Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization model to assess ocean acidification within life cycle assessment

  • LCIA OF IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH AND ECOSYSTEMS
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Ocean acidification due to the absorption of increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide has become a severe problem in the recent years as more and more marine species are influenced by the decreasing pH value as well as by the reduced carbonate ion concentration. So far, no characterization model exists for ocean acidification. This paper aims to establish such a characterization model to allow for the necessary future inclusion of ocean acidification in life cycle assessment (LCA) case studies.

Methods

Based on a cause-effect chain for ocean acidification, the substances carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane were identified as relevant for this impact category. In a next step, the fate factor representing the substances’ share absorbed by the ocean due to conversion, distribution, and dissolution is determined. Then, the fate sensitivity factor is established reflecting the changes in the marine environment due to the amount of released hydrogen ions per gram of substance (category indicator). Finally, fate and fate sensitivity factors of each substance are multiplied and set in relation to the reference substance, carbon dioxide, thereby delivering the respective characterization factors (in kg CO2 eq) at midpoint level.

Results and discussion

Characterization factors are provided for carbon monoxide (0.87 kg CO2 eq), carbon dioxide (1 kg CO2 eq), and methane (0.84 kg CO2 eq), which allow conversion of inventory results of these substances into category indicator results for ocean acidification. Inventory data of these substances is available in common LCA databases and software. Hence, the developed method is directly applicable. In a subsequent contribution analysis, the relative contribution of the three selected substances, along with other known acidifying substances, to the ocean acidification potential of 100 different materials was studied. The contribution analysis confirmed carbon dioxide as the predominant substance responsible for more than 97 % of the total ocean acidification potential. However, the influence of other acidifying substances, e.g., sulfur dioxide, should not be neglected.

Conclusions

Evaluation of substances contributing to ocean acidification is of growing importance since the acidity of oceans has been increasing steadily over the last decades. The introduced approach can be applied to evaluate product system related impacts of ocean acidification and include those into current LCA practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Azevedo LB, De Schryver AM, Hendriks AJ, Huijbregts MAJ (2015) Calcifying species sensitivity distributions for ocean acidification. Environ Sci Technol 49:1495–1500

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berger M, Finkbeiner M (2011) Correlation analysis of life cycle impact assessment indicators measuring resource use. Int J Life Cycle Assess 16:74–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewer PG, Barry J (2008) Rising acidity in the ocean: the other CO2 problem—emissions are making the oceans more acidic, threatening sea life. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rising-acidity-in-the-ocean/. Accessed 1 Feb 2016

  • Carew M (2010) UNEP emerging issues: environmental consequences of ocean acidification: a threat to food security. UNEP

  • Dickson A (2010) The carbon dioxide system in seawater: equilibrium chemistry and measurements. Guide to best practices for ocean acidification research and data reporting. pp. 17–40

  • Doney SC, Mahowald N, Lima I et al (2007) Impact of anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen and sulfur deposition on ocean acidification and the inorganic carbon system. Proc Natl Acad Sci 104:14580–14585

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doney SC, Fabry VJ, Feely RA, Kleypas JA (2009) Ocean acidification: the other CO2 problem. Ann Rev Mar Sci 1:169–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ducklow HW, Steinberg DK, Buesseler KO (2001) Upper ocean carbon export and the biological pump. Oceanography 4:50–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunford RW, Donoghue DNM, Burt TP (2012) Forest land cover continues to exacerbate freshwater acidification despite decline in sulphate emissions. Environ Pollut 167:58–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eakin CM, Kleypas J, Hoegh-Guldberg O (2008) Global climate change and coral reefs: rising temperatures, acidification and the need for resilient reefs. http://icriforum.org/sites/default/files/CLIM Acid and temps FINAL CH1 - Dec08_0.pdf. Accessed 1 Feb 2016

  • Ecoinvent (2016) Ecoinvent database

  • Eisler R (2011) Oceanic acidification: a comprehensive overview, 1st edn. CRC, Boca Raton

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • European Union (2014) Agriculture and acidification. In: EUROSTAT. http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/envir/report/en/acid_en/report.htm

  • Fabry VJ, Seibel BA, Feely RA, Orr JC (2008) Impacts of ocean acidification on marine fauna and ecosystem processes. ICES J Mar Sci 65:414–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feely R, Doney S, Cooley S (2009) Ocean acidification: present conditions and future changes in a high-CO2 world. Oceanography 22:36–47. doi:10.5670/oceanog.2009.95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gazeau F, Quiblier C, Jansen JM et al (2007) Impact of elevated CO2 on shellfish calcification. Geophys Res Lett. doi:10.1029/2006GL028554

    Google Scholar 

  • Goedkoop M, Heijungs R, Huijbregts M et al. (2009) ReCiPe 2008: a life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonised category indicators at the midpoint and the endpoint level. Report I: characterisation

