KULAY, L. A.

MATSUURA, M. I. da S. F.

SILVA, G. A.

RCAAP - Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal

An agricultural route of physic nut production - environmental assessment using Life Cycle Inventory.

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Posters / LCA applied to biotechnical complex systemsAn agricultural route of physic nut production - environrnental assessrnent using UfeCycle Inventory, 2 2Marilia Folegatti Matsuura , Gil Anderi da Silva and Luiz Alexandre Kulay,Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa Environment, Jaguariuna - SP, Brazil.Jatropha was introduced in Brazil to expand the range of renewable raw materiais with potential for energysupply. Its technological infrastructure for biodiesel production is being created. Environmental performance fromsmall-scale agricultural systems is still unknown and must be evaluated.In 2010 Brazil produced 2.2 million m3 of biodiesel (84% obtained from soybean and 14% from tallow). Physicnut (Jatropha curcas L.) is a promising alternative for this segment considering its high agricultural productivity(1.5 ton oil/ha), and the fact that it does not compete with a food feedstock. Two agricultural routes can be usedin the production: manual and mechanized. The small scale manual route has a social appeal. This studypresents an assessment of the environmental performance of manual route of physic nut production as feedstockfor biodiesel production, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This study aims not just subsidize strategicgovernment decisions, but also provide elements that can contribute to the technological development ofBrazilian's biodiesel production.The methodological structure of the study was based on ISO 14044 standard; and an approach from cradle togate was considered in arder to prepare the Life cycle Inventory (LCI).As function of the system it was adopted 'production of physic nut grains for biodiesel production'. Functional unitwas defined as 'production of 79.5 ton of dry physic nut grains which corresponds to the production in 1ha during20 years (time frame for physic nut cultivation, before saiI recomposition). Unit processes included in productsystem under examination are: production and distribution of electricity, diesel oil, agricultural inputs (physic nutseeds, and fertilizers) and post harvest treatment. In arder to prepare LCI it were used secondary data sources:agricultural inputs (Brazilian agronomic institutions); production and distribution of electricity and production ofagricultural inputs (Ecoinvent version 2.2 - databases); diesel production (PE International). Emissions werecalculated from models obtained in scientific literature. Table 1 presents the main data of LCI for production of79.5 ton of dry physic nut grains.2Chemical Engineering Department, University of Sao Paulo, BrazilCarbon dioxide balance is positive in terms of CO2 captureonce its emission corresponds to about 40% of the uptakes. On theother hand, consumption of phosphate and potassic fertilizers, aswell, limestone for soil's pH correcting should be highlighted.118I 2tOI 1!.OLeoc ·.00..eo1.!S20.0

http://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/bitstream/doc/919959/1/2011RA132.pdf

An agricultural route of physic nut production - environmental assessment using Life Cycle Inventory.

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