Life Cycle Assessment of Asphalt Pavement with Photocatalytic Capability: Environmental Impacts from Cradle to Gate

The use of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on asphalt pavements as surface coating has been the subject of study since these coatings can degrade air pollutants through a photocatalytic process. However, the environmental impacts associated with the functionalization of nanoparticles on the pavement are still unknown. Therefore, this research aims to perform a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of an asphalt pavement with photocatalytic properties by spraying TiO2 solution over its surface. For this purpose, a comparative cradle-to-gate analysis was performed on a 1 km section of conventional asphalt pavement and a pavement functionalized with TiO2 nanoparticles. The results suggest that functionalization leads to a 17% increase in climate change, ranging from 27% to 28% in eutrophication, from 38% to 43% in the depletion of abiotic resources associated with minerals and metals, and in water consumption.