Green Chemistry Technology Research Articles

Advancements in Green Chemical Engineering: Developing Sustainable Catalysts for Carbon Capture and Utilization

The development of sustainable catalysts for carbon capture and utilization (CCU) represents a pivotal advancement in green chemical engineering, addressing both climate change and resource scarcity. This study utilizes a qualitative approach, specifically employing literature review and library research methods, to analyze recent advancements in catalyst development for CCU technologies. The analysis highlights the growing emphasis on designing catalysts that are not only efficient but also eco-friendly, with a focus on minimizing environmental impact. By examining various catalytic processes, including chemical absorption, photocatalysis, and electrochemical reduction, this research identifies key strategies for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of CCU systems. The findings reveal that while significant progress has been made in improving catalyst performance, challenges remain in scaling up these technologies for industrial applications. Moreover, this study underscores the role of green chemical engineering in fostering a circular economy by converting captured carbon dioxide into valuable products such as fuels and chemicals. Future research should focus on overcoming existing limitations, including catalyst stability and cost-effectiveness, to ensure broader adoption of sustainable CCU technologies. This review contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable chemical processes and offers a roadmap for advancing green engineering practices.

Estimation of isoniazid by digital image colorimetry: an integration of green chemistry and smartphone technology

BackgroundThis study proposes a simple digital image colorimetric method using a smartphone for the quantitative analysis of isoniazid in pharmaceutical medications. The analytical methodology employed in this study involved the utilization of the reaction between isoniazid and FC reagent under alkaline conditions. The chemical reaction led to the creation of a complex with a blue-gray color, exhibiting a peak absorption at a wavelength of 760 nm. An Android application was employed to perform a smartphone-based determination based on separating the captured color into different color channels such as red, blue, green, etc. The experimental procedure involved the utilization of three smartphones for the determination, which was subsequently followed by a comparative analysis of the results obtained from these devices using spectrophotometric measurements.ResultsThe B channel had the highest level of optimization in terms of analytical parameters. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.586, 2.478, and 1.396 µg/ml for S1, S2, and S3, respectively, and for the spectrophotometer, it was found to be 0.416 µg/ml. Similarly, LOQs were determined as 1.673, 7.511, 4.232, and 1.302 µg/ml. A %RSD of 1.3 for precision and an LOD of 0.013 g dm−3 were obtained for the spectroscopic method. The % recovery in the accuracy study was found to be 99.69, 101.804, 109.28, and 100.13 for S1, S2, S3, and spectrophotometer, respectively.ConclusionThe colorimetric results from smartphone application are similar to those from spectrophotometric analyses.

ZnO Nanoparticles Enhance the Antimicrobial Properties of Two-Sided-Coated Cotton Textile.

Cotton textiles improved with metal oxide nanoparticles acquire additional features that may enhance their action against antimicrobial-resistant pathogens due to the unique properties and characteristics of the nanoparticles. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the antimicrobial features of two-sided-coated cotton textiles with ZnO nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were deposited using green chemistry technology with low-temperature oxygen plasma. ZnO particles formed stable structures on textile fibers. The optimal deposition parameters (150 W plasma power, 120 min immersion time) achieved the best effects against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and microscopic fungi. Two-sided-coated cotton with ZnO nanoparticles showed high antibacterial action on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Modification with zinc oxide inhibited the growth of Candida albicans by more than half.

The effect of swirling shear blade on gas-liquid flow pattern and mass transfer performance in Venturi injector

To address the challenge of low mass transfer efficiency of gas-liquid reaction in traditional reactors, this study proposes a new method to improve the gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency by integrating swirl shear blades (SSB) into Venturi injectors. The gas-liquid flow patterns in the mixing and diffusion sections between the Swirl Venturi Injector (SVI) and the Traditional Venturi Injector (TVI) was compared, and it was found that the SSB significantly reduced the proportion of annular flow while increased the proportion of mist flow. The enhancement factor αE and the acceleration factor αA are applied to evaluate the mass transfer performance. Compared to TVI, the maximum αA of SVI was 29%, and the maximum αE was 43%. This work shows great potential in efficiently capturing gas components with low solubility in the liquid phase, thereby helping to achieve the goal of green chemical engineering.

