中药渣资源化处理路径的生命周期评价与环境效益评估

Life cycle assessment and environmental benefit evaluation of resource utilization pathways for traditional Chinese medicine residues

  • 摘要: 随着中医药产业的快速发展,中药渣产量持续增长,其传统处理方式在环境负荷和资源利用方面存在明显不足。为系统评估不同中药渣处理方式的环境影响和经济效益,本研究构建了平菇生产、堆肥处理、填埋处理和焚烧处理四种中药渣处理情景,以处理1 t含水率为60%的中药渣为功能单位,基于ISO 14040/14044标准,采用生命周期评价法,对各处理方式的环境影响进行定量分析,并结合生态效率进行综合评价。结果表明:堆肥处理的总环境影响最低,为5.36 Pt,平菇生产次之,与填埋处理、焚烧处理相比,平菇生产的环境影响分别降低73.73%、61.35%,且四种处理方式在人体健康方面的影响占比较大。平菇生产的成本投入为1330.22 ¥·t-1,平菇产品和菌渣堆肥产生的有机肥可实现882.86 ¥·t-1的经济利润,堆肥处理可实现348.26 ¥·t-1的经济利润,而其他两种处理方式均表现为经济亏损。平菇生产的生态效率最高,为148.86 ¥·Pt-1,堆肥处理次之,为64.94 ¥·Pt-1,其他处理方式的生态效率为负值。利用中药渣平菇生产在降低环境负荷的同时表现出较好的经济效益,可为中药渣处理方式的优化提供参考,并为农业循环经济发展提供数据支持。

     

    Abstract: With the rapid development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry, the generation of Chinese medicine residues has continuously increased, while conventional treatment methods are often associated with high environmental burdens and low resource utilization efficiency. To systematically evaluate the environmental impacts and economic performance of different Chinese medicine residues treatment options, this study conducted a comparative analysis of alternative treatment pathways based on an integrated eco-efficiency assessment framework. Four representative treatment scenarios were established, including Pleurotus ostreatus production, composting, landfilling, and incineration. The treatment of 1 t of Chinese medicine residues with a moisture content of 60% was selected as the functional unit. Life cycle assessment was carried out in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. The system boundary covered residue preprocessing, treatment processes, product outputs, pollutant emissions, and substitution benefits, including organic fertilizer substituting for chemical fertilizer production and electricity generation from incineration substituting for coal-fired power. Environmental impacts were quantified using the ReCiPe 2016 method at both midpoint and endpoint levels, evaluating impact categories such as global warming, ecotoxicity, land use, resource scarcity, and endpoint damages to human health, ecosystems, and resources. In parallel, an economic analysis incorporating equipment, materials, labor, and energy inputs was conducted. Eco-efficiency was subsequently calculated by integrating economic profit with environmental impacts to assess the overall sustainability of each treatment pathway. The results demonstrate substantial differences in environmental performance among the four treatment scenarios. Composting exhibited the lowest total environmental cost, at 5.36 Pt, followed by Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation. Compared with landfilling and incineration, the environmental impacts of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivation were reduced by 73.73% and 61.35%, respectively. Across all treatment pathways, damage to human health consistently represented the dominant contribution to total environmental burden. At the midpoint level, landfilling showed the highest global warming potential, reaching 1.29E+03 kg (CO2 eq)·t-1, primarily due to substantial emissions of methane and carbon dioxide under anaerobic conditions. In contrast, Pleurotus ostreatus production reduced global warming potential by 86.47% compared with landfilling, mainly as a result of avoided chemical fertilizer production and efficient biomass utilization. Economic analysis revealed that the total treatment cost of Pleurotus ostreatus production was 1330.22 ¥·t-1. However, revenues generated from mushroom products and organic fertilizer derived from spent mushroom substrate reached 2213.08 ¥·t-1, resulting in a net profit of 882.86 ¥·t-1. Composting achieved a lower but still positive economic profit of 348.26 ¥·t-1.In comparison, composting, landfilling, and incineration all resulted in economic losses under current market conditions, mainly due to low product value or the lack of competitive marketable outputs. Among the four treatment options, Pleurotus ostreatus production achieved the highest eco-efficiency, at 148.86 ¥·Pt-1, followed by composting at 64.94 ¥·Pt-1, while the eco-efficiencies of the remaining treatment methods were negative. Overall, utilizing Chinese medicine residues for Pleurotus ostreatus production represents a treatment pathway that combines effective resource recovery with significant environmental impact mitigation. By integrating life cycle assessment with economic analysis to perform a comprehensive eco-efficiency evaluation, this study provides quantitative evidence for optimizing Chinese medicine residues management strategies and offers scientific support for the development of circular agriculture and sustainable resource utilization within the traditional Chinese medicine industry.

     

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