Laboratory-scale life cycle assessment and cost analysis of beechwood degreasing methods

Bizjak Štrus, Neja (author), Remic, Katarina (author), Kitek Kuzman, Manja (author), Oblak, Leon (author), Dahle, Sebastian (author)

In recent years, research has increasingly focused on developing eco-friendly processes in various industries to reduce CO$_2$ emissions. Plasma treatment has emerged as a promising technique for surface modification, particularly for thermosensitive materials like wood. It alters surface functional groups, enhances coating adhesion, and effectively cleans surfaces before coating. This study aimed to compare the cost and environmental impact of 1m$^2$ of degreased beechwood (Fagus sylvatica, L.) boards degreased using either turpentine, petroleum-based solvent, or diffused coplanar surface barrier discharge plasma. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using SimaPro software and the ecoinvent database. Additionally, a cost analysis was performed. Both midpoint and endpoint impact categories were analysed from a Hierarchist methodological alternative within the ReCiPe method. The results revealed that plasma-treated wood exhibited a lower environmental impact in all categories compared to turpentine-treated wood for both midpoint and endpoint levels. When compared to petroleum-based solvents, plasma-treated wood had a lower impact on resources and human health categories. Additionally, the plasma degreasing method was 97% more cost-effective than using turpentine and 96% more economical than petroleum-based solvent degreasing. These findings highlight plasma treatment's potential as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative.

• Language: English
• Keywords: LCA, cost-analysis, plasma treatment, turpentine, petroleum-based solvent, beechwood
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 1657–1666
• Numbering: Vol. 21, no. 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-183070
• UDC: 630*8
• ISSN on article: 1748-0280
• DOI: 10.1080/17480272.2025.2510561
• COBISS.SI-ID: 238244611
• Publication date in RUL: 03.06.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Wood material science & engineering
• Shortened title: Wood mater. sci. eng
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1748-0280
• COBISS.SI-ID: 522172953

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: zaščita lesa, možnost obdelave, stroškovna analiza, anatomska analiza, aspiracija pikenj

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P4-0015
• Name: Les in lignocelulozni kompoziti

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: N4-0267
• Name: Plazemska obdelava poroznih heterogenih substratov na biološki osnovi