Abstract
Today, the study and analysis of energy and environmental pollutants in agricultural lands, greenhouses and gardens alone cannot be effective in relation to the efficiency of agricultural products. Therefore, in the post-harvest stages, two issues of energy and environment are addressed. Based on this, the current research was conducted with the aim of investigating the energy–environmental indicators of pomegranate paste production in Iran. The results showed that the total energy input, energy ratio (ER) and energy productivity (EP) were calculated as 35,027 MJ/ton, 0.103 and 0.0002 tons of paste/total cycle energy, respectively. Energy required to produce paste bottles and pomegranate energy (chemical fertilizers and diesel fuel) for processing were the most consumed inputs in the study areas with 13,500 (38%) and 13,131 (37%) MJ.t−1, respectively. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and the IMPACT 2002+ method were used to calculate the environmental effects, and 1 ton of pomegranate paste produced was determined as a functional unit (FU). Based on the findings obtained from the environmental section, the polyethylene bottles production had the highest emissions on the ecosystem quality (EQ), human health (HT), climate change (CC) and resources reduction (RR) damage categories as 94%, 72%, 71% and 92%, respectively. Based on the normalization results, HH, CC, RR and EQ have the highest values with 126.63, 78.23, 54.94 and 3.71, respectively. Also, the final impact was calculated as 263.53 pPt t−1, and HH had the highest contributions to it. Results taken from the post-harvest section (specially packaging) confirmed the requisiteness of agricultural crops whole cycle investigation (cradle-to-grave analysis). The findings show that by reducing fossil and non-renewable inputs (chemical fertilizers, electricity and diesel fuel) and replacing them with clean energy, it is possible to achieve sustainability in product production. By managing the consumption of inputs, organic products with high-energy efficiency can be produced and the world can use its economic and social benefits.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Author elects to not share data.
Abbreviations
- EP:
-
Energy productivity
- ER:
-
Energy ratio
- CC:
-
Climate change
- EQ:
-
Ecosystem quality
- FU:
-
Functional unit
- HT:
-
Human health
- LCA:
-
Life cycle assessment
- LCI:
-
Life cycle inventory
- LCIA:
-
Life cycle impact assessment
- NEG:
-
Net energy gain
- RR:
-
Resource reduction
- SE:
-
Specific energy
References
Aganovic, K., Smetana, S., Grauwet, T., Toepfl, S., Mathys, A., Van Loey, A., & Heinz, V. (2017). Pilot scale thermal and alternative pasteurization of tomato and watermelon juice: An energy comparison and life cycle assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 141, 514–525.
Akcaoz, H., Ozcatalbas, O., & Kizilay, H. (2009). Analysis of energy use for pomegranate production in Turkey. Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, 7, 475–480.
Amadeo, K., (2022). Oil Price Forecast 2023–2050. Current and Future Crude Oil Prices
Anonymous, (2002). Pomegranate growing. AGFACTS. Available at: http: //www.agric.nsw.gov.au
Anonymous, (2010). Database EcoInvent version 2, Available from: www.ecoinvent.org.
Anonymous, (2013). Ministry of Culture and Tourism Republic of Azerbaijan.
Anonymous, (2019). Annual agricultural statistics of Isfahan province in Iran [In Persian]. <agri-es.ir/Iran>
Caldeira-Pires, A., Benoist, A., Da Luz, S. M., Silverio, V. C., Silveira, C. M., & Machado, F. S. (2018). Implications of removing straw from soil for bioenergy: An LCA of ethanol production using total sugarcane biomass. Journal of Cleaner Production, 181, 249–259.
Canakci, M. (2010). Energy use pattern and economic analyses of pomegranate cultivation in Turkey. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 5(7), 491–499.
Chen, C., Habert, G., Bouzidi, Y., Jullien, A., & Ventura, A. (2010). LCA allocation procedure used as an incitative method for waste recycling: An application to mineral additions in concrete. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 54(12), 1231–1240.
Cochran WG. (1999). Sampling techniques, Third Edn. Wiley.
De Menna, F., Vittuari, M., & Molari, G. (2015). Impact evaluation of integrated food-bioenergy systems: A comparative LCA of peach nectar. Biomass and bioenergy, 73, 48–61.
Dwivedi, P., Spreen, T., & Goodrich-Schneider, R. (2012). Global warming impact of Florida’s Not-From-Concentrate (NFC) orange juice. Agricultural Systems, 108, 104–111.
