This section is prepared by Imsha bibi
Principle of green chemistry
10. Design for degradation:
“It emphasizes that chemical products should be designed in a way that, after they
have fulfilled their intended function, they break down into innocuous and
environmentally benign substances.”
This principle aims to reduce the persistence of chemicals in the environment and
minimize their impact on ecosystems and human health.
In practice, designing for degradation involves considering the chemical structure of the
product and ensuring that it can readily decompose into non-toxic by products through
natural processes such as biodegradation, hydrolysis, photolysis, or oxidation. By
incorporating this principle into the design phase of chemical synthesis, manufacturers
can produce substances that are less harmful and have lower environmental impacts over
their lifecycle.
Example:-
An example of designing for degradation is the development of biodegradable polymers.
Traditional plastics, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, are known for their
persistence in the environment, taking hundreds of years to decompose. This persistence
leads to pollution and environmental damage.
In contrast, biodegradable polymers are designed to break down into harmless substances
when exposed to environmental conditions such as sunlight, moisture, and
microorganisms.
Polylactic Acid (PLA):
PLA is a biodegradable polymer derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or
sugarcane. It is commonly used in packaging materials, disposable utensils, and
biodegradable bags. PLA undergoes degradation through hydrolysis, breaking down into
lactic acid, a naturally occurring compound that can be metabolized by microorganisms.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA):
PHA is a family of biodegradable polymers produced by bacteria as energy storage
compounds. These polymers can be synthesized from renewable feedstocks such as
sugars or vegetable oils. PHA-based plastics decompose into water, carbon dioxide, and
biomass when exposed to microbial activity in soil or composting environments.
Starch-Based Bioplastics:
Bioplastics made from starch, such as thermoplastic starch (TPS), are another example of
designing for degradation. Starch is abundant in nature and can be sourced from crops
such as corn, wheat, or potatoes. Starch-based bioplastics break down into simple sugars
when exposed to moisture and microbial activity, eventually decomposing into organic
matter.
11. Real-time analysis for pollution prevention:-
Green analytical chemistry can be defined as the use of analytical procedures that produce
lesser waste and are safer for the environment and human health . This definition includes
both parts of live monitoring of a chemical transformation and the environmental
shortcomings accompanying with traditional analysis.
The goal of green analytical chemistry is to measure chemicals without producing waste.
The environmental issues related to analytical chemistry are typically linked to the
analytical process itself. Products used in the manufacture of analytical apparatus should
be taken into consideration. Both green engineers and green chemists building new
sensors should be aware of the toxicity and any potential environmental difficulties
associated with the material they handle. For example, mercury electrodes are often used
for electrochemistry. The effective solution has proven by replacing them with carbon
based electrodes such as nanotubes or nanofibers.
Example:-
When coal is burnt in industrial boilers, SO₂ (a pollutant) is formed. If the temperature of
the boilers is too high, a large amount of SO₂ will be generated. Using real-time
monitoring, the amount of SO2 generated can be measured all the time. Once it reaches
an unacceptable level, an alarming signal be generated. Then the temperature will be
lowered immediately.
12. Accident prevention:-
Substances are used in a chemical process should be selected to minimize the possibility
of chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires. For example, the
increasing use of supercritical CO2 that replaces organic solvents (not toxic or explosive
and is friendly-environment). Safety is defined as a controlling of known hazards via
achieving an acceptable level of risk and is achieved at some levels of the lowest use of
personal protective equipment.
According to the chemical accident prevention and the clean air act amendments of 1990,
avoiding accidents starts through identifying the hazards . All kinds of hazards whether it
is toxicity, physical hazards such as explosively or flammability, and global hazards
should be addressed in the design of chemicals and processes to prevent accidents like the
love canal incident and Bhopal. This accident should be an initial reminder to the
scientific community because many chemicals are still Used to present serious hazards
which should be replaced by safer alternatives in order to prevent Accidents wherever
possible.
Example:-
Green Chemistry is the use of alternative solvents that are less flammable, less toxic, and
less volatile compared to traditional solvents. For instance, replacing volatile organic
solvents like benzene with greener alternatives such as water or supercritical carbon
dioxide reduces the risk of fires, explosions, and toxic exposure, thereby enhancing
overall safety in the laboratory or industrial setting.
Significance of green chemistry:-
Green chemistry holds immense significance in shaping a sustainable future. By adopting
Green chemistry, industries can significantly reduce their ecological footprint and
contribute to mitigating the global climate crisis.
