for nanotechnology in the Nordic countries but the widespread discreet firm strategizing towards nanotechnology may reduce the exploitation of these.
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
- Andersson, Johnn, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
On the functional and structural scope of technological innovation systems – A literature review with conceptual suggestions
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. - 2210-4224 .- 2210-4232. ; 49
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper reviews how the functional and structural scope of technological innovation systems (TIS) are understood in the literature. We find that it is often unclear if the system function involves innovation, production or both, and a lack of agreement as to whether structural elements are social or social and technical. Since these issues risk hindering cumulative knowledge development and conceptual advancements, we argue that a clear and shared underlying system model is needed. Taking steps in this direction, we propose that the function of a TIS is to develop and shape a specific technology; that this technology can be understood as a production-consumption system; and that the structural elements of a TIS are social, technical and possibly ecological. In addition, we offer guidance to boundary-setting in empirical case studies. We hope that the paper will inspire continued conceptual development in the TIS community and beyond.
|
|
4. |
- Andersson, Johnn, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Photovoltaics in Sweden – Success or failure?
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-0690 .- 1364-0321. ; 143
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Promoting global energy transitions while stimulating domestic industrialization requires national policymaking that shapes technological innovation towards specific outcomes. Although this is inherently difficult, historical case studies may bring a better understanding of innovation dynamics and thereby guide the design of future policy interventions. The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the emergence of Swedish photovoltaics technology from a policy perspective. Our main aim is to provide a retrospective account of historical developments, but we also derive more general insights about technological innovation and related policy challenges. The paper departs from an adapted analytical framework based on the technological innovation systems approach. Our review identifies four decades of Swedish research that has largely failed to drive domestic commercialization, the rise and fall of an industry that mainly served international markets, and a rapidly growing domestic market based on imported products. This situation is the result of mismatches and fragmentation among key innovation processes, which have not been addressed by strategic policy interventions. We suggest that policymakers should promote a full range of innovation processes and consider making innovation support subject to a payback mechanism that delivers a return on public investments even if industries and markets emerge abroad. Our study also demonstrates how the technological innovation systems approach can be extended to include the function commercialization and emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the directionality of technological innovation processes.
|
|
5. |
- Andersson, Johnn, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Shaping factors in the emergence of technological innovations: The case of tidal kite technology
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Technological Forecasting and Social Change. - : Elsevier BV. - 0040-1625 .- 1873-5509. ; 132, s. 191-298
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The technological innovation systems (TIS) literature offers a detailed and dynamic understanding of factors that enable successful innovation. However, few studies analyze what determines where in space value chain elements are developed as a new technology is diffused on a large scale. The purpose of this paper is to show how the TIS approach can be used to identify and analyze factors that shape spatial trajectories of emerging technologies. It proposes an adapted analytical framework that expands the conventional focus on one-dimensional supporting and blocking factors, to shaping factors that incorporate the spatiality of innovation. The approach is illustrated by examining innovation in tidal kite technology. The analysis finds that a supportive local context in western Sweden during the infancy of tidal kite technology, together with the availability of competent engineers and business development professionals, promoted the formation of locally embedded knowledge and competence. This in turn created a spatial path dependency that made developments gravitate towards Sweden, although the lack of domestic markets has also increasingly driven an expansion of activity to other regions, in particular the UK. Moreover, the analysis shows that shaping, and not only stimulating, the growth of emerging TIS is an important challenge for regional policymakers, and highlights the need for international policy coordination. The paper concludes that analyzing shaping factors in the emergence of new TISs can yield important insights, some of which may be overlooked with a narrow analytical focus on supporting and blocking factors.
|
|
6. |
- Andersson, Johnn, et al.
(författare)
-
The critical role of informed political direction for advancing technology : The case of Swedish marine energy
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Energy Policy. - London : Elsevier. - 0301-4215 .- 1873-6777. ; 101, s. 52-64
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Marine energy technologies can contribute to meeting sustainability challenges, but they are still immature and dependent on public support. This paper employs the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework to analyze the development and diffusion of Swedish marine energy up until 2014. While there were promising device developers, relevant industrial capabilities, and world-class research, the system suffered from weaknesses in several important innovation processes. Finally, the analysis identifies the lack of informed political direction as a critical blocking factor and highlights its connection to domestic market potential. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd
|
|
7. |
- Andersson, Johnn, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
The outcomes of directionality: Towards a morphology of sociotechnical systems
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. - : Elsevier BV. - 2210-4224 .- 2210-4232. ; 40, s. 108-131
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The sustainability transitions literature departs from the idea that grand challenges such as climate change and rising inequality call for far-reaching changes in sociotechnical systems of production and consumption. This implies a dual interest in the directionality of innovation; some directions of change can be perceived as more desirable, while others may be more plausible due to the path dependent nature of sociotechnical change. The specific characteristics of the potential outcomes of directionality have, however, received little attention. Our aim is therefore to unpack and conceptualize the multidimensional space in which sociotechnical systems may adopt different shapes and configurations. We also provide three illustrative empirical examples where directionality has resulted in systems with different technical, social and spatial characteristics. The ideas put forward in this paper can be seen as a contribution to a morphology of sociotechnical systems and thereby support efforts to investigate or promote specific directions of change.
|
|
8. |
- Andersson, Magnus, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Adoption of Systemic and Socio-Technical Perspectives in Waste Management, WEEE and ELV Research
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Sustainability. - : MDPI AG. - 2071-1050. ; 11:6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A greater quantity and variety of materials are being produced worldwide to meet demand for consumer products, buildings and infrastructure. Additionally, highly diffused products such as cars and electronics have become materially complex and depend on numerous scarce metals. Consequently, managing the societal supply of a variety of materials and metals sustainably is becoming increasingly important. This includes the use of efficient and effective waste management. However, the current management of waste in general and of waste consumer products specifically, have been pointed out as requiring significant developments to become more advanced to cope with the increasing material complexity. It has also been pointed out that research taking systems perspectives is crucial to improve waste management. Additionally, researching change processes and the co-evolution of social and technical factors (i.e., socio-technical change), has furthered the understanding of how ‘green’ industries develop in other empirical fields. Consequently, both systemic and socio-technical perspectives are likely relevant to waste management research. We used the Scopus database to search for 31 research approaches associated with such perspectives in journal articles writing about waste management in general, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) or end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). We conclude that, although the majority of the examined research does not mention the considered approaches, some environmental system analysis approaches are frequently mentioned and show signs of growth in adoption. In contrast, socio-technical approaches are scarcely mentioned. Consequently, we argue that there are relevant scientific tools yet to be adopted in waste management, WEEE and ELV research.
|
|
9. |
- Andersson, Magnus, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Are scarce metals in cars functionally recycled?
