Water footprint assessment of lemon and its derivatives in Argentina: a case study in the province of Tucumán

Abstract

Purpose: This study presents information on the water footprint profile associated with lemon production and its derivatives in the province of Tucumán (Argentina). It follows a life cycle approach considering both water consumption and pollution. Our motivation is the prominent role of this activity in the economy of the region and in the world. Methods: The scope of the study covers the agricultural and industrial stages through a “from cradle to gate” approach (from lemon cultivation until production of finished products). The system boundaries include both foreground and background processes involving production and transportation of all material and energy inputs. The functional unit is 1 t of each product considered in the study: fresh fruit, essential oil, concentrated juice, and dehydrated peel. The general system is divided into Agriculture, Preselection, Packing, and Industry. Most of the data used stems from local sources to ensure representativeness. For the impact assessment, water scarcity, ecotoxicity, eutrophication, acidification, and human toxicity midpoint indicators are calculated. Results and discussion: The analysis shows that the annual production and processing of lemons have an impact on water scarcity of 1·108 m3 world eq. The results for freshwater ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication, freshwater acidification, and human toxicity (non-cancer) are 3.60·106 CTUe, 4.87·t P eq, 5.92·10−1 kg SO2 eq, and 2.05·10−3 CTUh, respectively. For all lemon-based products, the indicator of water scarcity strongly depends on the irrigation water in the orchards. For water degradation, the most influential processes are the use and production of agrochemicals. In all cases, the agricultural stage is crucial in the water footprint profile of the finished products. Conclusions and recommendations: The processes identified as hotspots through the water footprint profile of the products are as follows: irrigation, use, and production of N fertilizers and pesticides (copper compounds, abamectin and glyphosate), manufacturing of packaging material for fresh fruit, and consumption of natural gas. These should be addressed by lemon growers and manufacturers with preferential attention. Being the first local water footprint profile of Argentine lemons, this work is expected to serve as a baseline to provide diagnostic and improvement opportunities in the citrus sector for public and private stakeholders.