Preface

The 2023 2nd International Conference on Renewable Energy and Electrical Technology (ICREET 2023) was held from December 22nd to 24th, 2023 in Tianjin, China via virtual form. With ICREET 2023, the conference series International Conference on Renewable Energy and Electrical Technology (ICREET) completed its second edition.ICREET 2023 attracted a number of papers related to renewable energy and electrical technology, including but not limited to: Renewable Energy Power Generation, Clean Production and Green Chemical Technology, Smart Grid Power Transmission and Distribution, Power System Modeling, Simulation and Analysis, Electric Traction Systems and Control, etc.All of the papers were exhaustively reviewed by the program committee members and peer-reviewers, who took into account the breadth and depth of the research topics that fall under the scope of ICREET. The most promising contributions were selected from all the submissions for presentation and inclusion in this paper volume, which presents innovative original ideas or results of general significance supported by clear and rigorous reasoning and compelling new evidence, as well as methods.The Conference agenda fell into mainly three parts, including keynote speeches, oral presentations, and academic investigation. Keynote speeches were performed by three distinguished professors: Prof. Abdul Hasib Chowdhury (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh), whose research interests include power system planning, stability, reliability analysis, contingency and security analysis, power quality analysis etc., talked on Torsional Resonance in Turbine-Generator Shaft Due to the Operation of Multiple Electric Furnaces at Close Proximity, Assoc. Prof. Hidayat Bin Zainuddin (Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Malaysia), who has authored and co-authored over 50 technical papers comprising journals and conference proceedings, and contributed in reviewing articles for many conferences and journals published by IEEE, Elsevier, etc., on Ester Oil as Greener Insulating Fluid for Oil-Filled Transformers, Assoc. Prof. Norzanah Rosmin (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia), who has 23 years’ experience in electrical engineering courses teaching and supervision of students’ projects and researches, and has published many papers in books, journals and conference proceedings and got numbers of awards for innovation projects based on her expertise, on Energy Efficiency and Energy Management System via Double Layer Approach for A Sustainable Future.We would like to acknowledge all the speakers, authors, Technical Program Committee members and anonymous reviewers for their efforts in making ICREET 2023 so successful. We’d also appreciate the support from the staff of Journal of Physics: Conference Series for making this volume published.The Committee of ICREET 2023List of Committee Member is available in this Pdf.

Pomegranate seed oil extraction by cold pressing, microwave and ultrasound treatments

AbstractIn this study, pomegranate seed oil was extracted by microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and cold pressing techniques. Dimethyl succinate was the solvent of microwave and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. The optimum conditions were determined by using response surface methodology (RSM, Design Expert software version 7.0 and Box-Behnken design). The ultrasound-assisted extraction technique was found to be superior to the microwave-assisted extraction technique in terms of extraction efficiency. The maximum extraction efficiency of microwave-assisted extraction was 22.01% under the optimized conditions (liquid/solid ratio, 5/1; time, 3 min; and microwave power, 300 W). The maximum extraction efficiency obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction was 26.31% under the optimized conditions (liquid/solid ratio, 10/1; pulse duration/pulse interval ratio, 1; temperature 60 °C; and time, 20 min). The extraction efficiencies were compared at the optimum conditions with hexane, which is the most used solvent for pomegranate seed oil extraction, and the difference was insignificant. The results of this study are very important, especially in the field of green chemistry and chemical engineering.

Characterization of Tridax procumbens amines with a potential to synthesize silver nanoparticles

Our previous findings showed that amines from Tridax procumbens (Family: Asteraceae) were responsible for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. T. procumbens is a weed plant with rich source of medicinal compounds. In the current work, we studied the initial characterization of bioactive compounds by LC-MS, an essential tool for the characterization and identification of low molecular compounds. Further the isolated compounds were investigated for silver nanoparticle synthesis. The leaf extracts examined revealed many novel amine derivative compounds reported for the first time mainly belonging to the group of free amines: n-Pentylhydrazine hydrochloride, 2-Nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride, 1,7-Dichlorooctamethyltetrasiloxane, 5-Chloro-1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene, 3-Chloro-2-hydroxy-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine and 2-(Diphenylphosphino) ethyltriethoxysilane and conjugated amines: 5-Methoxy-diisopropyltryptamine, 4-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid, Diphenhydramine, Erucamide, n(4-((2-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)hydrazino)carbonyl)ph)-4-me-benzenesulfonamide and 1,3,5-Trithia-2,4,6-tristannacyclohexane, 2,2,4,4,6,6-hexamethyl. Characterization by UV-Vis spectra, XRD, EDX and TEM revealed well separated spherical shaped AgNPs size ranging 8-50 nm. These findings suggest that further work could be extended to isolate and elucidate the structures of the identified molecules using powerful instruments such as HPLC-MS, HPLC-NMR and high resolution-MS (HR-MS). Further biotechnological approaches towards synthesis of novel metals will be enhanced to promote green chemistry technology for the synthesis of nanoparticles.

