Economic and agronomic impact assessment of wheat straw based alkyl polyglucoside produced using green chemical approaches

Results from a previous environmental impact assessment highlight the potential for the proposed process, that converts low-value agricultural residue (wheat straw) into a high-value biosurfactant, to result in significant (>75%) GHG savings, relative to the commercial candidate derived from palm kernel and wheat grain. This was achieved via the use of low-energy techniques like supercritical CO2 extraction, low-temperature microwave and in-situ fractionation of platform chemicals. Despite the environmental benefits, process commercialization relies on the economic feasibility of the production. Adopting a ‘cradle-to-gate’ life cycle costing approach, this paper has quantified the economic feasibility and resource efficiency characteristics of producing wheat-straw based APG, via the previously suggested green low-waste generating processes. Here, we undertook economic analysis of a wheat straw-derived APG production pathway, in comparison to palm-kernel and wheat-grain APG. Total processing costs were determined to range between $0.92-$1.87 per kg of wheat straw-APG demonstrating relatively better output service quality and energy efficiency, while conventional APG costs $1.95-$2.87 per kg, highlighting the significant potential of the residue-derived pathway to be scaled to commercial-level. In addition, a semi-quantitative assessment of the demand-based implications of adopting and scaling-up the green process, in the current context and practices of wheat cultivation was also undertaken. Potential agronomic impact that might be result from such scale-up scenarios, focusing on the effect of conventional residue incorporation practiced by farmers was assessed in detail to encourage farmers opt for informed choices and also to encourage both environmentally and economically sustainable systems-thinking

Naar een Europese landgebruiksdatabase ; achtergronddocument

Monitoring en voorspelling van het milieu op Europese schaal worden sterk beinvloed door de nauwkeurigheid van landgebruiks- en landbedekkingsgegevens. Vanwege een dringende behoefte aan een geo-gerefereerd Europees landgebruiksbestand heeft het Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieuhygiene (RIVM) de vervaardiging van een Europa-dekkend digitaal landgebruiksbestand met een resolutie van 10 minuten geinitieerd. De eerste versie van het Europese Landgebruiksbestand is nu beschikbaar. Zeven landgebruiksklassen worden onderscheiden, waaronder bouwland, grasland voor gebruik in de landbouw, permanent gewas, bos en stedelijk gebied. Belangrijke gegevens kwamen van SEI, Eurostat, USDMA, FAO (kaarten), INENCO en een groot aantal nationale bronnen. Ruimtelijke gegevens (landgebruikspolygonen in vectorformaat) zijn gecombineerd met statistische (statistisch bestand). Over het geheel genomen komen de oppervlakteschattingen van het landgebruiksbestand redelijk overeen met die van externe statistieken.Environmental monitoring and forecasting on a European scale are influenced significantly by the accuracy of land use and land cover data. Due to an urgent need for a geo-referenced European land use database the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection (RIVM) initiated the creation of a digital 10 minutes Pan-European land use database. The 1.0 version of the European Land Use Database is now available. Seven land use categories were distinguished including arable land, grassland for agricultural use, permanent crops, forest and urban areas. Important input data came from SEI, Eurostat, USDMA, FAO (maps), INENCO and a large number of national sources. Locational data (land use polygons in a vector database) were combined with data from statistical sources (statistical database). In general the areal estimates in the Land Use Database show a reasonable fit with external statistical sources.DGM/DW

Geografische weergave "critical loads" in Europa, CCE technisch rapport nr. 1

This first Technical report of the Coordination Center for Effects (CCE) presents European maps of critical loads of actual acidity, sulphur and nitrogen, and maps displaying European geographical patterns of exceedances of current deposition over critical loads. Methods and assumptions used to produce these CCE maps are summarized in this report but can be found in more detail in the Mapping Manual (UN ECE, 1990a) and its annexes, as well as the Mapping Vademecum (Hettelingh and de Vries), 1991), of which several drafts were produced during the mapping exercise. This report also aims to provide an preliminary evaluation of the CCE maps through (1) comparison with the Stockholm Environment Institute senstitivity map which has been used by the UN ECE Task Force on Integrated Assessment Modeling (TFIAM) to assess abatement strategies, and (2) comparison of braodscale European data to two cases of national data used in the mapping exercise.(DGM/L

A climate policy pathway for near- and long-term benefits.

Climate actions can advance sustainable development</jats:p