2.9: It's not easy being green (chemistry)
- Page ID
- 511386
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Identify the principles of green chemistry.
Green chemistry (also called sustainable chemistry) is a type of chemical research and engineering. It supports the design of products and processes that use the smallest amount of dangerous substances possible. In 1990, the Pollution Prevention Act was passed in the United States. This law sought new and original ways to handle pollution. The Pollution Prevention Act aims to avoid problems before they happen.
Green chemistry applies organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and even physical chemistry. While green chemistry seems to focus on just industrial applications, it does apply to other scientific disciplines. Green chemists aim to reduce the hazards and increase the efficiency of any chemical choice. Green chemistry is distinct from environmental chemistry, which focuses on chemical phenomena in the environment.
The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry
- Prevent waste.
- Create products without waste, or with minimal wastes, so that the wastes do not need to be taken care of afterwards.
- Design safer chemicals and products.
- Design chemicals to have little or no toxicity, without altering effectiveness.
- Design less hazardous chemical syntheses.
- Design a way of synthesizing products, without them being toxic to humans or the environment.
- Use renewable raw materials.
- Use renewable raw materials, like plant materials; rather than depleting materials, such as fossil fuels.
- Use catalysts, not stoichiometric reagents.
- Use catalysts, because of their ability to be able to be reused. Catalysts are less harmful than reagents.
- Avoid chemical derivatives.
- Chemical derivatives generate wastes that can be avoided.
- Maximize atom economy.
- Maximize the percentage of reactant atoms that convert to usable product atoms in a chemical reaction, so as to minimize or eliminate atomic waste.
- Use safer solvents and reaction conditions.
- Avoid using harsh solvents; if that cannot be avoided, then use benign chemicals.
- Increase energy efficiency.
- Use the normal ambient temperature and pressure wherever possible.
- Design for degradation.
- Design materials to break down into benign substances, by bacterial or other environmentally sound ways.
- Analyze in real time to prevent pollution.
- Monitor and control the formation of by-products during a reaction.
- Minimize the potential for accidents.
- Design chemicals to minimize the potential for accidents.
Summary
- Green chemistry applies organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and physical chemistry to reduce and prevent pollution.
- There are 12 guiding principles in the practice of green chemistry.