1. Potential Life-Cycle Environmental Impacts of the COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Test
- Author
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Ling Ji, Yongyang Wang, Yulei Xie, Ming Xu, Yanpeng Cai, Shengnan Fu, Liang Ma, and Xin Su
- Subjects
Conservation of Natural Resources ,Life Cycle Stages ,Nucleic Acids ,Animals ,COVID-19 ,Environmental Chemistry ,General Chemistry ,Carbon Dioxide ,Carbon - Abstract
Massive diagnostic testing has been performed for appropriate screening and identification of COVID-19 cases in the ongoing global pandemic. However, the environmental impacts of COVID-19 diagnostics have been least considered. In this paper, the environmental impacts of the COVID-19 nucleic acid diagnostics were assessed by following a full cradle-to-grave life-cycle approach. The corresponding life-cycle anthology was established to provide quantitative analysis. Moreover, three alternative scenarios, i.e., material substitution, improved waste treatment, and electric vehicle (EV)-based transportation, were further proposed to discuss the potential environmental mitigation and conservation strategies. It was estimated that the life cycle of a single COVID-19 nucleic acid diagnostic test in China would lead to the emission of 612.9 g CO
- Published
- 2022