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Waste Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0956-053X .- 1879-2456. ; 60, s. 407-416
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Improved recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) may serve as an important strategy to address resource security risks related to increased global demand for scarce metals. However, in-depth knowledge of the magnitude and fate of such metals entering ELV recycling is lacking. This paper quantifies input of 25 scarce metals to Swedish ELV recycling, and estimates the extent to which they are recycled to material streams where their metal properties are utilised, i.e. are functionally recycled. Methodologically, scarce metals are mapped to main types of applications within newly produced Swedish car models and subsequently, material flow analysis of ELV waste streams is used as basis for identifying pathways of these applications and assessing whether contained metals are functionally recycled. Results indicate that, of the scarce metals, only platinum may be functionally recycled in its main application. Cobalt, gold, manganese, molybdenum, palladium, rhodium and silver may be functionally recycled depending on application and pathways taken. For remaining 17 metals, functional recycling is absent. Consequently, despite high overall ELV recycling rates of materials in general, there is considerable risk of losing ELV scarce metals to carrier metals, construction materials, backfilling materials and landfills. Given differences in the application of metals and identified pathways, prospects for increasing functional recycling are discussed.
|
|
10. |
- Andersson, Magnus, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Challenges of recycling multiple scarce metals: The case of Swedish ELV and WEEE recycling
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Resources Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0301-4207. ; 63
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cars and electronic products are characterised by high metal complexity. Meanwhile, recycling industries are not fully aligned with this complexity, leading to losses of unique scarce metal resources. By utilising the technological innovation system framework we identify, and discuss implications of, factors that impact on recycling of some precious (gold, palladium, silver) and minor metals (gallium, tantalum) in printed circuit boards (PCBs) present in Swedish end-of-life cars (ELVs) and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). We conclude that while precious metals from WEEE PCBs are currently recycled, recycling precious metals from ELV PCBs will likely remain a challenge in the near-term due to recycling being blocked by the material composition of ELV waste, design of waste legislation, and by accumulated capabilities and business models in current recycling industries. However, some of these blocking factors are open to direct influence from national policymakers or industry actors and may thus be alleviated more easily. In contrast, recycling minor metals from ELV or WEEE PCBs will likely remain challenging also in the long-term due to a larger set of blocking factors. Alleviating these may require a substantial portfolio of metal-specific policies at national and supra national levels supporting the build-up of entirely new recycling value chains.
|
|
11. |
- Andersson, Magnus, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Lessons from a century of innovating car recycling value chains
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. - : Elsevier BV. - 2210-4224. ; 25, s. 142-157
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) contain materials that may be beneficial to recycle. While metals such as iron, aluminium and platinum are recycled at high rates, materials such plastics and most scarce metals are recycled at low rates or not at all. Insight into how recycling systems form and develop is limited in current research, but may provide a better understanding for how to increase recycling rates. This paper utilises the technological innovation system framework to identify key functions from 1910 to 2010 that enabled ELV iron recycling in Sweden. Initiatives for improving capabilities to recycle other materials are also discussed. Results indicate that early structural changes in the steel industry were crucial. Subsequently, ELV iron could be utilised by this industry through build-up of an increasingly specialised ELV system. We argue that reproducing the key functions that enabled ELV iron recycling may serve to increase recycling rates also of other ELV materials.
|
|
12. |
- Andersson, Magnus, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Mapping the content and fates of scarce metals in discarded cars
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Life Cycle Assessment and Other Assessment Tools for Waste Management and Resource Optimization.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- A great variety of current products make use of components or materials (e.g. electronics, steel and aluminium alloys) that utilise increasing amounts of ‘critical’ or scarce metals (SM). For example, design trends for cars point at increasing SM utilisation in order for regulatory, business and consumer requirements on environmental performance, safety, costs, comfort and infotainment to be met. Modern cars now hold SM in substantial amounts, i.e. the circa one billion cars in use worldwide today, constitute a significant near-term secondary SM resource. However, current end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling is mainly aimed at isolating hazardous contents, dismantling spare parts and recycling bulk metals. There is thus a clear risk that ELV SM are not functionally recycled and thus lost for further use.Assessments of the opportunities for increased functional recycling require estimates of SM content of discarded cars and individual waste flows in ELV recycling. However, information on both is limited. Data related to cars is sparse, and challenged by the large range and age span of discarded car brands and models. Measurements of SM in waste flows are few and cover a limited range of SM. Consequently, available data does not allow us to quantify with precision the SM contents of discarded cars reaching the ELV recycling system, or map individual metal flows within it.Instead, our approach relies on mapping 25 ELV SM to main types of applications within three newly produced car models using automotive industry data (International Material Data System, IMDS), and letting these models represent the ELV fleet so that the annual input magnitudes of SM to ELV management can be estimated. Subsequently, we employ material flow analysis of ELV waste streams as basis for identifying potential pathways of these main applications, and the extent to which contained metals may reach processes capable of functional recycling. The approach allows us to qualitatively distinguish subsets of systems flows holding groups of SM, and discuss the potential for functional recycling.Using Swedish ELV management as a case, we conclude that only platinum may be functionally recycled in its main application. Cobalt, gold, manganese, molybdenum, palladium, rhodium and silver may be functionally recycled depending on application and pathways taken. For remaining 17 metals, functional recycling is lacking. Consequently, there is considerable risk of losing SM with current ELV procedures. Given differences in the application of metals and identified pathways, strategies for improving recycling and resource security are considered. Moreover, our case illustrates the considerable challenge, posed by the complexity and range of car configurations and the sparsity of information on SM, to closer assess recycling strategies and advance secondary SM resource utilisation.
|
|
13. |
|
|
14. |
|
|
15. |
- Andersson, Magnus, 1983, et al.
(författare)
-
Scarce metals in Swedish end-of-life vehicle recycling
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Proceedings of Second Symposium on Urban Mining, Bergamo, Italy.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Improved recycling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) may serve as an important strategy to address short-term supply risks and long-term scarcity issues related to increased global demand of scarce metals. Current European ELV policy does not provide direct incentives for increased scarce metal resource security as it is not aimed specifically at scarce metals. This paper aims to screen the opportunities for scarce metal recycling from vehicles by quantifying the orders of magnitude of near-future scarce metal flows in Swedish ELV recycling. Results point to a lack of dedicated domestic scarce metal recycling capabilities, posing considerable risk of near-future annual losses of single figure tonnes of gold and tantalum, and tens of tonnes of niobium and neodymium. Given plausible differences in scale and of characteristics of losses, a diversity of recycling strategies is proposed if functionality of recycling and availability of scarce metals are to be improved.
|
|
16. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
A crustal scarcity indicator for long-term global elemental resource assessment in LCA
- 2020
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1614-7502 .- 0948-3349. ; 25:9, s. 1805-1817
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: How to assess impacts of mineral resources is much discussed in life cycle assessment (LCA). We see a need for, and a lack of, a mineral resource impact assessment method that captures the perspective of long-term global scarcity of elements. Method: A midpoint-level mineral resource impact assessment method matching this perspective is proposed, called the crustal scarcity indicator (CSI), with characterization factors called crustal scarcity potentials (CSPs) measured as kg silicon equivalents per kg element. They are based on crustal concentrations, which have been suggested to correlate with several important resource metrics (reserves, reserve base, reserves plus cumulative production, and ore deposits), thereby constituting proxies for long-term global elemental scarcity. Results and discussion: Ready-to-use CSPs are provided for 76 elements, through which the CSI can be calculated by multiplying with the respective masses of elements extracted from Earth’s crust for a certain product. As follows from their crustal concentrations, the three platinum-group metals iridium, osmium, and rhodium have the highest CSPs, whereas silicon, aluminum, and iron have the lowest CSPs. Conclusion: An evaluation of the CSPs and the characterization factors of four other mineral resource impact assessment methods in LCA (the abiotic depletion, the surplus ore, the cumulative exergy demand, and the EPS methods) were conducted. It showed that the CSPs are temporally reliable, calculated in a consistent way, and have a high coverage of elements in comparison. Furthermore, a quantitative comparison with the characterization factors of the four other methods showed that the CSPs reflect long-term global elemental scarcity comparatively well while requiring a minimum of assumptions and input parameters. Recommendations: We recommend using the CSI for assessments of long-term global elemental scarcity in LCA. Since the CSI is at the midpoint level, it can be complemented by other mineral resource impact assessment methods (both existing and to be developed) to provide a more comprehensive view of mineral resource impacts in an LCA.