Recent advances in green cationic polymerization

AbstractTraditional living/controlled cationic polymerization provides a simple synthetic route for the preparation of various polymers with set molecular weight, narrow molecular weight distribution, and clear structure. Nowadays, under the requirements of sustainable development, it is very important to explore the green chemical technology in depth. This review offers an overview of initiation systems, reaction media, polymerization techniques, and monomers, with the aim of summarizing environmentally friendly methods utilized in the field of cationic polymerization over the past 15 years. It covers a variety of directions from traditional initiation systems to green initiators, from corrosive solvents to environmentally friendly solvents, from drop initiation to external stimulation initiation, from petroleum fractionated monomers to bio‐based monomers. These methods and Techniques aim to develop advanced high‐quality polymer products using cationic polymerization, and achieving efficient energy savings and reducing emissions. The ongoing exploration of green‐controlled cationic polymerization holds promise for opening up new avenues and novel technology for high‐performance polyolefin materials.

Cellulose extraction from rice straw waste for biodegradable ethyl cellulose films preparation using green chemical technology

A green process was devised to effectively extract cellulose from recycled rice straw waste, subsequently ethylating and modifying it into ethyl cellulose (EC), and ultimately blending the EC with ethanol to obtain biodegradable films. The optimal process conditions at each stage were investigated. An assessment was conducted on the crystallinity and thermal stability of rice straw cellulose (RSC), the degree of substitution of EC, and the biodegradability and mechanical properties of EC-ethanol films. The results demonstrated the following: The optimal process conditions resulted in a 95.73 % yield of extracted RSC, a type I crystalline structure, a 31.20 % increase in relative crystallinity, and thermal stability with a main weight loss peak at 340 °C. Under ideal ethylation conditions, the EC production reached 79.60 %, while the degree of substitution ranged from 2.0 to 2.5. After being landfilled in soil for 100 days, the EC-ethanol films degraded at rates of 6.77 %, 4.78 %, and 3.13 % (film concentrations were 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06 g/mL (w/v, EC/ethanol), respectively). Based on the analysis of the films' FT-IR and SEM images, it was concluded that the EC-ethanol films exhibit favorable biodegradability. Moreover, the tensile strength of 0.04 g/mL film reaches up to 44.60 MPa. Hence, the EC-ethanol films in this research could be an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to plastic films.

Exploration of enlightenment experiments for green chemical engineering talents in China higher education - taking Sichuan University as an example

How to lead green industry education and promote the development of sustainable society is an urgent issue to be explored. In order to effectively promote the recognition and disciplinary enlightenment of green chemical engineering among involved freshmen in Sichuan University, we designed a set of modular experiments using green solvents and zebrafish as carriers for observation and practice, which emphasized the importance and necessity of green engineering technology, as well as the significance of biomedicine for human health. Its implementation not only helps guide students to establish correct concepts of related specialty and industry, but also effectively stimulates their interest in learning and researching. Through continuous improvement, it is expected to be promoted as a public open experiment in wider range.

A multidentate copper complex on magnetic biochar nanoparticles as a practical and recoverable nanocatalyst for the selective synthesis of tetrazole derivatives

Waste recycling, novel and easy methods of recycling catalysts, use of green solvents, use of selective catalysts and preventing the production of by-products are the most important principles of green chemistry and modern technology.

