Developing the nitrogen handprint approach to quantify the positive impacts of industrial symbiosis on nitrogen cycles

Laura Lakanen*, Heli Kasurinen, Kaisa Grönman, Katri Behm*, Saija Vatanen, Tiina Pajula, Risto Soukka

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Excessive nitrogen (N) uptake for nutrient use in food production and industry and increased N losses to the environment severely interfere with nutrient cycles and harm the environment and thus, closing N cycles through N recovery and recycling is required to improve N use efficiency. To quantify positive impacts enhancing N cycles, this study suggests a novel N handprint approach, which combines life cycle assessment based nutrient footprint and carbon handprint approaches. The N handprint comprises of a set of indicators providing a wide systemic view on changes in N cycles. The case study demonstrates that the N handprint is created when a recycled N nutrient product is used instead of a virgin N nutrient for the needs of a pulp and paper mill wastewater treatment. According to our results, the handprint equals a reduction of 454 kg of virgin N inputs, and 5.6 kg of total N inputs for daily treated wastewater. Additionally, global warming potential is 91%, and the eutrophication potential 48% lower for the recycled N nutrient than for the virgin N nutrient. These results can be used to promote the use of recycled N on similar occasions in order to improve nutrient use efficiency.

Original languageEnglish
Article number100090
JournalCleaner Environmental Systems
Volume6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2022
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

The research was conducted as part of the Environmental Handprint project co-funded by Business Finland, Andritz, Biolan, Borealis Polymers, Ekox Finland, Gasum, HyXo, Lassila & Tikanoja, Neste, Nordic Investment Bank, Outotec, Paptic, UPM-Kymmene, Semantum, Sitra, Stora Enso, Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, and Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT.

Keywords

  • Carbon handprint
  • Industrial symbiosis
  • Nitrogen handprint
  • Nitrogen recovery
  • Nitrogen recycling
  • Nutrient footprint

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