|
|
17. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Assessing the Environmental Risks of Silver from Clothes in an Urban Area
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA). - : Informa UK Limited. - 1549-7860 .- 1080-7039. ; 20:4, s. 1008-1022
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The environmental risks from the use of silver-containing clothes (“silver clothes”)were assessed for an urban area. First, we evaluated whether the use of silver clothesmay cause contamination of wastewater treatment sludge that exceeds certain risk thresholds. Second, we assessed the risk of silver exposure to earthworms from applyingthe sludge as fertilizer to agricultural land. The most critical parameter was the concentration of silver in silver clothes, for which estimates in the literaturevary by more than five orders of magnitude. For concentrations at the high end of that parameter range, there is considerably increased concentration of silver in the sludge, and toxic effects on earthworms even at modest use rates of silver clothes suggest high risk. At the low end, no risks can be expected. The main recommendationfrom this study is that if silver is used in clothes, the silver concentration must be kept at the lower end of the range applied in this study if risks are to be avoided.This can be done either by design choices of companies, or by regulation. If the function of the applied silver is not maintained at these lower levels, the use of silver clothes should be minimized.
|
|
18. |
|
|
19. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Can carbon nanomaterials help avoiding resource scarcity?
- 2015
-
Ingår i: International Society of Industrial Ecology’s biennial conference, 7-10 July 2015, University of Surry, England.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The pressure on resource extraction is increasing due to a continued growth of world population and affluence. In particular, scarcity may become a pressing problem for several metals in the coming decades (Ljunggren Söderman et al. 2014). Carbon nanomaterials, such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene and nanocellulose, have been suggested as a potential remedy for this. They have gained high interest in recent years, owing to their unique properties, which potentially could make them viable substitutes for a range of scarce and critical metals. However, carbon nanomaterials also require raw materials in order to be produced. Having carbon as main constituent, carbon nanomaterials require carbon feedstock of either renewable or fossil origin. Although carbon is an abundant element, not all chemical forms of carbon can be used directly for carbon nanomaterial production. The first aim of this study is to list potential raw materials for the carbon nanomaterials fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene and nanocellulose. Second, raw material reserves available for future potential production rates of carbon nanomaterials are assessed. This analysis is done using prospective material flow analysis (MFA), which is a forward-looking type of MFA in contrast to the more traditional MFA that typically considers current material flows. Third, we outline which scarce materials that may be replaced by carbon nanomaterials in these applications. With this method, resource benefits from substitution and resource constraints of carbon nanomaterials can be assessed, both in the short and long term. Preliminary results show that the carbon nanomaterials investigated have the potential to replace a number of scarce materials. For example, graphene could replace indium and tin in transparent screens (Segal 2009). There may also be short term resource constraints for carbon nanomaterials. For example, graphene is currently suggested to be produced from graphite for some applications, and graphite has been listed as a critical material. We also discuss risks of competition over carbon feedstock (fossil and biomass) between current uses of carbon feedstock (e.g. plastics and wood) and carbon nanomaterials.
|
|
20. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Carbon nanomaterials as potential substitutes for scarce metals
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier BV. - 0959-6526. ; 156, s. 253-261
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is growing evidence of resource problems related to the use of scarce metals in society, includingthe long-term risk of world-wide depletion of high-grade ores, shorter-term supply deficits and mineralrelated conflicts. In this study, we explore the idea that scarce metals may be substituted by nanomaterialsbased on the abundant element carbon, primarily graphene, nanotubes and fullerenes. We depart from a list of 14 geochemically scarce metals: antimony, beryllium, chromium, cobalt, gallium, germanium, gold, indium, niobium, platinum, silver, tantalum, tin and tungsten. We then review scientific papers and patents for carbon nanomaterial technologies that, if successfully implemented, couldreduce or eliminate the need for each metal in its main application. For all main applications except forgold in jewelry, such technologies were identified. Most of the identified technologies were described inmore than 100 papers. This suggests that there is an ongoing promising development of carbon nanomaterialtechnologies for applications currently relying on scarce metals. However, we recommend further studies to scrutinize these technologies regarding their environmental performance to avoid problem shifting from metal scarcity to (eco)toxic effects of the carbon nanomaterials themselves orother impacts related to their production and use.
|
|
21. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Challenges in Exposure Modeling of Nanoparticles in Aquatic Environments
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1080-7039 .- 1549-7860. ; 17:1, s. 245-262
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Managing the potential environmental risks of nanoparticles requires methods to link nanoparticle properties with macro-scale risks. This study outlines challenges in exposure modeling of nanoparticles in aquatic environments, such as the role of natural organic matter, natural colloids, fractal dimensions of agglomerates, coatings and doping of particles, and uncertainties regarding nanoparticle emissions to aquatic environments. The pros and cons of the exposure indicators mass concentration, particle number concentration, and surface area are discussed. By applying colloid chemistry kinetic equations describing particle agglomeration and sedimentation for the case of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, a limited exposure assessment including some of the factors mentioned is conducted with particle number concentration as the exposure indicator. The results of the modeling indicate that sedimentation, shear flows, and settling are of less importance with regard to particle number based predicted environmental concentrations. The inflow of nanoparticles to the water compartment had a significant impact in the model, and the collision efficiency (which is affected by natural organic matter) was shown to greatly affect model output. Implications for exposure modeling, regulation and science are discussed. A broad spectrum of scientific disciplines must be engaged in the development of exposure models where nano-level properties are linked to macro-scale risk.
|
|
22. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Energy and resource use assessment of graphene as a substitute for indium tin oxide in transparent electrodes
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier BV. - 0959-6526. ; 132, s. 289-297
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One of the most promising applications of graphene is as material in transparent electrodes in applications such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and solar cells. In this study, we assess life cycle resource requirements of producing an electrode area of graphene by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and compare to the production of indium tin oxide (ITO). The resources considered are energy and scarce metals. The results show that graphene layers can have lower life cycle energy use than ITO layers, with 3–10 times reduction for our best case scenario. Regarding use of scarce metals, the use of indium in ITO production is more problematic than the use of copper in graphene production, although the latter may constitute a resource constraint in the very long run. The substitution of ITO by graphene thus seems favorable from a resource point of view. Higher order effects may outweigh or enhance the energy use benefit. For example, cheaper, graphene-based electrodes may spur increased production of LCDs, leading to increased absolute energy use, or spur the development of new energy technologies, such as solar cells and fuel cells. The latter could potentially lead to larger absolute reductions in resource use if these new technologies will replace fossil-based energy systems.
