![]() ![]() LCA is an essential tool to identify, analyse and understand how to tackle a significant part of the environmental issues linked to manufacturing, use and end-of-life of products and services. Studies on the environmental impacts, specifically based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, 13–15 have been published for several types of nanoparticles: silver nanoparticles, 16,17 carbon nanotubes, 18,19 gold nanoparticles, 20–22 and titanium dioxide nanoparticles 23–25 as well as for products embedding nanoparticles, such as T-shirts 26 and socks. 11,12 As a result, research on their synthesis methods, applications and integration in products has flourished, and the first products embedding nanoparticles have been released on the market. This work provides both a transparent LCA study and an attempt to defining whether antimicrobial keyboard covers are an environmentally sustainable solution.ġ Introduction In the past years, nanoparticles have attracted considerable interest due to their potential in several hot-topic fields, 1–3 especially the healthcare sector, where they can be employed for detection and diagnostic screening, 4,5 drug delivery, 6,7 oncological treatments 8–10 and as antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, we have undertaken a carrying capacity based normalisation to assess the environmental sustainability of the new product developed. We have performed a hot spot analysis and compared the environmental performance against a product presenting the same function. ![]() Here we have conducted an LCA study on a new process for the production of gold nanoclusters. Environmental significance Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology has been used in numerous studies aiming to address the environmental impacts of the synthesis of nanoparticles and their applications against conventional processes. This study shows that adopting an antimicrobial keyboard cover results in lower environmental impacts than using gloves and alcohol wipes, almost for all the impact categories considered. Whilst the first reference system indicates the contribution of a production system relative to the global emissions the latter provides an indication of the absolute environmental sustainability of the system evaluated. ![]() Furthermore, results have been compared with the normalisation factors based on two reference systems: global emissions and carrying-capacity values. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used here to analyse and compare the environmental impacts of antimicrobial keyboard covers against current procedures for cleaning keyboards in hospitals using gloves and alcohol wipes (70%). The final product presents an antibactericidal activity that could make it suitable for use in hospital wards to tackle the cross-transmission of pathogens. This study focuses on the environmental impacts of synthesising cysteine-capped gold nanoclusters and their integration in silicone keyboard covers. Research on new synthesis methods and procedures for their integration into products is flourishing with positive results. Gold nanoparticles and nanoclusters can be used in a variety of sectors in different applications. ![]()
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