Environmental impact and cost assessment of a novel lignin production method

The oil scarcity and the rise in earth temperature have elevated interest lignocellulosic biorefineries. Lignin has high potential to be used various applications including production of biomaterials transportation fuels. Among different sources lignin, organosolv lignin advantage being sulphur-free low ash content compared other types industrial lignin. present study focuses on cradle-to-gate life cycle cost assessment a novel process from spruce bark. system boundary included tannin, bark handling waste all inputs (material energy) outputs (emissions) process. Baseline scenario scenarios S1 S2 were identify most environmentally economically suitable scenario. baseline is with co-production tannin free (TFB) bark; TFB; TFB mass allocation. functional unit was 1 kg produced ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method for environmental impact assessment. results showed that had higher global warming (GWP) (2.14 CO2eq.) total (1.959 €/kg) than (1.39 CO2 eq. 1.377 €/kg respectively) (0.23 CO2eq. 0.998 scenarios. sensitivity analysis use bioethanol instead ethanol reduced burden GWP but increased land category.