Life cycle assessment of cotton production in Golestan province based on the production of biomass, energy and net income

The main objective of this study was to investigate the environmental impacts of cotton production in Golestan province of Iran using life cycle assessment methodology. The data used in the study were obtained from cotton farmers with face-to-face questionnaire method during 2011-2012. The questionnaires included total inputs of cotton production in the region and yield weight. Environmental impacts based on three functional units (FU) including: the production of one ton biomass, generation of 1000 MJ energy and 10000 Toman net income were investigated. Environmental impacts were evaluated into seven impact categories including global warming, acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, land use, depletion of water resources, depletion of fossil resources and depletion of phosphate and potash resources. Results showed that the terrestrial eutrophication and depletion of fossil resources in terms of environmental index (EcoX) and resource depletion index (RDI) had the highest potential environmental impacts. EcoX for one ton production of cotton, generation of 1000 MJ energy and 10000 Toman net income were calculated as 0.832, 0.048 and 0.036, respectively. RDI for these three functional units were 6.825, 0.396 and 0.296, respectively.