1. Environmental Preservation :
Green chemistry aims to protect and preserve the environment by minimizing pollution
and waste generation. These industries can actively participate in safeguarding delicate
ecosystems and promoting biodiversity. The most apparent advantage of green chemistry
is its positive impact on the environment. By reducing pollution and minimizing waste,
green chemistry helps conserve natural resources, protect ecosystems, and mitigate
climate change.
2. Public Health Improvement:
Traditional chemical processes have often been associated with adverse effects on human
health. By embracing green chemistry, we can reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals
and create products that are safer for consumers and workers alike. This approach is
particularly crucial in the pharmaceutical and consumer goods industries, where exposure
to harmful substances can be a serious concern.
3. Resource Conservation :
The efficient use of raw materials and energy, as advocated by green chemistry, leads to
better resource management and reduces the strain on natural resources.
4. Sustainable Development :
Industries that prioritize green chemistry principles are aligned with the goals of
sustainable development. By creating products and processes that minimize harm and
waste, they contribute to a sustainable economy.
5. Economic Advantages:
Contrary to popular belief, green chemistry is not just environmentally friendly but
economically viable too. By optimizing processes and reducing the use of expensive or
hazardous materials, industries can experience cost savings while staying environmentally
responsible.
Application of Green chemistry;-
Green chemistry widely used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, paper, polymer, clothes and
colour industry. It plays a key role in different energy science, and the manufacture of
innovative technique to make solar cells, fuel cells, and batteries for storing energy. In
nanoscience and technology, green chemistry also highly used. Since main goal of green
chemistry is to minimize or eliminate waste in the chemical industry, it has i inspired the
creation of many green “next generation”
1. Green chemistry in pharmaceutical industry:
In pharmaceutical industry green chemistry plays an important role and makes a
revolution in it. BASF, a chemical company now makes ibuprofen (painkiller) in a three-
step rather than a six-step process [5] Zocor (simvastatin), leading drug for treating high
cholesterol, conventionally synthesized using a multistep method. Concerning huge
quantities of hazardous reagents that formed a big amount of toxic waste. A bio-catalysis
company, Coexist developed a new technique for synthesizing the drug using an
engineered enzyme and a low-cost feedstock. The chemotherapy drug paclitaxel
(marketed as Taxol) was made by take out from yew tree bark, a process that used a large
amount of solvent for killing the tree. The drug is now made by growing tree cells in a
fermentation.
2. Eco-Friendly Dry clean-up of Clothes;
Per chloro ethylene (PERC) used for dry cleaning pollutes water and cancer-causing
agent. To solve this problem, now a days super critical CO2 and a surfactant for cleaning
garments was first developed by Joseph De Simons, Timothy Romark, and James Micelle
Technology has likewise developed a metal cleaning framework that utilize CO2 and a
surfactant accordingly replacing halogenated solvents.
3. Solution to Turn Turbid Water Clear:
It has been exhibited that alum will intensify poisonous ions in treated water and will
cause diseases like Alzheimer’s. Municipal and industrial waste water clear and purified
by using tamarind seed kernel powder, discarded as agriculture waste. Kernel powder is
not poisonous and is perishable and price effective over the Al-salt to treat such water
4. Application in nanoscience :
Nano materials provide a wide range of applications in all Disciplines. Researchers are
engaged in developing the products of low dimensional materials that are utilized in
multi-purpose technical applications. Nanotechnology is also conscious about our
environment. Mechanical and chemical methods are developed for 4 waste water
treatment, air purification using nano filtration techniques. In recent years, green chemical
approach is one of the important methods for synthesis of low dimensional materials.
Green chemical process deserves the merit regarding reducing agent selection, avoiding
surfactants, solvent choice, and improving yields, size distribution, and purity. There are
chemical synthetic approaches including citrate method, tollens method, ionic liquid
method, polysaccharide method, ligand exchanging method, polyoxometalate method in
the light of green chemistry. The reduction of gold salts by citrate anions was established
few decades before, yielding almost mono dispersed gold particles in nano range .
Synthesis of Ag nanoparticles using sucrose ester micellar-mediated method and NaOH is
added accelerate the formation of Ag nanoparticles . Carboxy methylcellulose (CMC)
derivatives used to perform dual role, as reducing agent for silver tons and as stabilizing
agent during the formation of silver nanoparticles.
The synthesis of nanomaterials using bio inspired, eco-friendly greener methods is one of
the most attractive aspects of current material science. The increasing need to develop
high-yield, low cost nontoxic, and environmentally benign procedures fir synthesis of
low dimensional materials is only possible to satisfy by means of biological approach.
