Abstract

DIAZ GOMEZ, Jaime  and  SILVA LEAL, Jorge. MATERIAL FLOW ANALYSIS IN HUMAN SYSTEMS: A REVIEW. Rev.EIA.Esc.Ing.Antioq [online]. 2015, n.23, pp.149-161. ISSN 1794-1237.

This paper is a review of the historical background and the evolution of the concept of metabolism applied to human systems, till the evaluation of the metabolism of the antrophosphere using the methodology of Material Flow Analysis (MFA). Different international and national experiences that are evidence of the applicability of the method are presented. We show that the MFA is a flexible and suitable tool for environmental management that can be applied as a tool for the comprehensive analysis of the environmental problems generated by human activity. Additionally, the MFA can be used to detect and estimate material flows and stock of material that could be undesirable or potentially dangerous, allowing the establishment of efficient management strategies material flows from the point of view of sustainability and making an estimate of future emissions to anticipate problems and take early action.

Keywords : Material Flow Analysis; Human systems; Anthroposphere; Environmental Management; Mass Balance.

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