|
|
23. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Energy use and climate change improvements of Li/S batteries based on life cycle assessment
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Journal of Power Sources. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-7753. ; 383, s. 87-92
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a life cycle assessment (LCA) study of a lithium/sulfur (Li/S) cell regarding its energy use (in electricity equivalents, kWhel) and climate change (in kg carbon dioxide equivalents, CO2 eq) with the aim of identifying improvement potentials. Possible improvements are illustrated by departing from a base case of Li/S battery design, electricity from coal power, and heat from natural gas. In the base case, energy use is calculated at 580 kWhel kWh−1 and climate change impact at 230 kg CO2 eq kWh−1 of storage capacity. The main contribution to energy use comes from the LiTFSI electrolyte salt production and the main contribution to climate change is electricity use during the cell production stage. By (i) reducing cell production electricity requirement, (ii) sourcing electricity and heat from renewable sources, (iii) improving the specific energy of the Li/S cell, and (iv) switching to carbon black for the cathode, energy use and climate change impact can be reduced by 54 and 93%, respectively. For climate change, our best-case result of 17 kg CO2 eq kWh−1 is of similar magnitude as the best-case literature results for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The lithium metal requirement of Li/S batteries and LIBs are also of similar magnitude.
|
|
24. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Environmental Assessment of Emerging Technologies: Recommendations for Prospective LCA
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Journal of Industrial Ecology. - : Wiley. - 1530-9290 .- 1088-1980. ; 22:6, s. 1286-1294
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The challenge of assessing emerging technologies with life cycle assessment (LCA) has been increasingly discussed in the LCA field. In this article, we propose a definition of prospective LCA: An LCA is prospective when the (emerging) technology studied is in an early phase of development (e.g., small-scale production), but the technology is modeled at a future, more-developed phase (e.g., large-scale production). Methodological choices in prospective LCA must be adapted to reflect this goal of assessing environmental impacts of emerging technologies, which deviates from the typical goals of conventional LCA studies. The aim of the article is to provide a number of recommendations for how to conduct such prospective assessments in a relevant manner. The recommendations are based on a detailed review of selected prospective LCA case studies, mainly from the areas of nanomaterials, biomaterials, and energy technologies. We find that it is important to include technology alternatives that are relevant for the future in prospective LCA studies. Predictive scenarios and scenario ranges are two general approaches to prospective inventory modeling of both foreground and background systems. Many different data sources are available for prospective modeling of the foreground system: scientific articles; patents; expert interviews; unpublished experimental data; and process modeling. However, we caution against temporal mismatches between foreground and background systems, and recommend that foreground and background system impacts be reported separately in order to increase the usefulness of the results in other prospective studies.
|
|
25. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Environmental Impact of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles – Applying Life Cycle Thinking and Risk Assessment for Swedish Conditions
- 2008
-
Ingår i: 3rd International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials, Birmingham University, Birmingham, UK, September 15-16, 2008.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The risks of nanoparticles have been issued by several different groups, e.g. The Royal Society (2004) and Friends of the Earth (2006), and the concept nanotoxicology has been introduced to underline the distinctive toxicological features of nanoparticles (Oberdörster et al. 2005). Some nanoparticles, such as carbon nanotubes, have been outlined as hazardous and great caution has been suggested before introducing carbon nanotubes into the market (Poland et al. 2008). According to a risk assessment performed by Mueller and Nowack (2007), titanium dioxide nanoparticles had higher predicted environmental concentration compared with the predicted no effect concentration than both silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes, and further detailed studies regarding titanium dioxide nanoparticles were suggested. However, no sensitivity analysis was performed in Mueller and Nowack (2007), and a crude model was used to model environmental faith of the titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Our study applied substance flow analysis in order to facilitate a comprehensive environmental risk assessment of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (see e.g. Tsunemi and Wada (2008) and Fuster et al. (2002)). A detailed investigation of the production of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and their application in society was performed facilitating hazard identification according to Hansen et al. (2007). Emissions were calculated based on use assumptions and a modelling of the environmental faith of the titanium dioxide nanoparticles was attempted including the particle aggregation and interaction with natural organic substances that modify bioavailability. Predicted environmental concentrations were calculated and compared with predicted no effect concentrations according to several ecotoxicological studies and in order to assess the uncertainty a sensitivity analysis was performed for input parameters.
|
|
26. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Fate modeling of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the water compartment by colloid chemistry
- 2009
-
Ingår i: 1st International Conference on the Environmental Implications and Applications of Nanotechnology, June 9-11, 2009, Amherst, U.S.A..
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Titanium dioxide is one of the most produced nanoparticles according to the Project of Emerging Nanotechnologies (www.nanotechproject.org). According to Mueller and Nowack (2008) it is also the nanoparticle that has the largest environmental concentration in the Swiss water compartment, 16 µg/l according to their high estimate. Further, Boxall et al. (2007) estimate a titanium dioxide nanoparticle environmental concentration of 24.5 µg/l in the UK water compartment for a scenario that probably overestimates the current exposure levels. However, neither of these risk models take fate processes such as aggregation and sedimentation into account. Colloid chemistry deals with particles within the size range of 1 nm to 1 µm. Nanoparticles of a size between one nanometer and a few hundred nanometers are thus well within the colloid range. Theories of colloid chemistry suggest that sedimentation of nanoparticles depends mainly on the density and the viscosity of the water and the density and size of the particles. Sedimentation is shown not to be an important factor, since the sedimentation of particles smaller than ~300 nm is negligible. Aggregation is a more complex process which depends on factors such as temperature, salinity, ion valence, pH, point of zero charge, the Hamaker constant, particle size and particle concentration (Elimelech et al. 1995). These factors were estimated for a typical Swedish lake and calculations were performed in MATLAB. The aggregation is modeled by kinetics according to Smoluchowski (1917) but adjusted according to the DLVO theory (see Elimelech et al. 1995). Preliminary results show that aggregation can reduce the predicted environmental concentration significantly in a short time. It would take less than 4 minutes for the initial environmental concentrations predicted by both Mueller and Nowack (2008) and Boxall et al. (2007) to be reduced by 50%. After 24 hours, both predicted environmental concentrations would have fallen below 0.1 µg/l.
|
|
27. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
How to make policy-relevant life cycle assessments of future products? Lessons learned from nanomaterials
- 2013
-
Ingår i: 6th International Conference on Life Cycle Management, Gothenburg, 25-28 August.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many new nanomaterials are currently being developed, and there is a great demand from policy-makers such as governments and agencies to understand the future environmental impact of nanomaterials. However, assessing the life cycle environmental impacts, e.g. in terms of emissions and energy use, related to these materials and products that contain them constitutes a great challenge, which makes it difficult to meet such needs from policy-makers. The challenge is much due to the many uncertainties that surround new nanomaterials at an early point of technological development, which makes environmental assessment methods such as life cycle assessment difficult to apply. These uncertainties include the future areas of application of the nanomaterial, future designs of products within those areas, and future production processes. When one or more of these uncertainties are present, we say that the life cycle or product chain is embryonic. This embryonic nature of nanomaterial life cycles differentiates them from the life cycles of more established products, such as cups and cucumbers. Assessing the environmental impacts of embryonic nanomaterial life cycles requires the assessor to understand the future, or rather some aspects of a number of possible futures. Hence, we need to make use of methods belonging to the field of future studies, including monitoring of trends in technology development (e.g. via patent analysis) and application areas as well as predicting and exploring by trend analysis, expert judgement, and sometimes even fantasizing. We illustrate the theoretical concept of embryonic life cycles with a number of examples of embryonic nanomaterial life cycles, including carbon nanotubes in composites, titanium dioxide nanoparticles in self-cleaning cement and graphene in electronic devices and composites. We show that a range of future study approaches may enrich, or even be essential to, policy-relevant life cycle assessments. We also show that environmental assessments such as life cycle assessment can be misused or used in questionable ways when applied to embryonic life cycles with the purpose of obtaining policy-relevant results.
