Toward green chemistry: integrating life cycle with environmental risk assessment of chemicals

doi:10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.20180152

Abstract

Abstract: The principles of green chemistry and the precautionary principle encourage manufacturers and regulators to minimize the generation and use of toxic substances and seek safer alternatives. Environmental risk assessment (ERA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) are considered as major analytic approaches used to support chemical sustainable management and decisions. ERA focuses on predicting the likelihood of a certain effect when dealing with hazard chemicals, by comparing the predicted total exposure of certain receptors to hazard chemicals with corresponding thresholds. LCA is typically invoked to achieve sustainability in green design by comparing the environmental performance of different chemical products, or different life cycle phases of the product. Both ERA and LCA have their specific concept framework and methodology respectively, consequently can supply decision makers with different types of information. However, each method alone has certain limitation during actual application. Integrated framework of two methods can fill the gaps and make strong support for chemical sustainable management. Therefore, different integration approaches, which claimed integration, combination, complementary or hybridization (trade-off) use of ERA and LCA are summarized in the present review. Several scientific issues and challenges on integration framework of ERA and LCA are discussed, i.e. data gap, spatial and temporal characteristics, use of toxicity data and combined effect, as well as coupling model issues and uncertainty. Finally some perspectives are presented on the application of LCA?ERA integrated methods in green chemistry. Communication of risk and hazard information of chemicals is vitally important in promoting hazard chemical reduction and replacement. Therefore the integrated approaches are suggested to identify safer alternatives to a chemical by utilizing an environmental risk assessment over the entire life cycle.

Key words: chemical, environmental risk assessment, life cycle assessment, green chemistry, chemical footprint

摘要： 绿色化学依据“预防性原则”，主要研究如何在化工生产过程中减少有毒有害物质的产生和使用，寻求更安全的替代品. 作为化学品可持续管理的重要分析方法工具，环境风险评价(ERA)和生命周期评价(LCA)具有各自的理论框架和方法体系，但在实际应用中可能都存在一定的局限性. 将二者融合的评价方法框架可弥补各自缺陷从而更好地为面向可持续发展的化学品管理提供支撑. 本工作概述了ERA和LCA不同融合方式(整合、联合、互补和权衡)及融合评价方法研究面临的主要问题与挑战，展望了面向绿色化学的应用，以期为筛选评价更安全的替代化学品与替代技术、支撑化学品可持续管理提供理论依据与方法框架.

关键词: 化学品, 环境风险评价, 生命周期评价, 绿色化学, 化学品足迹

Yiping XU Zijian WANG. Toward green chemistry: integrating life cycle with environmental risk assessment of chemicals[J]. Chin. J. Process Eng., 2018, 18(S1): 43-51.

许宜平王子健. 面向绿色化学：融合生命周期的化学品环境风险评价[J]. 过程工程学报, 2018, 18(S1): 43-51.

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