IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v23y2021i12d10.1007_s10668-021-01428-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The environmental impact of nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) production in Mexico City, Mexico through a life cycle assessment (LCA)

Author

Listed:
  • Guillermo Alexis Vergel-Rangel

    (Instituto Politécnico Nacional)

  • Pablo Emilio Escamilla-García

    (Instituto Politécnico Nacional)

  • Raúl Horacio Camarillo-López

    (Instituto Politécnico Nacional)

  • Jair Azael Esquivel-Guzmán

    (Université de Montréal)

  • Francisco Pérez-Soto

    (DICEA, Chapingo Autonomous University)

Abstract

Nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) is widely cultivated in Mexico as a food raw material. However, the environmental impact caused by the growth and harvesting life cycle of this feedstock has been poorly studied. In this study, the environmental consequences of the growing, harvesting and transportation processes of nopal were evaluated with the aid of a life cycle assessment (LCA) method using SimaPro software version 8.5.2. The results showed that global warming (83.13%) and ozone depletion (99.25%) were significantly affected by the cultivation process due to current fertilization methods. The number of estimated gasses and chemicals emitted like ammonium (18.88 kgNH3/ha/year), nitrogen oxides (35.32 kgNOX–NO2/ha/year) and nitrous oxide (28.57 kgN2O/ha/year) were believed to be the result of the chemical fertilizers employed. The current cultivation process additionally reported emissions of nitrate (886.48 kgNO3/ha/year) and phosphorus (0.041 kg P/ha/year) caused by soil water erosion. The transportation process reported low levels of environmental impact; however, a significant amount of acidification (88.54%), mineral depletion (80.95%) and water consumption (84.06%) resulted from the process utilized to produce nopal in brine. In summary, the entire process resulted in a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 0.562 kg/CO2 eq.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillermo Alexis Vergel-Rangel & Pablo Emilio Escamilla-García & Raúl Horacio Camarillo-López & Jair Azael Esquivel-Guzmán & Francisco Pérez-Soto, 2021. "The environmental impact of nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) production in Mexico City, Mexico through a life cycle assessment (LCA)," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 18068-18095, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:12:d:10.1007_s10668-021-01428-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01428-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-021-01428-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-021-01428-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. F. Fallahpour & A. Aminghafouri & A. Ghalegolab Behbahani & M. Bannayan, 2012. "The environmental impact assessment of wheat and barley production by using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 14(6), pages 979-992, December.
    2. Michail Tsangas & Ifigeneia Gavriel & Maria Doula & Flouris Xeni & Antonis A. Zorpas, 2020. "Life Cycle Analysis in the Framework of Agricultural Strategic Development Planning in the Balkan Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Baarsch, Florent & Granadillos, Jessie R. & Hare, William & Knaus, Maria & Krapp, Mario & Schaeffer, Michiel & Lotze-Campen, Hermann, 2020. "The impact of climate change on incomes and convergence in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Yin, Huajun & Zhao, Wenqiang & Li, Ting & Cheng, Xinying & Liu, Qing, 2018. "Balancing straw returning and chemical fertilizers in China: Role of straw nutrient resources," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2695-2702.
    5. K. M. Atikur Rahman & Dunfu Zhang, 2018. "Effects of Fertilizer Broadcasting on the Excessive Use of Inorganic Fertilizers and Environmental Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-15, March.
    6. Chalise, Sudarshan & Naranpanawa, Athula & Bandara, Jayatilleke S. & Sarker, Tapan, 2017. "A general equilibrium assessment of climate change–induced loss of agricultural productivity in Nepal," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 43-50.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jinwu Wang & Nuan Wen & Ziming Liu & Wenqi Zhou & Han Tang & Qi Wang & Jinfeng Wang, 2022. "Coupled Bionic Design of Liquid Fertilizer Deep Application Type Opener Based on Sturgeon Streamline to Enhance Opening Performance in Cold Soils of Northeast China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Huong Thi Thuy Dao & Jeong Min Seo & Jonathan O. Hernandez & Si Ho Han & Woo Bin Youn & Ji Young An & Byung Bae Park, 2020. "Effective Placement Methods of Vermicompost Application in Urban Tree Species: Implications for Sustainable Urban Afforestation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Sriroop Chaudhuri & Mimi Roy & Louis M. McDonald & Yves Emendack, 2023. "Land Degradation–Desertification in Relation to Farming Practices in India: An Overview of Current Practices and Agro-Policy Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-27, April.
