Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech Republic

The widespread use of detonators across industries such as construction and mining introduces significant environmental risks throughout their life cycle, creating a need to understand and mitigate their environmental impacts. The current study addresses this issue by evaluating the environmental fo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hana Brunhoferová, Tatiana Trecáková, Vladimír Kočí
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025007510
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823856727954554880
author Hana Brunhoferová
Tatiana Trecáková
Vladimír Kočí
author_facet Hana Brunhoferová
Tatiana Trecáková
Vladimír Kočí
author_sort Hana Brunhoferová
collection DOAJ
description The widespread use of detonators across industries such as construction and mining introduces significant environmental risks throughout their life cycle, creating a need to understand and mitigate their environmental impacts. The current study addresses this issue by evaluating the environmental footprint of three commonly used types of detonators—electronic, electric, and non-electric—through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The main objective is to identify which detonator type poses the greatest environmental burden and to propose actionable strategies for impact reduction. As functional unit is chosen one piece of detonator with system boundaries set to cradle to grave. Using primary data, we constructed a comprehensive Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) and performed a Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA), focusing on key impact categories. Results indicate that the electronic detonator, which excels in e.g. high variability detonation timing without losing the timing precision, exhibits the highest environmental impacts, especially concerning Freshwater Ecotoxicity, Global Warming Potential and Abiotic Fossil Depletion (e.g. 1,73E-05, 1,20E-05 and 2,12E-06 (normalized and weighted), respectively, for modules A1-A3). For the detonation itself (module A5), the non-electric detonator exhibits relatively high results for Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (7,45E-06 kg NMVOC eq.), while the electric detonator shows highest burdens for Ecotoxicity Freshwater (5,39E-03 CTUe). Based on these findings, we recommend specific measures, such as adopting materials with recycled content, light-weight materials, bio-based and -degradable materials or alternative fuels, to support more sustainable detonator production and usage.
format Article
id doaj-art-3491e74c49ac4a67aaa96f40c10f0425
institution Kabale University
issn 2405-8440
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Heliyon
spelling doaj-art-3491e74c49ac4a67aaa96f40c10f04252025-02-12T05:31:22ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-02-01114e42371Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech RepublicHana Brunhoferová0Tatiana Trecáková1Vladimír Kočí2Corresponding author.; Faculty of Environmental Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague, Czech RepublicFaculty of Environmental Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague, Czech RepublicFaculty of Environmental Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague, Czech RepublicThe widespread use of detonators across industries such as construction and mining introduces significant environmental risks throughout their life cycle, creating a need to understand and mitigate their environmental impacts. The current study addresses this issue by evaluating the environmental footprint of three commonly used types of detonators—electronic, electric, and non-electric—through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The main objective is to identify which detonator type poses the greatest environmental burden and to propose actionable strategies for impact reduction. As functional unit is chosen one piece of detonator with system boundaries set to cradle to grave. Using primary data, we constructed a comprehensive Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) and performed a Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA), focusing on key impact categories. Results indicate that the electronic detonator, which excels in e.g. high variability detonation timing without losing the timing precision, exhibits the highest environmental impacts, especially concerning Freshwater Ecotoxicity, Global Warming Potential and Abiotic Fossil Depletion (e.g. 1,73E-05, 1,20E-05 and 2,12E-06 (normalized and weighted), respectively, for modules A1-A3). For the detonation itself (module A5), the non-electric detonator exhibits relatively high results for Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (7,45E-06 kg NMVOC eq.), while the electric detonator shows highest burdens for Ecotoxicity Freshwater (5,39E-03 CTUe). Based on these findings, we recommend specific measures, such as adopting materials with recycled content, light-weight materials, bio-based and -degradable materials or alternative fuels, to support more sustainable detonator production and usage.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025007510LCADetonatorsSustainabilityFreshwater ecotoxicityGlobal warming potentialResource depletion
spellingShingle Hana Brunhoferová
Tatiana Trecáková
Vladimír Kočí
Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech Republic
Heliyon
LCA
Detonators
Sustainability
Freshwater ecotoxicity
Global warming potential
Resource depletion
title Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech Republic
title_full Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech Republic
title_fullStr Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech Republic
title_full_unstemmed Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech Republic
title_short Life cycle assessment of electronic, electric and nonelectric detonators; a site-specific case for Czech Republic
title_sort life cycle assessment of electronic electric and nonelectric detonators a site specific case for czech republic
topic LCA
Detonators
Sustainability
Freshwater ecotoxicity
Global warming potential
Resource depletion
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025007510
work_keys_str_mv AT hanabrunhoferova lifecycleassessmentofelectronicelectricandnonelectricdetonatorsasitespecificcaseforczechrepublic
AT tatianatrecakova lifecycleassessmentofelectronicelectricandnonelectricdetonatorsasitespecificcaseforczechrepublic
AT vladimirkoci lifecycleassessmentofelectronicelectricandnonelectricdetonatorsasitespecificcaseforczechrepublic