Natural Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) juice assisted TiO2 nanoparticle synthesis for high performance dye-sensitized solar cell

Green chemistry technologies are perceived to be more straightforward, sustainable and cost-effective and therefore explored extensively in recent years. A range of natural reducing and capping agents, viz. proteins, enzymes, and phytochemicals have been used to synthesize TiO2 nanoparticles. The capping agents are vital in stabilizing nanoparticles, avoiding their over-growth and aggregation during synthesis. In this work, green synthesis of TiO2 has been carried out through the sol-gel method using Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) juice as a capping agent. The optical properties, morphology, size, and porosity of the synthesized TiO2 were characterized by UV, FT-IR, XRD, TEM, and BET respectively. The XRD pattern and TEM confirmed the anatase phase and particle size, while BET revealed surface area and pore sizes. Under irradiance of 100 mWcm−2 light intensity, the photoelectric conversion efficiency using capped TiO2 sensitized with N719 dye was observed to 3.65 %, much enhanced compared to the efficiency 0.69 % observed with the un-capped TiO2. The present study successfully demonstrated that sugarcane phytochemicals have the potential to improve dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) efficiency via inducing capping during nucleation in TiO2 synthesis.

Application of interpretable machine learning models to improve the prediction performance of ionic liquids toxicity

With the wide application prospect of ionic liquids (ILs) as solvent in the future industry, in order to promote green and sustainable chemical engineering, the toxicity problem of common concern has been systematically modeled. Machine learning has promoted the development of chemical property prediction model with its powerful data processing ability. Two typical ensemble learning models, Random Forest (RF) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were used to model the toxicity of ILs to Vibrio fischeri in this work. The model's hyperparameters were fine-tuned using Bayesian optimization, and its robustness was enhanced through the 5-fold cross validation. The results of the model comparison showed that the XGBoost model exhibited good generalization ability. In addition, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was used to explain the model in more detail and the XGBoost model was used to supplement the toxicity value matrix of 1590 ILs.

Improving pharmaceutical analysis by incorporating green chemistry and smartphone technology: The assay for dissolution test of ethambutol tablets as an example

This work showcases the improvement of the United States Pharmacopeial (USP) assay of ethambutol (ETB) for tablet dissolution test through the incorporation of green chemistry and smartphone technology. In the assay, downscaled extraction was performed in microcentrifuge tubes, utilizing 0.5 mL of chloroform per sample. Instead of spectrophotometric measurements, the extracts were photographed while contained in the closed tubes using a smartphone camera, with white LED serving as the light source. The Red-Green-Blue (RGB) intensities were read out from the image using an RGB Color Detector application. It was found that B/(R + G + B) showed a good linear relationship to the drug concentration over the range of 11.9–118.5 μg/mL (R2 = 0.9992). The method was accurate (% recovery of 99.98–100.91%), precise (% relative standard deviation of 0.97–1.17%), sensitive (LOD = 3.9 μg/mL and LOQ = 11.8 μg/mL), specific and robust. Furthermore, the analysis results obtained were consistent with those obtained through the USP method. The method became greener and safer due to a 20-fold reduction in chloroform consumption and the use of a closed system for signal measurement which prevented the release of solvent vapor into the environment and minimized the analyst's exposure to chemicals. In addition, the method was green with the AGREE score of 0.74, and 9 green shaded sections in the GAPI assessment. Moreover, the data analysis tool in the mobile application developed in this work facilitated rapid and instantaneous calculations of the results. Hence, the assay is feasible for quality control analysis, and helps promote sustainability.

Review of Biosurfactants Gas Hydrate Promoters

Biosurfactants are promising additives for gas hydrate technology applications. They are believed to have better eco properties than conventional kinetic hydrate promoters such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). In this article, the research advances on the use of biosurfactants for gas hydrate formation enhancement have been reviewed and discussed in detail to provide current knowledge on their progress in green chemistry technologies. Specifically, the use of bio promoters in carbon capture, gas storage and transportation are discussed. By far, biosurfactants seem to perform better than conventional hydrate promoters and have the potential to lead to the commercialization of gas hydrate-based technologies in terms of improving hydrate kinetics.

Biobased Silicon and Biobased Silica: Two Production Routes Whose Time has Come.

