TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing environmental impacts of various biofertilizers in Europe
T2 - A step toward circular economy transition
AU - Bouhzam, Ibtissam
AU - Azarkamand, Sahar
AU - Puig, Rita
AU - Bala, Alba
AU - Fullana-i-Palmer, Pere
AU - Sazdovski, Ilija
AU - Mazurenko, Bohdan
AU - Mir, Saad
AU - Sani, Md Nasir Hossain
AU - Lopes, Ivã Guidini
AU - Maievska, Tetiana
AU - Raksha, Nataliia
AU - Savchuk, Olexiy
AU - Ghaley, Bhim Bahadur
AU - Yong, Jean Wan Hong
AU - Tonkha, Oksana
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Composts, biofertilizers, and biostimulants are emerging as key solutions for sustainable agriculture, contributing to nutrient cycles closure and resource efficiency. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of three composts, three biofertilizers, and two biostimulants produced in Ukraine, Denmark, and Sweden using a life cycle assessment approach. The analyzed products include low and high biology compost, vermicompost, insect frass, digestate, biochar, fish hydrolysate, and compost tea. Environmental impacts were assessed from production to farm gate delivery, using functional units based on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents. To date, no comparative studies have evaluated biofertilizers, biostimulants, and composts based on their nutrient content, highlighting the novelty and innovative nature of this research. The results revealed that digestate is the most environmentally favourable option for mitigating climate change impacts per tonne of nitrogen and potassium, while vermicompost is optimal for phosphorus due to its high intrinsic content. Fish hydrolysate has the highest impact on acidification, with potassium being the nutrient contributing more to this impact. Compost tea is the most water-consuming biostimulant, and it has the highest impact on eutrophication and land use per tonne of nitrogen, compared to the other products. Interestingly, biochar emerged as the least impactful in terms of acidification, eutrophication, land use, and water use across all three nutrients. Low biology compost, high biology compost, and insect frass are environmentally friendly options, demonstrating low impact across all categories. The sensitivity analysis results highlight the impact of nitrogen and phosphorus mineral fertilizer equivalents on environmental outcomes. Significant changes were observed in land use, freshwater eutrophication, and acidification, while climate change and water-use impacts remained stable. Selecting the appropriate composts, biofertilizers, and biostimulants can enhance circularity and minimize environmental impacts. This study provides valuable insights to help decision-makers advance sustainable agricultural practices.
AB - Composts, biofertilizers, and biostimulants are emerging as key solutions for sustainable agriculture, contributing to nutrient cycles closure and resource efficiency. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of three composts, three biofertilizers, and two biostimulants produced in Ukraine, Denmark, and Sweden using a life cycle assessment approach. The analyzed products include low and high biology compost, vermicompost, insect frass, digestate, biochar, fish hydrolysate, and compost tea. Environmental impacts were assessed from production to farm gate delivery, using functional units based on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents. To date, no comparative studies have evaluated biofertilizers, biostimulants, and composts based on their nutrient content, highlighting the novelty and innovative nature of this research. The results revealed that digestate is the most environmentally favourable option for mitigating climate change impacts per tonne of nitrogen and potassium, while vermicompost is optimal for phosphorus due to its high intrinsic content. Fish hydrolysate has the highest impact on acidification, with potassium being the nutrient contributing more to this impact. Compost tea is the most water-consuming biostimulant, and it has the highest impact on eutrophication and land use per tonne of nitrogen, compared to the other products. Interestingly, biochar emerged as the least impactful in terms of acidification, eutrophication, land use, and water use across all three nutrients. Low biology compost, high biology compost, and insect frass are environmentally friendly options, demonstrating low impact across all categories. The sensitivity analysis results highlight the impact of nitrogen and phosphorus mineral fertilizer equivalents on environmental outcomes. Significant changes were observed in land use, freshwater eutrophication, and acidification, while climate change and water-use impacts remained stable. Selecting the appropriate composts, biofertilizers, and biostimulants can enhance circularity and minimize environmental impacts. This study provides valuable insights to help decision-makers advance sustainable agricultural practices.
KW - Biofertilizer
KW - Biostimulant
KW - Circular economy
KW - Comparative analysis
KW - Compost
KW - Environmental impacts
KW - Life Cycle Assessment
U2 - 10.1016/j.spc.2025.04.012
DO - 10.1016/j.spc.2025.04.012
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:105002875563
SN - 2352-5509
VL - 56
SP - 460
EP - 476
JO - Sustainable Production and Consumption
JF - Sustainable Production and Consumption
ER -