Differentiating green chemistry from sustainable chemistry

Recent years have seen a disheartening string of revelations in which everyday items once considered safe—food packaging, toys, clothes, furniture, electronic components, and many more products—are found to contain carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and other harmful chemicals.1 Growing demand for healthier alternatives, already seen in food production and housing construction,2 is also happening at the building-block level of manufacturing, where so-called green chemistry represents a revolutionary change in preventing pollution and health problems starting at the chemical design stage. Many industry and government entities are beginning to espouse the principles of green chemistry on their websites and in public statements. Now comes the task of crafting policy to put those principles into action. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines green chemistry as “the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry applies across the life cycle of a chemical product, including its design, manufacture, and use.”3 Green chemistry also aims to mitigate the type of uncertainty Alan Gold-berg, a professor of toxicology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, recently described to The New York Times: “I can get [toxicity] information on only 20 percent of chemicals we interact with on a daily basis.”4 Of that 20%, he now says, he may be able to find information on overt toxicity for about half, but for details on specific effects such as developmental neurotoxicity, the figure shrinks toward zero. So what does green chemistry look like? Consider the example of pregabalin, the active ingredient in the neuropathic pain drug Lyrica®. Pfizer developed an alternative green-chemistry process that converted several steps of pregabalin synthesis from use of organic solvents to water. That reduced both health hazards and production heating requirements. With the new synthesis, waste from the process dropped from 86 kg of waste per kg product to 17 kg, and energy use dropped by 82%.5 Proponents say that’s how the field can offer a win–win–win solution: good performance, lower cost, and less environmental impact—what Richard Engler, program manager of the EPA Green Chemistry Program, calls the “triple bottom line.” For many, a standard is a logical next step. “At some point you have to go beyond a definition and principles,” says Engler. “I think that’s something the standard will enable.”

Defined in the 1990s as the “design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances”, green chemistry, and the companion concept green engineering, currently represent important social, cultural, philosophical, and practical tools for achieving sustainability. (1) Both green and sustainable chemistry and engineering can broadly reach and interconnect different aspects of our society, and therefore, it is of utmost importance in addressing and tackling the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and their associated targets. (2,3) To promote peace, protect our planet, and end poverty by 2030, the systemic change enabled by the holistic and inclusive perspective of green and sustainable chemistry and engineering is essential. Within this context, women and girls occupy a unique position: (1) They are disproportionally more impacted by the consequences of climate change and pollution. (4) (2) They are excluded when comes time to build solutions, through the continued lack of gender equity in research, in innovation, and in power-holding positions. (3) They have been shown to be positive and ethical agents of change, whose exclusion may slow the inception of necessary sustainable solutions. Gender inequity is currently recognized as a prominent barrier to sustainable development; out of the 232 unique indicators toward the UN SDGs progress, 54 are classified as gender indicators. (5) The UN SDG 5 (Gender Equality) is also acknowledged as central and will compromise the fulfillment of all other goals if not achieved. (5,6) Women are important agents of change whose contributions in economic, social, and environmental systems are crucial for the achievement of a sustainable future (Figure 1). In this editorial, written on the occasion of the 2022 International Women’s Day, we want to make the case for how a more systematic integration of women within all aspects of green and sustainable chemistry and engineering is paramount to preserving and improving our planet.

Chemicals surround us in all our daily activities. There is practically no facet in material life—transportation, communication, clothing, shelter, and office—in which chemistry does not play an important role, by supplying either consumer products or services. The development of the chemical industry in the past century resulted in huge advances, such as the development of effective drugs to cure diseases or the production of plant protection products and fertilizers that have increased the world's food supply. In spite of this, chemistry and its industry is often viewed by the general public as causing more harm than good (Lancaster 2002). Indeed, the manufacture, use, and disposal of chemicals consume large amounts of resources and originate emissions of pollutants to all environmental compartments. Given that the global demand for chemicals is expected to increase faster than the world's population and GDP (OECD 2001), there is a need for a shift towards a more efficient and sustainable chemistry. The concept of Green Chemistry (GC) was coined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in the early 1990s and can be briefly defined as the use of chemistry for pollution prevention. Anastas et al. (2000) later defined it as “the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.” The term “hazard” in this definition was meant to include the full range of threats to human health and the environment, such as physical hazards, toxicity, climate change, and resource depletion (Anastas and Lankey 2000). In order to make this concept operational, the USEPA developed a set of 12 guiding principles (Table 1). These principles constitute the backbone of GC and a universal code of practice for the eco-design of chemicals and chemical processes.