|
|
28. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Impacts of a Silver-Coated Future - Particle Flow Analysis of Silver Nanoparticles
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Journal of Industrial Ecology. - 1530-9290 .- 1088-1980. ; 15:6, s. 844-854
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Silver is a compound that is well known for its adverse environmental effects. More recently, silver in the form of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have begun to be produced in increasingly larger amounts for antibacterial purposes in for instance textiles, wound dressings and cosmetics. Several authors have highlighted the potential environmental impact of these NPs. In order to contribute to a risk assessment of Ag NPs, a suggested method named particle flow analysis is applied to estimate current emissions from society to the environment. In addition, explorative scenarios are set up to account for potential technology diffusion of selected Ag NP applications. The results are uncertain and need to be refined, but they indicate that emissions from all applications included may increase significantly in the future. Ag NPs in textiles and electronic circuitry may increase more than in wound dressings due to the limited consumption of wound dressings. Due to the dissipative nature of Ag NPs in textiles, the results indicate that they may cause the highest emissions in the future, thus partly confirming the woes of both scientists and environmental organizations. Gaps in current knowledge have been identified. Especially the fate of Ag NPs during different waste handling processes is outlined as an area that requires more research.
|
|
29. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Is graphene a ”wonder material” also from an environmental life cycle perspective?
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Abstract of Papers of the American Chemical Society. - 0065-7727. ; 247
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The nanomaterial graphene has attracted great interest for its many potential applications, including composites and electronic devises, and has been referred to by some as a "wonder material" from a technical point of view. However, the question remains whether graphene is also a "wonder material" from an environmental life cycle perspective. In order to investigate this, we applied life cycle assessment (LCA) to assess the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of graphene production. The focus of the assessment was on the foreground system and on more inherent impact categories, namely energy use, water use, human toxicity, and ecotoxicity. Two different production routes were investigated. In the first, called chemical reduction, graphite is first oxidized to graphite oxide, and then reduced by hydrazine to form graphene sheets in solution that could be used in e.g. composites. The second is ultrasonication, where graphite is exposed to ultrasound, and thereby breaks up into graphene sheets in solution, also possible to use in composites. These two routes were compared on a kg of graphene basis. The results indicate that ultrasonication has a considerably lower cradle-to-gate impact than chemical reduction for all included impact categories. For example, the energy use of chemical reduction-made graphene appears to be more than 100 times higher than that of ultrasonication-made graphene. Comparing to the energy use of other nanomaterials, chemical reduction-based graphene appears to have an energy use close to the median. Ultrasonication-made graphene, however, appears to have a lower energy use than any previously assessed nano material. This implicates that the chemical industry should focus their efforts on developing the ultrasonication production route rather than chemical reduction.
|
|
30. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Is there a "crystal ball"? Assessing environmental life cycle impacts of new nanomaterials
- 2013
-
Ingår i: 7th International Society for Industrial Ecology Biennial Conference, 25-28 June, Ulsan, South Korea.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many new nanomaterials are currently being developed, and assessing the life cycle environmental impacts related to these materials and products that contain the materials, e.g. in terms of emissions and energy use, constitutes a great challenge. The challenge is much due to the many uncertainties that surround new nanomaterials at this early point of technological development, which makes the application of environmental assessment methods such as life cycle assessment difficult to apply. These uncertainties include the future areas of application of the nanomaterial, future designs of products within those areas, and the future production processes that will be needed to produce such products. When one or more of these uncertainties are present, we say that the product chain or life cycle is embryonic. This embryonic nature of nanomaterial life cycles differentiates them from more established products, such as cement and cucumbers. We provide a number of examples of a number of embryonic nanomaterial life cycles, including carbon nanotubes in composites, titanium dioxide nanoparticles in self-cleaning cement and graphene in electronic devices and composites, illustrating their embryonic nature. Assessing the environmental impacts of embryonic nanomaterial product chains requires the assessor to use different future studies approaches, i.e. to use a “crystal ball” to understand the future or rather different possible futures. Existing approaches include monitoring, predicting, exploring, and sometimes even fantasizing. We show how some of these approaches have been used in previous life cycle studies on nanomaterials, illustrating that they may all be relevant to include in environmental assessments and life cycle assessments in particular, but also that they can be misused or used in questionable ways. The important thing is to know which approach to apply in a certain situation in order to ensure a relevant assessment, and to avoid uses that leads to more confusion than knowledge.
|
|
31. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Life-cycle impact assessment methods for physical energy scarcity: considerations and suggestions
- 2021
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1614-7502 .- 0948-3349. ; 26:12, s. 2339-2354
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Most approaches for energy use assessment in life cycle assessment do not consider the scarcity of energy resources. A few approaches consider the scarcity of fossil energy resources only. No approach considers the scarcity of both renewable and non-renewable energy resources. In this paper, considerations for including physical energy scarcity of both renewable and non-renewable energy resources in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) are discussed. Methods: We begin by discussing a number of considerations for LCIA methods for energy scarcity, such as which impacts of scarcity to consider, which energy resource types to include, which spatial resolutions to choose, and how to match with inventory data. We then suggest three LCIA methods for physical energy scarcity. As proof of concept, the use of the third LCIA method is demonstrated in a well-to-wheel assessment of eight vehicle propulsion fuels. Results and discussion: We suggest that global potential physical scarcity can be operationalized using characterization factors based on the reciprocal physical availability for a set of nine commonly inventoried energy resource types. The three suggested LCIA methods for physical energy scarcity consider the following respective energy resource types: (i) only stock-type energy resources (natural gas, coal, crude oil and uranium), (ii) only flow-type energy resources (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and the flow generated from biomass funds), and (iii) both stock- and flow-type resources by introducing a time horizon over which the stock-type resources are distributed. Characterization factors for these three methods are provided. Conclusions: LCIA methods for physical energy scarcity that provide meaningful information and complement other methods are feasible and practically applicable. The characterization factors of the three suggested LCIA methods depend heavily on the aggregation level of energy resource types. Future studies may investigate how physical energy scarcity changes over time and geographical locations.
