title: Characterization factors for terrestrial acidification at the global scale: a systematic analysis of spatial variability and uncertainty.
abstract: Characterization factors (CFs) are used in life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify the potential impact per unit of emission. CFs are obtained from a characterization model which assess the environmental mechanisms along the cause-effect chain linking an emission to its potential damage on a given area of protection, such as loss in ecosystem quality. Up to now, CFs for acidifying emissions did not cover the global scale and were only representative of their characterization model geographical scope. Consequently, current LCA practices implicitly assume that all emissions from a global supply chain occur within the continent referring to the characterization method geographical scope. This paper provides worldwide 2°×2.5° spatially-explicit CFs, representing the change in relative loss of terrestrial vascular plant species due to an emission change of nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). We found that spatial variability in the CFs is much larger compared to statistical uncertainty (six orders of magnitude vs. two orders of magnitude). Spatial variability is mainly caused by the atmospheric fate factor and soil sensitivity factor, while the ecological effect factor is the dominant contributor to the statistical uncertainty. The CFs provided in our study allow the worldwide spatially explicit evaluation of life cycle impacts related to acidifying emissions. This opens the door to evaluate regional life cycle emissions of different products in a global economy.
authors.affiliation: CIRAIG, Chemical Engineering Department, École Polytechnique de Montréal, P.O. Box 6079, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3A7. Electronic address: pierre-olivier-3.roy@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Pierre-Olivier
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, Department of Environmental Sciences, Toernooiveld 1, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Ecosystem Services and Management Program, Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Ligia B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: CIRAIG, Mathematical and Industrial Engineering Department, École Polytechnique de Montréal, P.O. Box 6079, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3A7.
authors.forename: Manuele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Margni
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, Department of Environmental Sciences, Toernooiveld 1, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rosalie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Zelm
authors.affiliation: CIRAIG, Chemical Engineering Department, École Polytechnique de Montréal, P.O. Box 6079, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3A7.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deschênes
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, Department of Environmental Sciences, Toernooiveld 1, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mark A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huijbregts
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D000641:Ammonia
keywords: Acidification; Characterization factors; Spatial variability; Uncertainty analysis