Time horizon dependent characterization factors for acidification in life-cycle assessment based on forest plant species occurrence in Europe.
This paper describes a new approach in life-cycle impact assessment to derive characterization factors for acidification in European forests. Time horizon dependent characterization factors for acidification were calculated, whereas before only steady-state factors were available. The characterization factors indicate the change in the potential occurrence of plant species due to a change in emission, and they consist of a fate and an effect factor. The fate factor combines the results of an atmospheric deposition model and a dynamic soil acidification model. The change in base saturation in soil due to an atmospheric emission change was derived for 20, 50, 100, and 500 year time horizons. The effect factor was based on a dose-response curve of the potential occurrence of plant species, derived from multiple regression equations per plant species. The results showed that characterization factors for acidification increase up to a factor of 13 from a 20 years to a 500 years time horizon. Characterization factors for ammonia are 4.0-4.3 times greater than those for nitrogen oxides (NO(x)), and characterization factors for sulfur dioxide are 1.4-2.0 times greater than those for NO(x). Aggregation of damage due to acidification with other impact categories on the European scale becomes feasible with the applied approach.
Van Zelm
Rosalie
R
Department of Environmental Sciences, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, r.vanzelm@science.ru.nl
Huijbregts
Mark A J
MA
van Jaarsveld
Hans A
HA
Reinds
Gert Jan
GJ
de Zwart
Dick
D
Struijs
Jaap
J
van de Meent
Dik
D
D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D000641:Ammonia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005060:Europe; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D013997:Time Factors
D000143:Acids; D000393:Air Pollutants; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D000641:Ammonia