|
|
32. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
MODELLING ENVIRONMENTAL FATE OF TiO2 NANOPARTICLES IN WATER – IMPLICATIONS FOR EMPIRICAL VALIDATION STUDIES
- 2009
-
Ingår i: 4th International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials, 6-9 September, Vienna, Austria.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The potential environmental effects of nanoparticles (NPs) require interdisciplinary research to assess the risks. One part of a risk assessment concerns exposure, which builds on knowledge of the environmental fate. In this particular case the fate of TiO2 NPs in the water compartment was modelled by applying a second order kinetic rate equation and the DLVO theory. Assumptions were made regarding water parameters such as pH, salt concentration and temperature, as well as regarding particle properties such as Hamaker constant, primary particle size and point of zero charge. The effect of sedimentation was taken into account, but as one would expect the influence of sedimentation on such small particles is very small. The model was implemented in MATLAB®. Results indicate the importance of agglomeration as an important fate mechanism, and that pH andpoint of zero charge are important parameters with regards to agglomeration. Other parameters such as the Hamaker constant, salt concentration and temperature were shown not to have a significant effect, which is in goodcorrelation with empirical studies. Also, we would like to see our model validated by empirical studies. Important implications then are to include a continuous inflowof NPs in the experimental setup and to work at environmentally relevant water properties. For example is the effect of natural organic matter (NOM) on theagglomeration not modelled, despite that its significance has been pointed out in many studies. This is due to a weak link between mathematical expressions andempirical data for this particular part of the model. It is of importance that this linkage is strengthened both by theoretical and empirical studies on NOM aimingat producing mathematical expressions, and empirical data, that can assist fate modelling of NPs.
|
|
33. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Particle flow analysis. Exploring Potential Use Phase Emissions of Titanium Dioxide nanoparticles from Sunscreen, Paint and Cement
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Journal of Industrial Ecology. - : Wiley. - 1530-9290 .- 1088-1980. ; 16:3, s. 343-351
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several authors have highlighted the potential risks of nanoparticles (NPs). Still, little is knownabout the magnitude of emissions of NPs from society. Here, the method of explorativeparticle flow analysis (PFA), a modification of the more well-known substance flow analysis(SFA), is suggested. In explorative PFA, particle number instead of mass is used as flowand stock metric and explorative scenarios are used to account for potential technologydiffusion and, consequently, potentially higher emissions. The method has been applied ina case study of the use phase of titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs in paint, sunscreen andself-cleaning cement. The results indicate that the current largest emissions of TiO2 NPsoriginate from the use of sunscreen. One scenario implies that, in the future, the largestflows and stocks of TiO2 NPs could be related to self-cleaning cement. Gaps in currentknowledge are identified and suggestions for future research are given.
|
|
34. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Potential improvements of the life cycle environmental impacts of a Li/S battery cell
- 2018
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The lithium sulfur (Li/S) battery is a promising battery chemistry for two reasons: it requires no scarce metals apart from the lithium itself and it brings the promise of high specific energy density at the cell level. However, the environmental impacts of this battery type remain largely unstudied. In this study, we conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the production of an Li/S cell to calculate these impacts. The anode consists of a lithium foil and the cathode consists of a carbon/sulfur composite. The electrolyte is a mixture of dioxalane, dimethoxyethane, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and lithium nitrate. The current collector for the cathode is an aluminium foil and a tri-layer membrane of polypropylene and polyethylene acts as separator. The functional unit of the study is 1 kWh specific energy storage. Three key environmental impacts were considered: energy use, climate change and lithium requirement. In our baseline scenario, we consider the pilot-scale production of a battery with a specific energy of 300 kWh/kg, having the mesoporous material CMK-3 as carbon material in the carbon/sulfur cathode, and using coal power and natural gas heat as energy sources. This scenario results in an energy use of 580 kWh/kWhstored and a climate change impact of 230 kg CO2eq/kWhstored. The main contributor to energy use is the LiTFSI production and the main contributor to climate change is electricity use during cell production. We then model a number of possible improvements sequentially: (1) reduction of cell production electricity requirement due to production at industrial-scale, (2) sourcing of electricity and heat from renewable instead of fossil sources (i.e. solar power and biogas heat), (3) improvement of the specific energy of the Li/S cell to 500 kWh/kg and (4) a shift of the carbon material in the cathode to carbon black (without considering changes in performance). By implementing all these four improvements, energy use and climate change impact can be reduced by an impressive 54 and 93%, respectively. In particular, the improvements related to industrial-scale production and sourcing of renewable energy are considerable, whereas the shift of carbon material is of minor importance. For climate change, the best-case result of 17 kg CO2eq/kWhstored is similar to the best-case results reported in the scientific literature for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Regarding lithium requirement, the lithium metal requirement of Li/S batteries and LIBs are also of similar magnitude (0.33-0.55 kg/kWhstored and 0.2 kg/kWhstored, respectively). Using different allocation approaches did not alter the main conclusions of the study.
|
|
35. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Problems from including technospheric parameters in characterization factors for natural resources
- 2022
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis generally considers a product system in the technosphere, whereas the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is generally concerned with impacts in nature. However, in LCIA methods for natural resources, we have noticed a tendency to include technospheric parameters. This practise, which deviates from the predominant use of parameters related to environmental processes in characterization factors for emissions, has not received much attention in the LCA community. Here, we discuss a number of problems arising from such inclusions. Three types of technospheric parameters found in characterization factors for natural resources were analysed: (i) extraction rates, (ii) recycled contents, and (iii) prices. Extraction rates vary over time, and frequent updating is therefore needed to avoid outdated characterization factors. Furthermore, the inclusion of extraction rates in the characterization factors creates an interdependency between the LCI analysis and the LCIA, since extraction rates are also part of the inventory modelling. We show that such interdependencies can potentially lead to counterproductive information. Regarding recycled contents, when inventory data with recycled content are matched with characterization factors also taking recycled content into account, the benefit of recycling is double counted. Furthermore, it introduces a risk of inconsistency: the recycled contents in the characterization factors may not match those in the LCI analysis. In addition, characterization factors based on recycled contents are also time sensitive. Prices are commonly used in economic allocation in the LCI analysis. When they are also used in characterization factors, there is a risk of inconsistency if these prices are not the same as those used in the allocation. In addition, prices are very time sensitive, potentially fluctuating notably even on a daily basis. There are possible solutions to some of these problems, such as frequent updating of characterization factors and avoiding economic allocation. However, these solutions come at a cost. For example, frequent updating of characterization factors is work intensive, and economic allocation may be otherwise recommendable in some studies. For the LCI-LCIA interdependency, we see no obvious solution. Considering the identified problems, we recommend further critical discussions on the inclusion of technospheric parameters in characterization factors for natural resources.
|
|
36. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Prospective, Anticipatory and Ex-Ante – What’s the Difference? Sorting Out Concepts for Time-Related LCA
- 2023
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Most life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have considered technologies as they are at the time of the study, often in a mature state. Increasingly, LCA studies attempt to assess emerging technologies in imagined states at future points in time, often referred to as prospective, anticipatory or ex-ante. However, a clear distinction between these LCA types is lacking. We aim to sort these concepts into a typology of time-related LCAs, contributing to more purposeful methodological choices. Existing frameworks for time-realted LCA types were reviewed and typology consisting of three dimensions was found to capture the most important differences. The first dimension is real time, which captures the time difference between the functional unit and the LCA. If the technology is modelled at approximately the same time as when the LCA is conducted, it can be called contemporary LCA. If the technology is modelled at a future point in time relative to the analysis, it can be called prospective LCA, and retrospective LCA if it is modelled at a past point in time relative to the study. Dynamic LCA accounts for that a technology can be “stretched out” along the real time dimension. The second dimension is technology maturity, which can be measured by technology readiness levels (TRLs). Ex-ante LCA considers technologies that are immature at the time of the study but model them in a future when they are assumed to have become mature, and is thus a specific type of prospective LCA. In contrast, ex-post LCA refers to studies of technologies that have reached maturity at the time of the study. Anticipatory LCA is effectively similar to ex-ante LCA but also entails the inclusion of numerous stakeholders in shaping the LCA study. Lab-scale LCA is a contemporary LCA of an immature technology with the aim of suggesting improvements to technology developers. The third dimension is causality. Some LCA studies mainly consider causes of a functional unit, which is often referred to as attributional LCA. Other LCA studies mainly consider effects of a functional unit, which can be called consequential LCA. While the former can be said to look backwards in time, the latter can be said to look forward in time from the perspective of the functional unit. Both types can, however, be retrospective, contemporary, or prospective LCAs as defined above. It is also possible to consider different types of causality, which relate differently to real time and technology maturity.
