Enhancing the reliability of C & N accounting in economic activities: Integration of bio-geochemical cycles with Eco-LCA

Biogeochemical cycles are the basic mechanism of nutrient cycling in geobiosphere. The anthropogenic activities have led to disruption of the balance of some of these cycles, resulting in adverse environmental impacts. A recent article highlights the limit of safe operating limits transgressed by human activities. It motivates this work to integrate the bio-geochemical cycle flows in C & N accounting. The Ecologically Based Life Cycle Assessment (Eco-LCA) methodology is capable of capturing the role of natural systems in economic activities. This work utilizes the Eco-LCA framework to develop a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) which includes the C & N bio-geochemical cycles flow in economy, thus providing a more comprehensive accounting of C&N.