Process information
| Key Data Set Information | |
| Location | CN |
| Geographical representativeness description | Four out of the ten enterprises we consulted are publicly listed glyphosate manufacturers. Their total manufacturing capacity accounts for about 30% of China’s overall glyphosate capacity. The remaining are six intermediate producers, including two chloroacetic acid manufacturers, two glycine manufacturers, and two iminodiacetonitrile manufacturers. In 2012, we further communicated with a leading producer of the ethanolamine series from ethylene oxide and ammonia in China. |
| Reference year | 2007 |
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| Use advice for data set | The Life Cycle Assessment data for the glycine process of glyphosate production should carefully consider the material consumption specific to the investigated enterprises, which are leading in capacity and technology. Users should account for regional production differences and incorporate specific data regarding the recovery of methylchloride critical to the process. The information should be updated to reflect advancing technologies and current manufacturing practices. |
| Technical purpose of product or process | Glyphosate produced through the glycine process is widely used as a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that compete with crops. It is utilized in agriculture, horticulture, and silviculture, as well as garden maintenance (including home use). |
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| General comment on data set | For the glycine process, the glycine-to-glyphosate conversion, as the main production process, usually takes place by one enterprise. The intermediates, chloroacetic acid and glycine, are generally produced by different enterprises. The glycine-toglyphosate part has a characteristic of an “one-pot” reaction. First, paraformaldehyde undergoes depolymerization catalyzed by triethylamine in anhydrous methanol. Second, it reacts with glycine and dimethylphosphonate (DMPP) via the Mannich reaction in the same solution. Third, concentrated aqueous hydrochloric acid (31%) is added and heated to reflux, thus the glyphosate is formed. Recovery of methylchloride is very important for the glycine process. The glycine process has two sources of methylchloride byproduct. One is from the synthesis of DMPP by reaction of PCl3 with anhydrous methanol via the Arbuzov reaction. The second is from the acidic hydrolysis of the Mannich reaction intermediates. |
| Copyright | No |
| Owner of data set | |
| Quantitative reference | |
| Reference flow(s) | |
| Functional Unit | producing 1000 kg glyphosate |
| Time representativeness | |
| Data set valid until | 2009 |
| Time representativeness description | The data on material consumption adopted in the article are based on the authors’ earlier studies. We also consulted ten enterprises in China between 2007 and 2009. They are leading producers of glyphosate and its intermediates both in capacity and state-of-the-art technology. |
| Technological representativeness | |
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Modelling and validation
Administrative information
Inputs and Outputs