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Volume 8
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10.3390/cleantechnol8030078
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Process-Level Decarbonization Pathways of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Production: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach

by
Xiaoyan Le
1,
Mengmeng Shen
1,
Ziyi Liao
2,
Zhongyuan Zhu
3,
Hao Niu
4,
Kai Luo
5,
Xidong Shi
5 and
Qiaoli Wang
2,6,*
1
Ningbo Research Institute of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
2
College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
3
Ningbo ZhongJin Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Ningbo 315000, China
4
Environmental Engineering Assessment Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100006, China
5
Ningbo Yonghuanyuan Environmental Protection Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Ningbo 315000, China
6
Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Conversion and Utilization, Science and Education Integration College of Energy and Carbon Neutralization, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Clean Technol. 2026, 8(3), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8030078
Submission received: 6 February 2026 / Revised: 31 March 2026 / Accepted: 7 April 2026 / Published: 27 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Applications of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the Development, Optimization, and Validation of Sustainable Solutions)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) is an extremely important bulk organic raw material; it plays a central connecting role in the PX–PTA–polyester industry chain, while its significant carbon intensity remains poorly quantified. Through process-level life cycle assessment (LCA) based on in situ industrial data, this study establishes a comprehensive material-energy inventory for PTA production. The results show that the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the entire PTA process reached 1600.9 kg of CO2 eq·t−1, exceeding those of common primary chemicals, like aromatics, butadiene and styrene. The end process of the PTA unit (PU) dominates GHG emissions, reaching 365.6 kg CO2 eq·t−1, accounting for 22.3%, driven by extra xylene input, various catalyst consumption, auxiliary chemicals, and energy intensity. After allocating steam-related emissions from coal-fired power stations, the GHG emissions of the PU rise to 400.9 kg CO2 eq·t−1. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that replacing conventional hydrogen with green hydrogen slashes hydrogen-related global warming potential (GWP) contribution by 61.5%. In addition, a 10% increase in electricity, coal, or steam elevates system GWP by 0.80%, 0.036% and 2.48%, respectively. The findings demonstrate that energy structure optimization and green hydrogen integration represent decisive levers for PTA decarbonization, providing data-driven insights for industrial transition under a carbon reduction policy framework.
Keywords: pure terephthalic acid production; product carbon emissions; life cycle assessment; global warming potential pure terephthalic acid production; product carbon emissions; life cycle assessment; global warming potential

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MDPI and ACS Style

Le, X.; Shen, M.; Liao, Z.; Zhu, Z.; Niu, H.; Luo, K.; Shi, X.; Wang, Q. Process-Level Decarbonization Pathways of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Production: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach. Clean Technol. 2026, 8, 78. https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8030078

AMA Style

Le X, Shen M, Liao Z, Zhu Z, Niu H, Luo K, Shi X, Wang Q. Process-Level Decarbonization Pathways of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Production: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach. Clean Technologies. 2026; 8(3):78. https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8030078

Chicago/Turabian Style

Le, Xiaoyan, Mengmeng Shen, Ziyi Liao, Zhongyuan Zhu, Hao Niu, Kai Luo, Xidong Shi, and Qiaoli Wang. 2026. "Process-Level Decarbonization Pathways of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Production: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach" Clean Technologies 8, no. 3: 78. https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8030078

APA Style

Le, X., Shen, M., Liao, Z., Zhu, Z., Niu, H., Luo, K., Shi, X., & Wang, Q. (2026). Process-Level Decarbonization Pathways of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) Production: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach. Clean Technologies, 8(3), 78. https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8030078

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