There is a vast range of biological resources available in nature including plant extract or
plant biomass, microorganisms such as bacteria, fungus, algae, yeast even virus could be
employed for green synthesis of low dimensional materials. There are so many plants e.g.
green tea, curry leaf extract, leaf extract of Japanese rose, guava (Psidam guajava) leaf
extract, extract of Ocimum sanctum (Krishna tulsi) leaf, Cinnamomum camphora leaf,
Jatropha curcas latex, Jatropha curcas seed extract etc. Are used for synthesis of
nano/micro particles . The plant fungas, Verticillum sp., was involved in the process of
formation of cube-octahedral magnetite iron oxide nanoparticles with 100-400 nm size in
24 h
5. Energy science:
Low-cost and possibly environmentally gentle sources of power is Organic solar cells
(OSCs). -Conjugated molecules and polymers used for development of OSCs. The
principles of green chemistry applied to the synthesis of conjugated systems. From this
perspective scientist generally choose those method which has lesser steps and use of boo
feed stock.
6. Next generation catalyst design:
There are many opportunities for improving conventional industrial processes. For
example, nanoporous aluminophosphate catalysts with a distribution of acidic and redox
active sites have been used to develop a new route to the Nylon-6,6 precursor o
caprolactam. The me-step, solvent-free reaction eliminates hazardous reagents and
reduces generation of waste by products,
7. Tools of green chemistry:
The new approach introduces in green chemistry synthesis, dealing out and relevance of
chemical material in such a way as to minimize the risk to environment and health of
human. This advanced access. Fully depending on some advance technology like photo
chemical, Radiolysis, microwave irradiation, ultrasonic method, Electron beam irradiation
method, ultrasound irradiation etc.
8. Microwave irradiation approach:
Synthesis procedures using microwave irradiation is an advanced opportunity for
synthesis of materials. Microwave radiation is known to have a faster heating rate than
the conventional heating through conduction and convection. The microwave radiation
beats up a maternal through its dielectric loss, which converts the radiation energy into
thermal energy. The interaction of electric field of a microwave with dipole moment of
molecules occurs during microwave heating, thus, polar solvents like water and ionic low
liquids are the best solvents to use in microwave synthesis. It is used in synthesis of many
organic, inorganic, nanomaterials etc.
9. Sonochemical approach:
Recently sonochemical method has been developed for the preparation of materials.
During ultrasonic irradiation (20 kHz to 10 MHz) acoustic cavitations will form and these
ultrasonic cavitations are concerned with the formation, growth and implosive collapse of
bubbles. The bubbles create transient localized hot spots with variety of physical and
chemical effects like extremely high temperature, pressure and cooling rate which could
provide a unique environment for chemical reactions under extreme conditions. Chemical
bonds are ruptured under such extreme condition and different materials create from
decomposition of volatile precursors within these rapidly collapsing bubbles.
Sonochemical method applied on syntheses of drugs, dye etc.Especially in combination
with other sustainable technologies.
10. Ultra sound approach:
The frequency range of ultrasound is 16 kHz to 10 MHz, which is just above the human
threshold of audibility. Now a days ultrasound used for surface cleaning, extraction,
degassing, sterilization and emulsification without the addition of emulsifying agents. The
cell membrane or cell wall of micro-organisms is ruined by the flashing pressure field
triggered by ultrasound. The homogenization of milk involves reducing the size of the fat
molecules and disperse in throughout the milk by using ultra sound technology.
Drawbacks in green chemistry:-
Green chemistry, while laudable in its aims, isn’t without its drawbacks:
1. Cost:
Implementing green chemistry practices often requires investment in new technology,
research, and development, which can be costly for industries initially.
2. Transition Period:
Adapting existing industrial processes to green chemistry principles can be time-consuming
and may disrupt current production systems.
3. Limited Applications:
Some chemical reactions crucial for certain industrial processes might not have viable green
alternatives yet, limiting the scope of green chemistry’s application.
4. Regulatory Challenges:
While green chemistry aims to reduce environmental impact, navigating regulations and
ensuring compliance with varying standards across jurisdictions can be complex.
5. Performance Trade-offs:
Green alternatives may not always match the performance of conventional chemicals,
impacting product quality or effectiveness.
6. Education and Awareness:
There may be a lack of awareness or understanding of green chemistry principles among
industries, hindering widespread adoption.
7. Resource Intensity:
Certain green chemistry processes may still require significant resources or energy,
potentially offsetting some environmental benefits.
8. Scaling Up:
While some green chemistry solutions work well on a laboratory scale, scaling them up to
industrial levels can present unforeseen challenges.