    4. Nie, Tangzhe & Huang, Jianyi & Zhang, Zhongxue & Chen, Peng & Li, Tiecheng & Dai, Changlei, 2023. "The inhibitory effect of a water-saving irrigation regime on CH4 emission in Mollisols under straw incorporation for 5 consecutive years," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    5. Syed Asif Ali Naqvi & Abdul Majeed Nadeem & Muhammad Amjed Iqbal & Sadia Ali & Asia Naseem, 2019. "Assessing the Vulnerabilities of Current and Future Production Systems in Punjab, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-13, September.
    6. Qiuwei Bai & Hongpin Luo & Xinglan Fu & Xin Zhang & Guanglin Li, 2023. "Design and Experiment of Lightweight Dual-Mode Automatic Variable-Rate Fertilization Device and Control System," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-20, May.
    7. Sahrish Saeed & Muhammad Sohail Amjad Makhdum & Sofia Anwar & Muhammad Rizwan Yaseen, 2023. "Climate Change Vulnerability, Adaptation, and Feedback Hypothesis: A Comparison of Lower-Middle, Upper-Middle, and High-Income Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-25, February.
    8. Oludare Sunday Durodola & Khaldoon A. Mourad, 2020. "Modelling the Impacts of Climate Change on Soybeans Water Use and Yields in Ogun-Ona River Basin, Nigeria," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-23, December.
    9. Sun, Hui & Wang, Enzhen & Li, Xiang & Cui, Xian & Guo, Jianbin & Dong, Renjie, 2021. "Potential biomethane production from crop residues in China: Contributions to carbon neutrality," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    10. Nihal Ahmed & Adnan Ahmed Sheikh & Farhan Mahboob & Muhammad Sibt e Ali & Elżbieta Jasińska & Michał Jasiński & Zbigniew Leonowicz & Alessandro Burgio, 2022. "Energy Diversification: A Friend or Foe to Economic Growth in Nordic Countries? A Novel Energy Diversification Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-15, July.
    11. Fang, Yan Ru & Hossain, MD Shouquat & Peng, Shuan & Han, Ling & Yang, Pingjian, 2024. "Sustainable energy development of crop straw in five southern provinces of China: Bioenergy production, land, and water saving potential," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    12. Sabina Regmi & Kushal Naharki, 2020. "A Swot Analysis Of Agribusiness Entrepreneurship In Nepal," Food & Agribusiness Management (FABM), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 1(2), pages 83-88, June.
    13. Evanthia A. Nanaki & Christopher J. Koroneos, 2018. "Sustainable Peach Compote Production: A Life Cycle Thinking Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, November.
    14. Marinos Stylianou & Iliana Papamichael & Irene Voukkali & Michail Tsangas & Michalis Omirou & Ioannis M. Ioannides & Antonis A. Zorpas, 2023. "LCA of Barley Production: A Case Study from Cyprus," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, January.
    15. Zhikang Wang & Ziyun Chen & Xiangxiang Fu, 2019. "Integrated Effects of Co-Inoculation with Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria and N 2 -Fixing Bacteria on Microbial Population and Soil Amendment Under C Deficiency," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-15, July.
    16. Elena Paglialunga & Andrea Coveri & Antonello Zanfei, 2020. "Climate change and inequality in a global context. Exploring climate induced disparities and the reaction of economic systems," Working Papers 2003, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, Society & Politics - Scientific Committee - L. Stefanini & G. Travaglini, revised 2020.
    17. Cui, Xiaohui & Guo, Liyue & Li, Caihong & Liu, Meizhen & Wu, Guanglei & Jiang, Gaoming, 2021. "The total biomass nitrogen reservoir and its potential of replacing chemical fertilizers in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    18. Ines Jendritzki & Henri E. Z. Tonnang & Paul-André Calatayud & Christian Borgemeister & Tino Johansson & Lisa Biber-Freudenberger, 2023. "Uncertainties in the effectiveness of biological control of stem borers under different climate change scenarios in Eastern Africa," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(5), pages 1-22, May.
    19. Zhao, Guanhan & Jiang, Peng & Zhang, Hao & Li, Lin & Ji, Tuo & Mu, Liwen & Lu, Xiaohua & Zhu, Jiahua, 2024. "Mapping out the regional low-carbon and economic biomass supply chain by aligning geographic information systems and life cycle assessment models," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 369(C).
    20. Delbridge, Victoria & Harman, Oliver & Oliveira Cunha, Juliana & Venables, Anthony J., 2022. "Sustainable urbanisation in developing countries: cities as places to innovate, trade, and work," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118027, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:12:d:10.1007_s10668-021-01428-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.