Table 3.
Environmental impacts of starch polymer and nanofiller compared with LDPE polymer (Functional unit = 1 kg).
| Impact Category | Ozone Depletion (kg CFC-11 eq.) | Global Warming Potential/Greenhouse Gas Emissions (kg CO2 eq.) | Smog (kg O3 eq.) | Acidification (kg SO2 eq.) | Eutrophication (kg N eq.) | Human Toxicity, Carcinogen (CTUh) | Human Toxicity, Noncarcinogen (CTUh) | Respiratory Effects (kg PM2.5 eq.) | Ecotoxicity (CTUe) | Water Consumption (Kg) | Agricultural Land Use (m2yr/kg) | Fossil Fuel Depletion/Non-Renewable Energy Use (MJ Surplus) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE waste management | 1.28 × 10−5 | 3.82 × 103 | 5.77 × 10 | 1.39 × 10 c | 1.05 × 10−4 | [143] | |||||||
| Starch-based polymers production with PBS, PLA/PBAT, PHB, PLA, PBS/fiber, and recycled-PLA | 1.8–3.7 | 1.2–1.9 d | 0.3–1.3 | 33–72 | [141] | ||||||||
| Starch-stabilized Ag NPs manufacturing via microwave-assisted heating | 1.24 × 10−7 | 8.44 × 10−2 | 2.37 × 10−1 | 2.51 × 10−1 | 1.21 × 10−1 | 4.44 × 10−6 | 8.02 × 10−4 | 6.41 × 102 | 5.85 × 105 | 7.08 × 102 | [137] | ||
| Starch nanofiller preparation using various process | 0.00 | 7.95–13.07 | 0.5–0.6 a | 8.78–15.51 b | 0.16–0.23 | 0.9–0.16 e | 2216.99–3747.76 f | 0.02 | 33.15–115.82 h | 16–19 | [132] | ||
| Nanofiller OMMT | 1.52 | 1.139 g | 40.079 | [144] |
a, kg/NOx eq.; b, H+ moles eq.; c, kg PO43- eq.; d, g P eq./kg; e, kg benzene eq.; f, kg toluene eq.; g, g PM; h, kg 2,4-D eq. PM2.5, particulate matter of size under 2.5 µm; 2,4-D, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid used as a herbicide and pesticide.