Page 107 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

88 Life Cycle Assessment of Wastewater Treatment

The graphs of Figures 5.6 and 5.7 were obtained using the ReCiPe endpoint
method. Figure 5.6 refers to the damage caused to human health (Human Health),
ecosystems (Ecosystems), and mineral resources (Resources), Figure 5.7 shows the
contributions of the individual components of the process to human health.
The method takes into account different effects: greenhouse effect, thinning of
the ozone layer, acidification, eutrophication, photo-chemical smog formation, and

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
% 0
10
20
–30
–40
–50
–60
–70
–80
–90
–100
Human health Ecosystems Resources
Alkaline batteries Zn/C Sulphuric acid, liquid, at plant/RER S
Potassium hydroxide, at regional storage/RER S Potassium carbonate, at plant/GLO S
Tap water, at user/CH S BP1
Electricity, medium voltage, production IT, at grid/IT S Potassium sulphate, as K2O, at regional storehouse/RER S
Zinc oxalate BP final
FIGURE 5.6 Percentage of damage contribution in three main categories (Human Health,
Ecosystems, Resource) for the treatment of 1 kg of alkaline batteries according to the ReCiPe
endpoint method.
5e–6
4e–6
3e–6
2e–6
1e–6
Daly –0e+0
–1e–6
–2e–6
–3e–6
–4e–6
–5e–6
–6e–6
–7e–6
Totale
Potassium carbonate, at plant/GLO S Electricity, medium voltage, production IT, at grid/IT S
Zinc oxide, at plant/RER S Carbon black, at plant/GLO S
Sulphuric acid, liquid, at plant/RER S Manganese oxide (Mn203), at plant/CN S
Potassium hydroxide, at regional storage/RER S Tap water, at user/CH S
Zinc, primary at regional storage/RER S Potassium sulphate, as K2O, at regional storehouse/RER S
Processi rimanenti

FIGURE 5.7 Damage to human health expressed as DALY for the treatment of 1 kg of
alkaline batteries.