Science Education International ¦ Volume 32 ¦ Issue 2 107 ORIGINAL ARTICLE INTRODUCTION The problem-based learning (PBL) methodology is a student-centered approach that is related to the learning process that occurs when students deal with real world problems, while working in teams to find and develop a solution, with teachers/instructors acting as facilitators (Nagarajan and Overton, 2019). Some elements seem to be common to PBL: Learning is student centered (as mentioned before), problems are structured and authentic, teachers act as advisors, and students work in small groups (Cowden and Santiago, 2016). Although, the elements are in constant interaction, students are responsible of their learning, implying that they have the main role in the cognitive process and should work actively, in group, to solve a problem. On the other hand, instructors act as coaches, they incite group discussion, and they are in charge of monitoring the process. Students are the main characters, since PBL methodology emerged from constructivist learning theories and it was developed as an alternative to conventional teaching (Loyens et al., 2006). Constructivism suggests that humans build knowledge from their experiences and, contrary to traditional education, where students receive knowledge like empty vessels to be filled, in constructivist, students are encouraged to confront what they know (Bada and Olusegun, 2015). It is evident that, long-term memorability is enhanced by PBL, because it fosters the utilization of previous knowledge to solve a new problem and demands students to put in practice what they have already been taught, therefore, facilitating the comprehension of the concepts (Schmidt et al., 2011). Other benefits that come along with PBL include the improvement of student’s creative thinking, self-regulated skills, and self-evaluation (Jansson et al., 2015; Yoon et al., 2014). Therefore, to improve chemistry student’s learning experience, the PBL approach can be used for a better comprehension of the importance of Green Chemistry. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 1990), Green Chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances; this designing process can be assisted by the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry (Lancaster, 2002). The principles are qualitative, and their aim is to minimize the impact of chemical activities on human health and environment without compromising the chemical process (Ribeiro and Machado, 2013). There is a commitment to green chemistry education (Armstrong et al., 2018), and efforts have been made to implement it, at the undergraduate level (Timmer et al., 2018; Kennedy, 2016; Manchanayakage, 2013), but there is an uneven development of green chemistry curricular materials, since there have been few comprehensive reforms for general chemistry lecture or laboratory curricula (Armstrong et al., 2019). For example, Green Chemistry has not been covered extensively by chemistry A problem-based learning (PBL) methodology was implemented to a project, whose main objectives were to discuss and apply the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry to the study of poly(vinyl alcohol)’s cross-linking reaction with dicarboxylic acids. The five participating students were oriented to be responsible for their own learning and the professor participated as an advisor. The problem was proposed and students planned all their activities to accomplish the objectives and goals, reviewed recent information in scientific literature and summarized it, made experimental work, prepared written reports, and were evaluated in seminars. The results obtained by the students were assessed through the generation of a final report and also with a final oral presentation in front of faculty members. The experience lived by the collaborative workgroup during the development and execution of the project, is described. This research is an example of how the PBL methodology can motivate the active participation of students when solving problems. The next step is to introduce this tool to teachers and students of other undergraduate courses or laboratories, since it causes a difference in the way education is being perceived in our university, because it emphasizes the application and understanding of concepts over simple memorization.

