R. van Zelm

Bio: R. van Zelm is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Species richness. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 5 citations.

Implementing Groundwater Extraction in Life Cycle Impact Assessment: Characterization Factors Based on Plant Species Richness for the Netherlands : supporting information

Abstract: An operational method to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with groundwater use is currently lacking in life cycle assessment (LCA). This paper outlines a method to calculate characterization factors that address the effects of groundwater extraction on the species richness of terrestrial vegetation. Characterization factors (CF) were derived for The Netherlands and consist of a fate and an effect part. The fate factor equals the change in drawdown due to a change in groundwater extraction and expresses the amount of time required for groundwater replenishment. It was obtained with a grid-specific steady-state groundwater flow model. Effect factors were obtained from groundwater level response curves of potential plant species richness, which was constructed based on the soil moisture requirements of 625 plant species. Depending on the initial groundwater level, effect factors range up to 9.2% loss of species per 10 cm of groundwater level decrease. The total Dutch CF for groundwater extraction depended on the value choices taken and ranged from 0.09 to 0.61 m(2)·yr/m(3). For tap water production, we showed that groundwater extraction can be responsible for up to 32% of the total terrestrial ecosystem damage. With the proposed approach, effects of groundwater extraction on terrestrial ecosystems can be systematically included in LCA.

Assessing the environmental impacts of a complex urban water system based on the life cycle assessment framework : development of a versatile model and advanced water deprivation indicators

Abstract: La gestion integree de l'eau a l'echelle des grandes villes est un reel defi. Cependant, la quantification des flux et des impacts environnementaux lies a l'utilisation de l'eau n'est pas encore suffisamment developpee. Dans ce contexte, la question de recherche de la these est: "comment modeliser le systeme d'eau urbain complexe d'une megapole pour l'evaluation de ses impacts sur l'environnement et des services fournis aux usagers de l'eau, dans le cadre de l'analyse du cycle de vie (ACV)?" Le cœur de la these est le developpement d'un cadre general definissant les flux d'eau et les impacts environnementaux associes aux trois composants principaux du systeme d'eau urbain, a savoir, les technologies de l'eau, les usagers de l'eau et les ressources en eau. Le modele propose de systeme d'eau urbain (nomme WaLA) se construit a travers une approche modulaire permettant l'interoperabilite des trois composants. Le modele fournit des indicateurs d'impacts et de services rendus qui peuvent etre utiles aux decideurs et aux parties prenantes. Il simplifie l'evaluation des scenarios et diminue la complexite du systeme tout en assurant sa bonne representation du point de vue de l'ACV. En plus de cet objectif principal, la these vise a raffiner les indicateurs d'impact sur la privation d'eau afin qu'ils soient pertinents pour les systemes d'eau urbains. Une methode qui permet d'evaluer la privation d'eau a l'echelle du sous bassin versant en integrant les effets en aval a ainsi ete developpee. Cette methode permet de differencier les impacts selon les points de prelevements et de rejets dans un meme bassin versant. Enfin, le modele WaLA et les indicateurs associes sont mis en œuvre pour evaluer les impacts environnementaux du systeme d'eau urbain de la banlieue parisienne (perimetre du Syndicat des Eaux d'Ile-de-France). L'interet et l'applicabilite du modele pour evaluer et comparer des scenarios actuels et previsionnels sont ainsi demontres.

Optimization of Feedstock Blends to Improve Biodiesel Cost Effectiveness and Manage Environmental Impacts

Abstract: Tese de doutoramento em Sistemas Sustentaveis de Energia, apresentada ao Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica da Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra

LIFE CYCLE IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF WATER USE : Reviewing methods and their implications in biorefinery system

Abstract: Over the last few years, the scientific debates and discussions between water resource management scholars and the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) researchers have brought the impacts assessment of wat ...