Elhami, B., Raini, M. G. N., & Soheili-Fard, F. (2019). Energy and environmental indices through life cycle assessment of raisin production: A case study (Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Iran). Renewable Energy, 141, 507–515.
Elhami, B., Raini, M. G. N., Taki, M., Marzban, A., & Heidarisoltanabadi, M. (2021). Analysis and comparison of energy-economic-environmental cycle in two cultivation methods (seeding and transplanting) for onion production (case study: Central parts of Iran). Renewable Energy, 178, 875–890.
Fallahpour, F., Aminghafouri, A., Ghalegolab Behbahani, A., & Bannayan, M. (2012). The environmental impact assessment of wheat and barley production by using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 14(6), 979–992.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2020). https://www.fao.org.
Ghasemi-Mobtaker, H., Kaab, A., & Rafiee, S. (2020). Application of life cycle analysis to assess environmental sustainability of wheat cultivation in the west of Iran. Energy, 193, 116768.
Ghatrehsamani, S., Ebrahimi, R., Kazi, S. N., Badry, A. B., & Sadeghinezhad, E. (2016). Optimization model of peach production relevant to input energies–Yield function in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province. Iran. Energy, 99, 315–321.
Ghorbani, R., Mondani, F., Amirmoradi, S., Feizi, H., Khorramdel, S., Teimouri, M., & Aghel, H. (2011). A case study of energy use and economical analysis of irrigated and dryland wheat production systems. Applied Energy, 88(1), 283–288.
Glozer, K., & Ferguson, L. (2008). Pomegranate Production in Afghanistan. UC Davis College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Department of Plant Sciences, 32 p.
Goedkoop, M., Heijungs, R., Huijbregts, M.A.J., De Schryver, A., Struijs, J., Van Zelm, R., (2009). ReCiPe 2008: A life cycle impact assessment method which comprises harmonised category indicators at the midpoint and the endpoint level, first ed. (Report I: characterisation).
Guinee, J. (2010). Sulphuric acid plant fundamentals. Sulphuric acid short course, Vancouver, Canada. pp. 7.
Hayek, J., El Bachawati, M., & Manneh, R. (2021). Life cycle assessment and water footprint scarcity of yogurt. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(12), 18362–18393.
Hesampour, R., Taki, M., Fathi, R., Hassani, M., & Halog, A. (2022). Energy-economic-environmental cycle evaluation comparing two polyethylene and polycarbonate plastic greenhouses in cucumber production (from production to packaging and distribution). Science of the Total Environment, 828, 154232.
Hosseini-Fashami, F., Motevali, A., Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A., Hashemi, S. J., & Chau, K. W. (2019). Energy-Life cycle assessment on applying solar technologies for greenhouse strawberry production. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 116, 109411.
Houshyar, E., Mahmoodi-Eshkaftaki, M., & Azadi, H. (2017). Impacts of technological change on energy use efficiency and GHG mitigation of pomegranate: Application of dynamic data envelopment analysis models. Journal of Cleaner Production, 162, 1180–1191.
IPCC (2006). Guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. In: Eggleston, H.S., Buendia, L., Miwa, K., Ngara, T., Tanabe, K. (Eds.), Prepared by the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme. IGES, Japan (www.ipccnggip.iges.or).
ISO 14040 (2006). Environmental management life cycle assessment principles and framework. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 11(2):36.
ISO 14044 (2006). Environmental management–life cycle assessment—requirements and guidelines. Eur Comm Stand Int Organ Stand
Jolliet, O., Margni, M., Charles, R., Humbert, S., Payet, J., Rebitzer, G., & Rosenbaum, R. (2003). IMPACT 2002+: A new life cycle impact assessment methodology. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 8(6), 324–330.
Karimi, M., & Moghaddam, H. (2018). On-farm energy flow in grape orchards. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 17(2), 191–194.
Khanali, M., Akram, A., Behzadi, J., Mostashari-Rad, F., Saber, Z., Chau, K. W., & Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A. (2021). Multi-objective optimization of energy use and environmental emissions for walnut production using imperialist competitive algorithm. Applied Energy, 284, 116342.
Khanali, M., Kokei, D., Aghbashlo, M., Nasab, F. K., Hosseinzadeh-Bandbafha, H., & Tabatabaei, M. (2020). Energy flow modeling and life cycle assessment of apple juice production: Recommendations for renewable energies implementation and climate change mitigation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 246, 118997.
