Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
11.4 Conclusion
This review of LCA applied to nanoproducts provides several important
insights:
• The LCA framework is well suited to study the benefits and impacts
of nanotechnologies and nanoproducts since it is a function-based
approach that matches the specific functionalities of the considered
nanomaterials. These specificities make clear that there is no intrinsic
environmental performance of a nanomaterial, but that the life cycle
performances need to be assessed in the context of a given nanoproduct.
• In practice up to this point in time, the scope of many LCAs has
left out very important issues. Many studies have limited their
scopes to mere life cycle energy assessments, and the potential
impact assessments have often been constrained to just investigat-
ing global warming. These indicators are, however, not sufficient to
prevent environmental problem shifting in a decision-making con-
text. In addition, although recent studies indicate that quantitative
approaches are being developed, the direct exposure of consumers
and workers to nanoparticles during all the nanoproduct life cycle
stages have only been addressed qualitatively.
• Contrary to the preconceived idea that nanoproducts is a data-poor
environment, compared with other materials and other new chemi-
cals, the field of nanomaterials and nanoproducts is rapidly becom-
ing a data-rich environment. Measurements of direct nanoparticle
releases are becoming increasingly available. It is, for example, one
of the unique fields in which a large number of subchronic
in vivo
toxicity tests are nowadays performed in multiple laboratories
worldwide. This growing realm of data now needs to be used and
applied to broaden the scope of LCA to cover most important direct
and indirect emissions as well as related impacts.
• The science is ready for providing screening toxicity characterization
factors based on
in vivo
no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for
human health and hazard concentration of 50% (HC
50
of EC
50
) for the
ecosystem impacts of most studied nanoparticle types. Partitioning
in the environment and bioconcentration and bioaccumulation in
the food chain need to be further studied, especially considering
aging and agglomerates of nanoparticles.
• The wide diversity of nanoparticle sizes and types advocates for devel-
oping modular approaches that can be then customized to the spe-
cific properties, function, and use of the considered nanoproduct. For
the inventory side, this advocates for applying the modular approach
