Life cycle assessment for Ambrox® production from different chemical routes

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 130; pp. 202 - 212
• Main Authors: Martínez-Guido, Sergio Iván, Sengupta, Debalina, Nápoles-Rivera, Fabricio, González-Campos, J. Betzabe, del Río, Rosa E., Ponce-Ortega, José María, El-Halwagi, Mahmoud M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2016
• Subjects: Ambrox; Environmental impact; Fixatives; Perfume industry; Perfume industry; Fixatives; Ambrox; Environmental impact
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.11.031

Industrial processes usually have significant environmental impacts due to the emissions associated with different production processes, resource depletion, and ecosystem alteration. Since these processes are designed to meet primarily economic aspects, there arises a need to balance with social and environmental issues. Strategies such as process integration and optimization have been used to reduce the overall environmental impact through recycle and reuse of materials or via the adoption of alternative manufacturing routes which may result in enhancing the economic and/or environmental objectives. Ambrox® is a high value chemical used in the perfume industry. The traditional chemical processing route represents significant environmental problems. In this paper, an economic and environmental evaluation of the chemical routes from Sclareol (the most common chemical route) and from Ageratina jocotepecana (an endemic plant from the State of Michoacan in Mexico) is analyzed to determine the feasibility of using the latter as an alternative for the production of Ambrox®. The results are analyzed using the Life Cycle Assessment method and show that the chemical pathway from A. jocotepecana offers environmental and economic advantages over the current process. •Two chemical routes for the perfume fixative Ambrox® are analyzed.•There was implemented a Life Cycle Analysis.•One route is from Sclareol and the other is from Ageratina jocotepecana.•A. jocotepecana is an endemic plant from the state of Michoacán in Mexico.•The A. jocotepecana route has economic and environmental merits.