  • Hall-Spencer JM, Rodolfo-Metalpa R, Martin S et al (2008) Volcanic carbon dioxide vents show ecosystem effects of ocean acidification. Nature 454:96–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harrould-Kolieb ER, Herr D (2012) Ocean acidification and climate change: synergies and challenges of addressing both under the UNFCCC. Clim Pol 12:378–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heijungs R, Guinée JB, Huppes G et al (1992) Environmental life cycle assessment of products—guide and backgrounds (part 2). CML, Leiden

    Google Scholar 

  • Holloway AM, Wayne RP (2010) Atmospheric chemistry. Royal Society of Chemistry, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hood M, Broadgate W, Urban E, Gaffney O (2011) Ocean acidification—a summary for policymakers from the second symposium on the ocean in a high-CO2 world

  • Hurst TP, Fernandez ER, Mathis JT (2013) Effects of ocean acidification on hatch size and larval growth of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). ICES J Mar Sci 70:812–822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2013) Climate Change 2013: the physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) IPCC climate change fourth assessment report: climate change. In: IPCC Clim. Chang. Fourth Assess. Rep. Clim. Chang. http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/assessments-reports.htm

  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2014) IPCC, 2014: Climate Change 2014: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Part A: global and sectoral aspects. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 1132

  • Isaksen ISA (2012) Tropospheric ozone: regional and global scale interactions. Springer Science & Business Media, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO 14044 (2006) Environmental management. Life cycle assessment. Requirements and guidelines (EN ISO 14044:2006)

  • Jolliet O, Bare J, Boulay A-M et al (2014) Global guidance on environmental life cycle impact assessment indicators: findings of the scoping phase. Int J Life Cycle Assess 19:962–967

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirschke S, Bousquet P, Ciais P et al (2013) Three decades of global methane sources and sinks. Nat Geosci 6:813–823

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klöpffer W, Grahl B (2009) Ökobilanz (LCA): Ein Leitfaden für Ausbildung und Beruf. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kroeker KJ, Kordas RL, Crim RN, Singh GG (2010) Meta-analysis reveals negative yet variable effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms: biological responses to ocean acidification. Ecol Lett 13:1419–1434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindeijer EW, Müller-Wenk R, Steen B (2002) Life cycle impact assessment: striving towards best practice. Chapter 2: impact assessment of resources and land use. SETAC, Pensacola, pp 11–62, ISBN 1-880611

    Google Scholar 

  • Margni M, Gloria T, Bare J et al. (2008) Guidance on how to move from current practice to recommended practice in life cycle impact assessment. UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative Publication

  • Michaelidis B, Ouzounis C, Paleras A, Pörtner H (2005) Effects of long-term moderate hypercapnia on acid-base balance and growth rate in marine mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 293:109–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pörtner HO, Langenbuch M, Reipschläger A (2004) Biological impact of elevated ocean CO2 concentrations: lessons from animal physiology and earth history. J Oceanogr 60:705–718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhein M, Rintoul SR, Aoki S et al (2013) Observations: ocean. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 255–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Royal Society Great Britain (2005) Ocean acidification due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide. Clyvedon Press Ltd, Cardiff

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlesinger WH (2005) Biogeochemistry: treatise on geochemistry, volume 8, 1st edn. Elsevier Science, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Schroeder T (2013) World ocean review. Vol. 2: the future of fish—the fisheries of the future. Maribus gGmbH, Hamburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Seinfeld JH, Pandis SN (2006) Atmospheric chemistry and physics: from air pollution to climate change, 2nd edn. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  • Thinkstep (2016) GaBi product sustainability software

  • Widdicombe S, Spicer JI (2008) Predicting the impact of ocean acidification on benthic biodiversity: what can animal physiology tell us? J Exp Mar Bio Ecol 366:187–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wuebbles DJ, Hayhoe K (2000) Atmospheric methane: trends and impacts. In: Non-CO2 greenhouse gases: scientific understanding, control and implementation. Springer, pp. 1–44

  • Wuebbles DJ, Hayhoe K (2002) Atmospheric methane and global change. Earth Sci Rev 57:177–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zeebe RE, Wolf-Gladrow D (2001) CO2 in seawater: equilibrium, kinetics, isotopes. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors like to thank Dr. Lars Merkel of the Department of Chemistry (TU Berlin) who provided valuable assistance to the research presented here.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Sustainable Engineering, Technische Universität Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany

    Vanessa Bach, Franziska Möller, Natalia Finogenova, Yasmine Emara & Matthias Finkbeiner

Authors
  1. Vanessa Bach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Franziska Möller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Natalia Finogenova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yasmine Emara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Matthias Finkbeiner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vanessa Bach.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Mark Huijbregts

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOCX 24 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bach, V., Möller, F., Finogenova, N. et al. Characterization model to assess ocean acidification within life cycle assessment. Int J Life Cycle Assess 21, 1463–1472 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-016-1121-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-016-1121-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation