Data unavailability

Question

Hi all,

I am having emissions like succinic acid, furfural, phenolic acid, HMF etc from the different processes of my product system. But these compounds are not available in the ecoinvent database that I am using. Hence the impacts due to these are not accounted. Can someone help me to account for this? How can the impacts due to these compounds be accounted?

Regards,
Arun

Comments

Hi Arun,

If an elementary flow does not exist in your database you can create them new. If you want them also counted in your impact assessment you will need to add your new flows and the appropriate characterization factor to your LCIA method of choice. Usually if a flow is found in one of the common LCIA methods it will also be included in the openLCA default flows. It does look like furfural exists as an elementary flow (emissions to air / unspecified). Also try different names for some of the other compounds (e.g. "2-Furaldehyde, 5-hydroxymethyl-" for HMF)

Hope this helps
Ben Young, Franklin Associates