Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions
Potato is the most popular non-grain food crop in the world, known for its high yield, water efficiency and nutritional value and consequently it can play a vital role in food security. Yet, the examination of the environmental impact associated with potato production represents a gap in the field o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266601642300124X |
| _version_ | 1827630282057973760 |
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| author | Florentios Economou Iliana Papamichael Irene Voukkali Pantelitsa Loizia Eleftheria Klontza Demetris F. Lekkas Naddeo Vincenzo Giorgos Demetriou Jose Navarro-Pedreño Antonis A. Zorpas |
| author_facet | Florentios Economou Iliana Papamichael Irene Voukkali Pantelitsa Loizia Eleftheria Klontza Demetris F. Lekkas Naddeo Vincenzo Giorgos Demetriou Jose Navarro-Pedreño Antonis A. Zorpas |
| author_sort | Florentios Economou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Potato is the most popular non-grain food crop in the world, known for its high yield, water efficiency and nutritional value and consequently it can play a vital role in food security. Yet, the examination of the environmental impact associated with potato production represents a gap in the field of agricultural production. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of environmental burden of potato production in Cyprus, in order to propose mitigation measures. This study employs Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to analyze the environmental life cycle impacts of potato production in Cyprus by using a ‘cradle to farm gate’ perspective, for two crop seasons; Winter crop (August–February) and Spring crop (November–June). The impact categories investigated for this purpose were: i) Global Warming Potential, ii) Mineral Resource Scarcity, iii) Freshwater Ecotoxicity, iv) Freshwater Eutrophication, v) Terrestrial Acidification and vi) Terrestrial Ecotoxicity. According to the results, potato harvesting step was the main contributor in global warming, with spring crops exhibiting a substantially lower carbon footprint (147 kg CO2), representing a 40% reduction compared to winter crops (241 kg CO2). Notably, fuel combustion and machinery maintenance during harvesting and irrigation operations emerged as the primary factors contributing to Global Warming Potential, Terrestrial Acidification, and Terrestrial Ecotoxicity. Potassium application found to have a strong impact on mineral resource scarcity, accounting for 80.5% in spring crop. At the same time, the run-off of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur trioxide into freshwater bodies, burden freshwater eutrophication by 2,19 kg P eq./ton and 2.89 kg P eq./ton for the spring and winter crop respectively. Effective planning and management of irrigation systems conserve water resources while disease monitoring and field observations minimize pesticide use. Further research on soil-to-atmosphere greenhouse gasses emissions is crucial, as is monitoring changes in soil organic carbon to increase the soil carbon sink. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:03:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f00a99c4186463c8d86617554c19f4e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-0164 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:03:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f00a99c4186463c8d86617554c19f4e2023-11-30T05:08:37ZengElsevierCase Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering2666-01642023-12-018100419Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditionsFlorentios Economou0Iliana Papamichael1Irene Voukkali2Pantelitsa Loizia3Eleftheria Klontza4Demetris F. Lekkas5Naddeo Vincenzo6Giorgos Demetriou7Jose Navarro-Pedreño8Antonis A. Zorpas9Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, Giannou Kranidioti 89, Latsia, Nicosia, 2231, CyprusLaboratory of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, Giannou Kranidioti 89, Latsia, Nicosia, 2231, CyprusLaboratory of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, Giannou Kranidioti 89, Latsia, Nicosia, 2231, CyprusLaboratory of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, Giannou Kranidioti 89, Latsia, Nicosia, 2231, CyprusWaste Management Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100, Mytilene, GreeceWaste Management Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100, Mytilene, GreeceSanitary Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano, SA, ItalyÉcole des Ponts Business School, Circular Economy Research Center, 6 place du Colonel Bourgoin, 75012, Paris, FranceUniversity Miguel Hernández of Elche, Department of Agrochemistry and Environment, Avd. de la Universidad s/n, 03202, Elche, Alicante, SpainLaboratory of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, Giannou Kranidioti 89, Latsia, Nicosia, 2231, Cyprus; Corresponding author.Potato is the most popular non-grain food crop in the world, known for its high yield, water efficiency and nutritional value and consequently it can play a vital role in food security. Yet, the examination of the environmental impact associated with potato production represents a gap in the field of agricultural production. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of environmental burden of potato production in Cyprus, in order to propose mitigation measures. This study employs Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to analyze the environmental life cycle impacts of potato production in Cyprus by using a ‘cradle to farm gate’ perspective, for two crop seasons; Winter crop (August–February) and Spring crop (November–June). The impact categories investigated for this purpose were: i) Global Warming Potential, ii) Mineral Resource Scarcity, iii) Freshwater Ecotoxicity, iv) Freshwater Eutrophication, v) Terrestrial Acidification and vi) Terrestrial Ecotoxicity. According to the results, potato harvesting step was the main contributor in global warming, with spring crops exhibiting a substantially lower carbon footprint (147 kg CO2), representing a 40% reduction compared to winter crops (241 kg CO2). Notably, fuel combustion and machinery maintenance during harvesting and irrigation operations emerged as the primary factors contributing to Global Warming Potential, Terrestrial Acidification, and Terrestrial Ecotoxicity. Potassium application found to have a strong impact on mineral resource scarcity, accounting for 80.5% in spring crop. At the same time, the run-off of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur trioxide into freshwater bodies, burden freshwater eutrophication by 2,19 kg P eq./ton and 2.89 kg P eq./ton for the spring and winter crop respectively. Effective planning and management of irrigation systems conserve water resources while disease monitoring and field observations minimize pesticide use. Further research on soil-to-atmosphere greenhouse gasses emissions is crucial, as is monitoring changes in soil organic carbon to increase the soil carbon sink.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266601642300124XLCAPotato productionClimate changeAgricultureMonitoringCrop impact |
| spellingShingle | Florentios Economou Iliana Papamichael Irene Voukkali Pantelitsa Loizia Eleftheria Klontza Demetris F. Lekkas Naddeo Vincenzo Giorgos Demetriou Jose Navarro-Pedreño Antonis A. Zorpas Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering LCA Potato production Climate change Agriculture Monitoring Crop impact |
| title | Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions |
| title_full | Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions |
| title_fullStr | Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions |
| title_short | Life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions |
| title_sort | life cycle assessment of potato production in insular communities under subtropical climatic conditions |
| topic | LCA Potato production Climate change Agriculture Monitoring Crop impact |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266601642300124X |
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