|
|
37. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Prospective inventory modelling of emerging chemicals: The case of photonic materials
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Abstracts book (SETAC Europe Annual Meeting). - 2310-3043 .- 2309-8031. ; 29, s. 96-
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Prospective life cycle assessment (LCA), or ex-ante LCA, has been defined as an assessment of a product system modeled at a future time, before its commercialization. Such assessments bring the promise of altering emerging technologies in a more environmentally benefitial direction before they become difficult to change. Since the future cannot be known with certainty, prospective modeling need to rely on scenarios of various kinds. However, how to conduct such prospective scenario modeling in practice still has to be clarified. In this study, we have modeled two emerging chemicals that can be used for a technology called photon upconversion, which converts low-energy light into higher-energy light harvestable by solar photovoltaics, thereby increasing their efficiency. Two chemicals currently considered for this purpose are ruthenium bipyridine chloride (RBC) and diphenylanthracene (DPA). These novel, emerging chemicals have not been studied regarding environmental performance before and are consequently not present in any LCA databases. The aim of this study is to present a generic procedure for prospective inventory modeling of emerging chemicals and apply that to the cases of RBC and DPA by developing unit processes for these two chemicals. An industrial synthesis scenario was adopted as our main scenario, reflecting a possible future time when RBC and DPA are produced at an industrial scale. The modeling was conducted in six steps: (1) Identify likely chemical syntheses. (2) Calculate inputs stoichiometrically based on the chemical synthesis reactions. (3) Modify inputs based on available yields for reactants and solvents (e.g. obtained from patents or estimated). (4) Categorize outputs as by-products or waste depending on their likely subsequent fate. (5)Calculate process emissions. (6) Model energy flows. Unit processes for the two emerging chemicals are thusly developed. The procedure is considered particularly strong for estimating inputs and output materials related to the stoichiometric reaction, but weaker regarding the estimation of emissions and energy requrement. Further research into the modeling of energy flows for high-temperature processes is therefore recommended, as well as estimation procedures for emissions from emerging chemicals production.
|
|
38. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Graphene Production by Ultrasonication and Chemical Reduction
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Environmental Science & Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 48:8, s. 4529−4536-4536
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One promising future bulk application of graphene is ascomposite additive. Therefore, we compare two production routes for insolutiongraphene using a cradle-to-gate lifecycle assessment focusing onpotential differences in energy use, blue water footprint, human toxicity,and ecotoxicity. The data used for the assessment is based on informationin scientific papers and patents. Considering the prospective nature of thisstudy, environmental impacts from background systems such as energyproduction were not included. The production routes are either based onultrasonication or chemical reduction. The results show that theultrasonication route has lower energy and water use, but higher humanand ecotoxicity impacts, compared to the chemical reduction route.However, a sensitivity analysis showed that solvent recovery in the ultrasonication process gives lower impacts for all includedimpact categories. The sensitivity analysis also showed that solvent recovery is important to lower the blue water footprint of thechemical reduction route as well. The results demonstrate the possibility to conduct a life cycle assessment study based mainly oninformation from patents and scientific articles, enabling prospective life cycle assessment studies of products at early stages oftechnological development.
|
|
39. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Review of Potential Environmental and Health Risks of the Nanomaterial Graphene
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA). - : Informa UK Limited. - 1549-7860 .- 1080-7039. ; 19:4, s. 873-887
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several future applications have been suggested for the nanomaterial graphene, and its production is increasing dramatically. This study is a review of risk-related information on graphene with the purpose of outlining potential environmental and health risks and guide future risk-related research. Available information is presented regarding emissions, environmental fate, and toxicity of graphene. The results from this study indicate that graphene could exert a considerable toxicity and that considerable emission of graphene from electronic devices and composites are possible in the future. It is also suggested that graphene is both persistent and hydrophobic. Although these results indicate that graphene may cause adverse environmental and health effects, the results foremost show that there are many risk-related knowledge gaps to be filled and that the emissions of graphene, the fate of graphene in the environment, and the toxicity of graphene should be further studied.
|
|
40. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Substance Flow Analysis of Novel Compounds: The Case of Graphene
- 2011
-
Ingår i: 6th International Conference on Industrial Ecology, Berkley, California, June 7-10, 2011..
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many new nanomaterials are being developed, and it provides a great challenge to estimate emissions of nanomaterials to the environment. One such nanomaterial is graphene, which has been hailed for its many potential useful applications. In accordance, researchers studying graphene received the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics. The current emissions of graphene are low due to the limited production, but may become significant in the future considering the rapid increase in graphene production. The method of substance flow analysis (SFA) has previously been used for estimating emissions of chemicals in an accounting manner. However, when using SFA in a prospective way for assessing emissions of a novel substance such as graphene, three prime challenges emerge: (1) estimating future magnitudes of flows and stocks of applications in which graphene is a constituent, (2) estimating concentration of graphene in the applications and (3) estimating emission coefficients specific for graphene and the application. Even if future flows and stocks of applications containing graphene cannot be rigorously estimated, potential risk can be probed by investigations of stylized states that account for different levels of technology diffusion. Concentration data is sometimes available since it is an important technical performance parameter, for instance for graphene in various composites. In more complex applications such as electronics, it may be more difficult to obtain. No emission coefficients of graphene are available, which constitutes that perhaps largest gap in an SFA of graphene. The conclusions drawn for the case of graphene is probably of interest for assessments of emissions of other novel substances as well.
|
|
41. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Terminology for future-oriented life cycle assessment: review and recommendations
- 2024
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. - 1614-7502 .- 0948-3349. ; 29:4, s. 607-613
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose Some future-oriented life cycle assessment (LCA) terms, particularly prospective and ex-ante, show notable increase in use in publications over the last decade. However, scholars have pointed out that it is currently unclear exactly what these terms mean and how they are related. This paper aims to explain defining differences between future-oriented LCA terms and provide terminology recommendations. Methods Existing definitions of future-oriented LCA terms were reviewed and analyzed. Workshops were held where defining differences of future-oriented LCA terms were discussed. Results Temporal positionality and technology maturity appear to be two critical aspects of future-oriented LCA. Prospective and ex-ante LCA are similar, with the possible difference that ex-ante LCA always involves an increase in technology maturity in the future. Considering the notable similarities, it seems reasonable to converge terms to mitigate field fragmentation and avoid terminology confusion. Conclusions To denote LCA studies with a future temporal positionality, we recommend using the term prospective LCA, defined as "LCA that models the product system at a future point in time relative to the time at which the study is conducted". Furthermore, since technology maturity is clearly a critical aspect for prospective LCA, we recommend prospective LCA studies to clearly define the maturity of the technologies modeled in the production system.