Khoshnevisan, B., Rafiee, S., Omid, M., Mousazadeh, H., & Sefeedpari, P. (2013). Prognostication of environmental indices in potato production using artificial neural networks. Journal of Cleaner Production., 52, 402–409.
Khoshnevisan, B., Shariati, H. M., Rafiee, S., & Mousazadeh, H. (2014). Comparison of energy consumption and GHG emissions of open field and greenhouse strawberry production. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 29, 316–324.
Kitani, O. (1999). Energy and biomass engineering, CIGR handbook of agricultural engineering. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI.
Kizilaslan, H. (2009). Input–output energy analysis of cherries production in Tokat Province of Turkey. Applied Energy, 86(7–8), 1354–1358.
Kouchaki-Penchah, H., Sharifi, M., Mousazadeh, H., Zarea-Hosseinabadi, H., & Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A. (2016). Gate to gate life cycle assessment of flat pressed particleboard production in Islamic Republic of Iran. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 343–350.
Manfredi, M., & Vignali, G. (2014). Life cycle assessment of a packaged tomato puree: A comparison of environmental impacts produced by different life cycle phases. Journal of Cleaner Production, 73, 275–284.
Mardani, A., & Taghavifar, H. (2016). An overview on energy inputs and environmental emissions of grape production in West Azerbayjan of Iran. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 54, 918–924.
Maroušek, J., & Gavurová, B. (2022). Recovering phosphorous from biogas fermentation residues indicates promising economic results. Chemosphere, 291, 133008.
Maroušek, J., & Maroušková, A. (2021). Economic considerations on nutrient utilization in wastewater management. Energies, 14(12), 3468.
Mohseni, P., Borghei, A. M., & Khanali, M. (2018). Coupled life cycle assessment and data envelopment analysis for mitigation of environmental impacts and enhancement of energy efficiency in grape production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 197, 937–947.
Mostashari-Rad, F., Ghasemi-Mobtaker, H., Taki, M., Ghahderijani, M., Kaab, A., Chau, K. W., & Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A. (2021). Exergoenvironmental damages assessment of horticultural crops using ReCiPe2016 and cumulative exergy demand frameworks. Journal of Cleaner Production, 278, 123788.
Mousavi, S. M., & Falahatkar, S. (2020). Spatiotemporal distribution patterns of atmospheric methane using GOSAT data in Iran. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 22(5), 4191–4207.
Mousavi-Avval, S. H., Rafiee, S., Sharifi, M., Hosseinpour, S., & Shah, A. (2017). Combined application of life cycle assessment and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system for modeling energy and environmental emissions of oilseed production. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 78, 807–820.
Nemecek, T., Kägi, T., Blaser, S. (2007). Life cycle inventories of agricultural production systems. Final report ecoinvent V2. 0 No. 15.
Pishgar-Komleh, S. H., Akram, A., Keyhani, A., Sefeedpari, P., Shine, P., & Brandao, M. (2020). Integration of life cycle assessment, artificial neural networks, and metaheuristic optimization algorithms for optimization of tomato-based cropping systems in Iran. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 25(3), 620–632.
Rajabi Hamedani, S., Keyhani, A., & Alimardani, R. (2011). Energy use patterns and econometric models of grape production in Hamadan province of Iran. Energy, 36(11), 6345–6351.
Saber, Z., Esmaeili, M., Pirdashti, H., Motevali, A., & Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A. (2020). Exergoenvironmental-Life cycle cost analysis for conventional, low external input and organic systems of rice paddy production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 263, 121529.
Taghavifar, H., & Mardani, A. (2015). Prognostication of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analysis of apple production in West Azarbayjan of Iran using Artificial Neural Network. Journal of Cleaner Production, 87, 159–167.
Troujeni, M. E., Khojastehpour, M., Vahedi, A., & Emadi, B. (2018). Sensitivity analysis of energy inputs and economic evaluation of pomegranate production in Iran. Information Processing in Agriculture, 5(1), 114–123.
Waismoradi, A., Yousefinejad-Ostadkelayeh, M., & Rahmati, H. (2015). Environmental impact assessment of tangerine production using LCA methodology, case study: Guilan province of Iran.
Funding
No funding was obtained for this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no potential conflict of interest.
Consent to participate
Authors of paper, consent to participate in the paper.
Consent to Publication
Authors of paper, consent to publish.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Lotfalian Dehkordi, A., Shadmanfar, S. Investigate the energy–environmental indices for pomegranate molasses production: evidence from Isfahan, Iran. Environ Dev Sustain 26, 6109–6129 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-02952-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-02952-4