Life Cycle Assessment of Polyphenolic Extracts Derived from Pine By-Products

Abstract

Forestry and wood-processing by-products, such as pine bark, offer promising opportunities for sustainable resource utilization within a circular economy. This study aimed to assess the environmental impact of an aqueous extraction process for polyphenolic compounds from various pine residues, including bark, cones, and pruning, using life cycle assessment (LCA). The analysis revealed that ground and sieved pine bark powder had the lowest environmental impact, attributed to its simpler extraction process without chemical modifications and reduced energy consumption compared to other pine-derived products. Electricity and natural gas were identified as the primary drivers of environmental impacts across all categories. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that increasing the tannin concentration in pine-derived products and integrating renewable energy sources could further improve environmental performance. These findings highlight the potential of utilizing underutilized pine residues as sustainable feedstock for producing valuable polyphenolic extracts with a relatively low environmental footprint. The insights gained from this LCA study provide a comprehensive foundation for advancing sustainable extraction technologies. They emphasize the critical role of energy efficiency, tannin concentration, and renewable energy integration in minimizing environmental impacts. Furthermore, these findings offer actionable guidance for optimizing resource recovery from forestry by-products, enhancing their viability as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional tannin sources.