Catalysis as a foundational pillar of green chemistry

We are grateful to Environmental Health Perspectives for implicitly embracing green chemistry as a field with profound connections to the environmental health sciences. We also commend the efforts of Wilson and Schwarzman (2009) to create greater transparency and accountability around chemicals of concern. We take issue, however, with their approach to key scientific concepts and terminology—specifically their effort to change the definition of “green chemistry.” Precision in terminology is paramount for science to function; all parties to a scientific discussion must share the same set of definitions for knowledge to advance effectively. In their review, Wilson and Schwarzman (2009) ignored the original and current definition of green chemistry, which for almost two decades has been recognized as a scientific discipline within the field of chemistry. Defined in the early 1990s by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2009) as “the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances,” green chemistry is now guided by a set of 12 principles (Anastas and Warner 1998) that are used in both research and teaching in chemis try laboratories around the world. Based on these principles, dozens of universities around the world teach green chemistry as a science. Seven graduate programs offer degrees in green chemistry. Two established peer-reviewed scientific journals focus specifically on research in green chemistry. The impact factor of the journal Green Chemistry (published by the Royal Society of Chemistry) has increased from 2.5 to almost 5 over the past 5 years. More than 1,500 articles on green chemistry have been published in the scientific literature over the past 15 years. Rather than embracing green chemistry’s widely used scientific definition, Wilson and Schwarzman (2009) instead conflate science and policy: The laws governing the chemical enterprise help define the incentives and disincentives that guide economic behavior in the market …. We use the term green chemistry in this context: as an analytical framework that encompasses both the science of safer chemistry and the laws and policies that will motivate its development and adoption by society. This conflation brings with it two risks. First, it undermines clarity in scientific communication, something that is especially important as the fields of environmental health and green chemistry attempt to establish cross-disciplinary collaboration. Such collaborations are likely to prove vital for both fields. Second, it saddles the intellectual and scientific enterprise of green chemistry with policy and, potentially, political baggage, as considerations of chemical policies unfold in the political arena. We are most certainly not arguing that the science of green chemistry should not inform chemical policies. Science and policy will be more effective, however, if political actors do not muddy accepted scientific terminology in service of a political/policy agenda, no matter how noble.

Creating cascading non-linear solutions for the UN sustainable development goals through green chemistry

More environmentally friendly, less expensive, smarter chemistry—these attributes characterize the products and processes developed by researchers who are honored with the annual Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. This year’s winners received their awards during a ceremony held on June 18, appropriately enough in Rachel Carson Great Hall—also known as the “green room”—at the Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The competitive awards program, now in its 17th year, is administered by EPA and sponsored in part by the American Chemical Society. The awards—divided into several categories—give national recognition to researchers who incorporate the principles of green chemistry and green engineering into the design, manufacture, and use of commercial chemical products and processes to help achieve federal pollution-prevention goals and promote sustainability. Known for her 1962 environmental awareness book “Silent Spring,” Carson was “a pioneering scientific voice who ...

Aquatic herbicides are commonly used to control a wide variety of algae and plants, but they also have the potential to contaminate and affect nontarget organisms. However, the impacts of low-level 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide exposure on larval fish are not well understood. We conducted a series of experiments to determine the effects of low concentrations (0.05, 0.50, and 2.00 ppm) of 2 commercial 2,4-D amine salt herbicide formulations (Weedestroy® AM40 [WAM40] and DMA® 4 IVM [DMA4]) and pure 2,4-D on the development and survival of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) at various life cycle stages. Larval survival (30 d post hatch [dph]) was decreased following exposure of eggs and larvae to pure 2,4-D (0.50 ppm; p ≤ 0.001), as well as to WAM40 (0.50 and 2.00 ppm; p ≤ 0.001, p ≤ 0.001) and DMA4 (0.50 and 2.00 ppm; p ≤ 0.001, p ≤ 0.001). The results also narrowed the critical window of exposure for effects on survival to the period between fertilization and 14 dph. Development was not negatively altered by any of the compounds tested, although the commercial formulations increased larval total length and mass at 2.00 ppm. Altogether, the results indicate that the use of 2,4-D herbicides for weed control in aquatic ecosystems at current recommended concentrations (<2 ppm whole lake; <4 ppm spot treatment) could present risks to fathead minnow larval survival. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2550–2559. © 2018 SETAC

