GREEN CHEMISTRY

Valdus Vong

Green Chemistry

‘Green Chemistry’ is essentially a way of thinking rather than a new branch of chemistry and

is about utilising a set of principles that seek to reduce the environmental impact of chemical

processes and products. It involves pulling together tools, techniques and technologies that can

help chemists and chemical engineers in research, development and production to develop

more eco-friendly and efficient products and processes, which may also have significant

financial benefits. ‘Green Chemistry’ aims to improve the way that chemicals are both

produced and used in chemical processes in order to reduce any impact on man and the

environment. It is not just about industrial production. The principles involved apply equally

to the use of chemicals in for example laboratories and education. The promotion of ‘Green

Chemistry’ is one of the most important ways in which chemistry and chemists can contribute

to sustainable development.

4th Principle: Renewable raw materials

Use starting materials that are derived from renewable resources such as plant material rather than

those such as from fossil fuels that will eventually run out.

Fossil fuels have been our supply for petroleum and natural gas, but its consumption will eventually reach

its limit. Thus, renewable raw materials have become a more efficient alternative that we could use. This way, we can save the use of materials that are limited, and

also prevent any greenhouse that the use of those materials produce.

What are renewable raw materials?

Basically, they are a wide-range and diverse group of raw materials that are divided into; oil, carbohydrate, and fibre crops. What they commonly hold together, is that they renew themselves, annually or over-time

perspectives. Provided they are cultivated and harvested in a responsible manner, they are a more

sustainable and efficient option for raw materials than fossil raw materials.

Renewable raw materials come from the agricultural and forestry sectors, and are applied/used in the manufacturing industries. More

industries are supporting the use of renewable raw materials because it solves environmental problems in the products made and are

generally more biodegradable and/or less toxic.

The solution renewable raw materials account for

The problem of global warming has evolved as an effect of atmospheric accumulation

of gases, capable of retaining within the atmosphere, incoming solar energy and thus

acting like the glass walls of a greenhouse. The most important of these gases is

carbon dioxide (CO2). This accumulation of CO2 occurs due to the consumption of

fossil biomass deposits, in the form of coal, gas and crude oil, which leads to a

transfer of carbon from these deposits to the atmosphere.With the introduction of renewable raw materials in products, we can reduce the negative global effects that are caused

by the carbon emissions.

Ethanol

The enzymatic extraction of cellulose from wood by-products produces the sugar glucose, which is then fermented to form ethanol. This

ethanol can then be used as a “biological” fuel for vehicles. Under different reaction conditions, the fermentation of glucose produces

glycerol. Glycerol is also a highly promising starting material for the synthesis of fuels and other organic compounds.

The edible portions of corn and other grains easily ferment into ethanol because of the abundance of starch.The starch is turned into sugar, which is then fermented into ethanol, but cellulosic vegetation consists of a hard, fibrous cellulose and lignin which

must first be converted into starches before they can be fermented. Breakthrough processing has succeeded in utilizing every bit of a plant such as corn, including leaves and stalks.

Bayer Scientific Research

Climate protection is a top priority around the world. Oil shortages are

likewise making the search for alternatives to fossil raw materials

even more urgent. Scientists at Bayer Material Science are

responding to these challenges.

Ideal use of renewable raw material at Bayer

The idea of scientists at Bayer is to use renewable raw materials as

the biological basis for high-quality polymers. For example, they want to use vegetable oils

or vegetable waste from the paper industry or biodiesel

production to manufacture car seats and “green shoe soles”.

Insulating materials for refrigerators or floor coverings could soon also be produced in

this way.

Green Chemistry Group

The Green Chemistry Group, led by Professor James Clark, is based in the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence at the University of York. This group has a long established reputation for working closely with industry and research through close collaboration with chemical engineering and other disciplines. Members of the group are also involved in promoting the general concepts of clean technology towards an improved public understanding of science. The group works at the frontiers of modern chemical research in the areas of clean synthesis, catalysis, novel materials and application of renewable resources and

seeks to:- Develop new cleaner chemical processes to replace environmentally unacceptable methods.

- Apply innovative catalyst technology to established industrial processes.- Reduce waste through increased reagent and solvent efficiency.

- Develop environmentally acceptable routes to important organic products.- Design new environmentally friendly materials including those based on renewable resources.

References

http://safety.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/Green%20chemistry.pdf

http://www.research.bayer.com/edition-20/renewable_raw_materials.aspx

http://www.physorg.com/news68122608.html

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/environment/reports_studies/reports/rrm-finalreport-dj-july2000.pdf

http://www.york.ac.uk/res/gcg/GCG/index.htm