Application of LCA Methodology to the Production of Strawberry on Substrates with Peat and Sediments from Ports

Pilar Legua, Francisca Hernández, Francesca Tozzi, Rafael Martínez-Font, David Jorquera, Caridad Rosique Jiménez, Edgardo Giordani, Juan José Martínez-Nicolás and Pablo Melgarejo
Additional contact information
Pilar Legua: Plant Production and Microbiology Department, Polytechnic School of Orihuela (EPSO), Miguel Hernandez University, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
Francisca Hernández: Plant Production and Microbiology Department, Polytechnic School of Orihuela (EPSO), Miguel Hernandez University, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
Francesca Tozzi: Department of Horticulture, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
Rafael Martínez-Font: Plant Production and Microbiology Department, Polytechnic School of Orihuela (EPSO), Miguel Hernandez University, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
David Jorquera: Think Tank InnoTech, Scientific Park of Murcia, Carretera de Madrid Km 388, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
Caridad Rosique Jiménez: Electromagnetism and Electronics Department, Agroforestry Engineering Area, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
Edgardo Giordani: Department of Horticulture, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
Juan José Martínez-Nicolás: Plant Production and Microbiology Department, Polytechnic School of Orihuela (EPSO), Miguel Hernandez University, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
Pablo Melgarejo: Plant Production and Microbiology Department, Polytechnic School of Orihuela (EPSO), Miguel Hernandez University, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to identify the potential environmental impact of dredged sediments used as growing media for food crops. The dredged sediments used came from Livorno port and were previously phytoremediated. For the assay, strawberry plants ( Fragaria x ananassa Duch vr. ‘San Andreas’) were used. The plants were cultivated on three different substrates (100% peat, 100% dredged sediment and 50% mix peat/sediment) to identify the real impact of the culture media on the growing process. LCA was calculated and analyzed according to ISO 14040:2006 by SimaPro software. ReCipe Midpoint (E) V1.13/Europe Recipe E method was applied. One kilogram of produced strawberry, for each crop media tested, was defined as the functional unit. Eighteen impact categories were selected where Marine Eutrophication (ME), Human Toxicity (HT) and Freshwater Ecotoxicity (FET) were identified as relevant impact categories. The LCA results showed an increase in the environmental impact of strawberry cultivation using 100% sediment against 100% peat, due to the decrease in fruit production caused by the sediment. Nevertheless, the decrease in the environmental impact and the fruit production increase identified when the sediment is used mixed (<50%) with other substrates. The appropriate use of these substrates would be justified within the context of the circular economy.

Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment; dredging sediments; techno-soil; Fragaria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/11/6323/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/11/6323/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:11:p:6323-:d:567789

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().