Filling the gaps in current Life cycle impact assessment framework

我的第二个发现补助金的研究计划旨在解决目前的方法缺陷，并确定了生命周期影响评估（LCIA）中人类毒性和水使用的研究差距，通过（A）开发一个操作模型来评估LCA中的职业暴露和（B）开发一个强大的建模框架和操作方法，将淡水使用与生态系统质量影响指标的潜在影响联系起来。它建立在我以前的发现资助研究计划和其他由补充基金支持的研究活动的基础上。 通过将监测的职业暴露浓度、各部门的劳动时间和影响因素与潜在的人体健康损害直接联系起来，首次建立了LCA中职业暴露的表征模型。本文以一家具企业为例，对该企业进行了全面的生命周期评价，包括职业危害对人体健康的影响。该方法最初是为美国背景开发的，然后将被移植到加拿大和法国的背景下，目的是分析除了模型不确定性之外的区域变化的重要性。该项目的成果将被转移到工作健康和安全领域，以帮助公司提高其排放控制能力，使其超过监管门槛，并通过制定职业接触部门基准来提高其价值链的整体风险管理，公司将与之进行比较并改善其自身的表现。 一个强有力的框架连接水的使用对生态系统质量的潜在影响，首先开发的基础上，从LCA和水足迹专家的国际组公布的方法和科学共识建设的系统分析。在这些建议的基础上，开发了一个表征模型来评估水力发电（即水库的水调节和管理）对生态系统质量的影响，量化水文变量的影响（例如，水位、流量、达到满池的时间）对水生物种种群动态的影响。这些发展将在IMPACT World+中实施，并用于评估魁北克水电公司的千瓦时。

The research program of my second discovery grant aims at addressing current methodological shortcomings and identified research gaps on human toxicity and water use in Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) by (A) developing an operational model to assess occupational exposure in LCA and (B) developing a robust modeling framework and operational method linking freshwater use to potential impacts on the Ecosystem quality impact indicators. It builds on the knowledge developed from my previous Discovery grant research program and other research activities supported by complementary founding. A characterization model accounting for occupational exposure in LCA is first developed by directly linking monitored occupational exposure concentrations, labor hours in each sector and effect factors to potential human health damages. It is evaluated through a case study form a furniture company, where a full LCA will be performed including human health burdens from occupational exposur. The methodology, originally developed for the US context, will then transposed into to Canadian and French contexts with the aim to analyze the importance of regional variability in addition to model uncertainty. The outcomes of this project will be transposed to the work health & safety domain to assist companies to improve their emission control capacities beyond regulatory threshold and increase their overall risk management across their value chain by developing occupational exposure sectorial benchmarks to which companies would compare and improve their own performances. A robust framework linking water use to potential impacts on ecosystem quality is first developed building on a systematic analysis of published methods and scientific consensus building from an international group of LCA and water footprint experts. Building on these recommendations a characterization model to asses ecosystem quality impacts from hydroelectricity production (i.e. from water regulation and management in reservoirs) is then developed quantifying the effects of hydrological variables (e.g., water levels, discharge, time to reach full pool) on aquatic species population dynamics. These developments will be implemented in IMPACT World+ and used to evaluate the kilowatt-hour of HydroQuébec.