Vol. 115, No. 5 EnvironewsOpen AccessEHPnet: Green Chemistry Institute Erin E. Dooley Erin E. Dooley Search for more papers by this author Published:1 May 2007https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.115-a245AboutSectionsPDF ToolsDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InReddit The Green Chemistry Institute (GCI) was formed in 1997 and became part of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2001. The institute works to advance the growth of green chemistry and green engineering, a movement to develop and implement manufacturing processes that are both economically sound and environmentally sustainable. Information on the institute’s different activities and a wealth of resources are available at http://chemistry.org/greenchemistryinstitute.The GCI site includes an overview of green chemistry and green engineering, and outlines 12 principles underlying each. The homepage also has a News section, divided into Green Chemistry Updates and Headlines Around the World. The updates link to information on ACS events (such as roundtables, workshops, and meetings), announcements of new resources in the field, and other notable happenings. The Research section of the site has details about GCI funding opportunities and fellowships.The Education section provides educational resources categorized by four levels: graduate, undergraduate, high school, and primary school. In the Undergraduate section, for example, are green engineering modules for chemical engineering courses that include problems and case studies that can be put into use in traditional classes. Also on offer is the ACS publication Greener Approaches to Undergraduate Chemistry Experiments, a collection of 14 laboratory activities that use green chemistry principles to investigate typical topics in undergraduate chemistry. The coursebook Introduction to Green Chemistry is also available in this section, as is a group of case studies based on the winners of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. A list of postsecondary schools in the United States and abroad that offer green chemistry programs is also featured in the Education section.The Industrial Implementation section of the site offers a glimpse into resources the institute offers to companies. The GCI conducts professional training in green chemistry principles, applications, methods, tools, and techniques. It also provides technical assistance in the forms of opportunity assessments, databases of new technologies, and benchmarking. Finally, the institute furnishes companies ways to gain recognition for their green efforts through media and community outreach, the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards, and an annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference.The International Cooperation section includes links to the 23 international chapters of the GCI. These chapters conduct educational programs in their countries, host green chemistry events, and produce publications. One of the three chapters in the United Kingdom has developed a green chemistry program targeted at consumers and retailers.The Resources section of the GCI site indexes links under seven categories. Among other offerings in the Electronic Tools category is the Green Chemistry Resource Exchange, a searchable database of news articles, journal articles, reports, and presentations. By joining the exchange, visitors can add new entries to the database and receive updates on advances in the field.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 115, No. 5 May 2007Metrics About Article Metrics Publication History Originally published1 May 2007Published in print1 May 2007 Financial disclosuresPDF download License information EHP is an open-access journal published with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. All content is public domain unless otherwise noted. Note to readers with disabilities EHP strives to ensure that all journal content is accessible to all readers. However, some figures and Supplemental Material published in EHP articles may not conform to 508 standards due to the complexity of the information being presented. If you need assistance accessing journal content, please contact [email protected]. Our staff will work with you to assess and meet your accessibility needs within 3 working days.

Paul Anastas is matter of fact about the influence he and his collaborators have had on science. It was always their intention to change the world through green chemistry. An organic chemist by training, Anastas maintains an active research program at Yale University that spans chemistry, chemical engineering, environmental sciences, epidemiology, and related disciplines. He also codirects the Yale Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering. Academia is only part of his story. He spent almost 20 years in government service, culminating in a 3-year appointment by former president Barack Obama to lead R&D at the US Environmental Protection Agency. He’s active in the business of chemistry, including holding founder and board roles in start-ups such as the personal care ingredient maker P2 Science and the carbon dioxide-to-chemicals firm Air Company. He also has consulting contracts with Fortune 100 firms. As an advocate, he’s championed federal legislation encouraging the adoption

The Road to Green Nanotechnology

“Greening” the engineering curriculum is an important consideration for sustainable engineering education from fundamentals to design in the 21 st century. This paper describes the latest advances in an educational project sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to integrate green engineering principles into the chemical engineering curriculum. This project has engaged faculty from engineering schools across the country to develop web-based instructional modules to allow for the seamless integration for green engineering principles such as risk concepts, green chemistry, mass and energy integration, life-cycle assessment into chemical engineering courses. Currently, faculty have contributed to chemical engineering core courses from material and energy balances to plant design. In addition, faculty have developed modules for multidisciplinary offerings such as freshman-level introduction to engineering and upper-level system dynamics and control. This paper will review some of the innovative modules developed and show how they can be used in the chemical engineering curriculum. This educational project’s goal is to integrate green engineering concepts horizontally and vertically into the curriculum by taking existing courses and integrating topics as appropriate through examples, problems and case studies. Using green engineering principles at the start of the design process can lead to processes and products of a sustainable future. Support for this project is funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics and Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances through grant CX 827688-01-0 titled Implementing Green Engineering in the Chemical Engineering Curriculum

Solvent-free synthesis is gaining importance as a tool for the synthesis of a wide variety of useful and important compounds, with the number of reactions conducted under these conditions increasing. Initially, conventional methods have been utilized for solvent-free synthesis, but lately there has been a shift in utilizing nonconventional energy sources, such as microwaves, ultrasound and mechanochemical mixing to increase the efficiency of the reactions. This chapter highlights activity using mechanochemical mixing, microwave- and ultrasound-assisted solvent-free synthesis, discusses their advantages and limitations, and plausible mechanisms involved. The importance of solvent-free synthesis using nonconventional methods is shown by selected examples.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.