|
|
42. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
The Environmental Risks of Silver in Clothes
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Creating Successful and Sustainable Societies - Capabilities, resources and trust. The Adlerbert Research Foundation Jubilee Conference.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Water treatment companies and other actors in Sweden are concerned over the potential contamination of the waste water sludge due to silver emissions originating from antibacterial applications, such as clothes treated with silver in order to reduce odour. Silver is a compound which is known for its toxicity to several organisms. Hence, increased silver concentration in sludge may therefore prevent the sludge from being used as fertilizer on agricultural land, hence preventing the recycling of nutrients. Therefore, an environmental risk assessment of silver in clothes was conducted for the case of the waste water treatment plant Ryaverket in Gothenburg. Emissions of silver from washing as function of consumption of silver-containing clothes was estimated, the fate of silver in waste water treatment plants and soil was studied, and finally a review was made regarding silver toxicity to soil organisms. The potential concentration of silver in sludge and soil was estimated and benchmarked against different guideline values. The risk assessment reveals a very large variation in silver concentration in clothes, ranging from 0.003 mg/kg up to 1400 mg/kg. This wide range of about six orders of magnitude of course affects the potential concentration of silver in sludge and soil. If silver concentrations close to 1400 mg/kg are to be used in clothes, the current silver concentration in the sludge from Ryaverket could easily become doubled, and if that sludge was to be applied on soil, the silver may accumulate and cause long-term damage to soil ecosystems. However, if silver concentrations close to 0.003 mg/kg are to be used in clothes, it would not constitute a risk to sludge or soil considering the low amounts of silver. Also, the future consumption of silver-containing clothes may vary and will have a significant effect on the results. The recommendation based on this study is either to limit silver concentration in clothes or the consumption of silver-containing clothes if environmental impacts are to be avoided.
|
|
43. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
The fate of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the water compartment
- 2009
-
Ingår i: SETAC Europe 19th Annual Meeting, 31 May-4 June, 2009, Göteborg, Sweden.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Environmental risk of nanoparticles has been assessed in several studies. Titanium dioxide has been identified as one of the potentially most problematic nanoparticles. It has been shown that a large amount of the titanium dioxide nanoparticles may end up in the water compartment. These risk assessments constitute first estimates and several fate mechanisms are not taken into account. In this study, we propose a risk model that includes the two fate mechanisms sedimentation and aggregation. The sedimentation rate of titanium dioxide nanoparticles is determined using simple laws of motion. Still water is assumed, which gives optimal conditions for sedimentation. It is shown that despite the optimal conditions for sedimentation, the sedimentation rates of particles with a diameter of 100 nm and 1000 nm are about 8 years and 1 month, respectively. One month can be regarded as a long time from a risk perspective, and thus sedimentation is shown not to be an important factor for the removal of titanium dioxide nanoparticles from the water compartment. However, preliminary results show that aggregation can reduce the predicted environmental concentration significantly in a short time. Hence, equilibrium concentrations could be several orders of magnitude lower than what has been indicated in earlier studies. The aggregation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles is modeled using Smoluchowski kinetics and the DLVO theory, which are commonly used in colloid chemistry. The aggregation is shown to depend mainly on the pH of the water compartment and the zero point charge of the particles.
|
|
44. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Tracing nanomaterial hotspots in a changing world
- 2010
-
Ingår i: 20th SETAC Europe Annual Meeting, Seville, Spain, 23-27 May 2010.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The potential risks of nanotechnology and nanoparticles have been outlined along with the importance of assessing these risks before commercial products are out on the market. We here propose a method to detect future hotspots of nanoparticle emissions by estimating the production rate and societal stock of technologies containing nanomaterials at a future stage when the technology can be viewed as mature and fully developed and diffused. This estimate is combined with a characterisation of the nanomaterial. The method is applied to some technologies containing titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterials. The applications of TiO2 nanomaterials investigated in this study are UV absorbers (in sunscreen), pigment (in paint), electron carrier (in Grätzel solar cells) and photocatalyst (in self-cleaning windows and cement). Estimations of the current production and stocks of TiO2 nanomaterials for the technologies are also included for comparison. The TiO2 nanomaterials are characterized in seven steps, which gives valuable information regarding the potential emissions. Results indicate that two TiO2 nanomaterial containing technologies, paint and sunscreen, are already close to their mature stages. Paint is the current hotspot since it has the currently highest production rate and largest stock of TiO2 nanomaterial. In the future, however, in terms of TiO2 nanomaterial turnover, it may be passed by self-cleaning cement, which has the potential to become by far the largest use even if only a minor part of all cement will contain TiO2 nanomaterial. The diversity of types of different TiO2 nanomaterials and their potential emissions makes it problematic to discuss TiO2 nanomaterials as if it was one single nanomaterial in an exposure assessment context.
|
|
45. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Using industrial default values for prospective modeling of new materials production – the case of photon upconversion materials for solar modules
- 2021
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Several approaches to upscaling of materials production processes in the context of prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) have been proposed. Often, such approaches are bottom-up, departing from laboratory-scale descriptions of production processes and from that creating a model of future large-scale production. While such approaches make use of the material-specific knowledge available at the time of the assessment, they often neglect emergent aspects that may be present at factory level. An alternative, more top-down approach is to use industrial default values, i.e. average or typical values of inputs and outputs reflecting materials production today. Since production facilities normally do not change drastically over at least 10 years, such values might be relevant in prospective LCAs, at least given modest time horizons. Such default values can also be modified based on assumptions about future changes, such as increased energy recovery or novel solvent recovery processes. We applied previously derived industrial default values for fine chemical production when modeling the production of two materials with potential use in photon upconversion applications: lead sulfide (PbS) and lead selenide (PbSe) nanoparticles. Photon upconversion means that two low-energy photons are converted into one higher-energy photon utilizable by a solar module. While we used some material-specific values, such as synthesis-specific yields, most auxiliary input and output values (e.g. solvents, inert gas, heat, electricity and emissions) instead represent factory-scale values for current fine chemical production. Considering the availability of both best- and worst-case default values, it was possible to derive ranges for the likely future environmental impacts of the two materials. We conclude that the approach is feasible, but the availability of more up-to-date industrial default values would make it even more relevant in prospective LCAs.
|
|
46. |
- Arvidsson, Rickard, 1984, et al.
(författare)
-
Ödesdigert slöseri med silver
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Svenska Dagbladet (SvD).
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
|
|
47. |
- Azar, Christian, 1969, et al.
(författare)
-
Ogenomtänkt teknikneutralitet
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Upplyst eller utfryst - en antologi om den svenska elmarknaden. E ON.
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
|
|
48. |
|
|
49. |
- Azar, Christian, 1969, et al.
(författare)
-
The elusive quest for technology-neutral policies
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. - : Elsevier BV. - 2210-4224. ; 1:1, s. 135-139
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is often argued that policies to address climate change should be technology neutral. In this paper we address when and to what extent technology neutrality is warranted, and find that it is often an elusive objective that neither can nor should be prioritized as the main guiding principle.
|
|
50. |
|
|