This study offers an updated bioeconomy perspective on biobased routes to high-purity silicon and silica in the context of the societal, economic and environmental trends reshaping chemical processes. We summarize the main aspects of the green chemistry technologies capable of transforming current production methods. Coincidentally, we discuss selected industrial and economic aspects. Finally, we offer perspectives of how said technologies could/will reshape current chemical and energy production.

Preparation, characterization and adsorption potentiality of magnetic activated carbon from Eucalyptus sawdust for removal of amoxicillin: Adsorption behavior and mechanism

The magnetic activated carbon (MAC) from eucalyptus sawdust was prepared by one-step method and utilized to remove amoxicillin (AMX) from wastewater. MAC was characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption, XRD, FT-IRS, Raman, XPS, FESEM, SEM-EDS, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and the point of zero charges (pHpzc). The magnetic parameters of MAC were found Hc of 55.92 Oe, Ms of 21.68 emu g1 and Mr of 0.63 emu g1, which resulted from existence of α-Fe and γ-Fe2O3. MAC existed micropores and mesopores, the specific surface area (SBET) and average pore width were 1263.7 m2 g1 and 2.07 nm, respectively. Batch adsorption experiments was designed to investigate AMX adsorption behavior on MAC, the adsorption mechanism was also investigated. The AMX removal efficiency was more than 94.3% when 50 mL 400 mg L1 AMX aqueous solution (3 of pH) was adsorbed by 0.055 g MAC for 6 h at 25 °C. The AMX adsorption process was consistent with Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second order kinetic model, with maximum adsorption capacities of 485.4 mg g1 for AMX, the process was affected by the intraparticle diffusion, membrane diffusion and surface adsorption. The AMX adsorption on MAC was spontaneous nd endothermic. The adsorption of AMX on MAC was based on electrosttic interactions, π–π conjugation interactions, and hydrogen bond interactions. MAC had satisfactory adsorption capacity for AMX and recyclability. This work provides a green and environment-friendly method on antibiotic contamination wastewater treatment and a low-carbon green chemical technology for the high-value utilization of eucalyptus residues.

Investigation of the Inhibition Mechanism of Organic Corrosion Inhibitors on the Copper Surface by DFT study and MD simulations

AbstractSupports of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21908017 and 21902021), the Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program Dalian University of Technology (20211014110934), the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of High‐efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering (2022‐K70), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (DUT22LK09), the Open Foundation of Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, MOE (KLIEEE‐20‐01, KLIEEE‐21‐02), and the Hefei Advanced Computing Center for this work are gratefully acknowledged.

Electro‐membrane reactor: A powerful tool for green chemical engineering

AbstractElectro‐membrane reactors use electro‐membranes for preferentially diffusive/electrophoretic migration or electroosmotic separation of in‐situ reactive products, thereby maximizing the reaction rate and transport efficiencies of the products. These reactors are widely employed in the chemical engineering sectors such as green chemical synthesis, biorefining, electrocatalytic reduction/oxidation, and water treatment. In this review article, we provide an overview of the recent advances in three categories of electro‐membrane reactors in chemical engineering sectors from three categories: (1) Electro‐membrane reactors based on stacked ion‐exchange membranes for resources recovery; (2) Electro‐membrane reactors via Faraday reactions on functional anodes/cathodes for substance transformation; and (3) Closed‐loop chemical reactions and substance separation via coupling of Faraday reactions and stacked membranes. The increasing demand for low‐carbon economy has accelerated the advancement of environmentally friendly chemical engineering and sustainable processes and necessitates the use of electro‐membrane processes. The macro perspective provides a timely reference for researchers and engineers.

Extraction of scutched flax tow (SFT) in NHPI and PAG assisted H2O2 system in less water and low temperature environment

The extraction of flax fiber always consumed large amount of water and energy, and caused heavy Chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge. Driven by the concept of green chemical and sustainable engineering, extracting flax fiber under less water environment and room temperature was necessary. This study conducted SFT degumming in nitroxide and H2O2 activating reagent aided alkali H2O2 (NAAH) system in less water environment under room temperature successfully. Results showed that N-Hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) got much higher promoting effect in NAAH than that of 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (TEMPO) due to its high bond dissociation energy value. HAR could brought up the selectivity of the NAAH system, and the promoting effect increased in the order of TAED > MA >AGC >PAG. With the assistance of PAG and NHPI, the degumming could be conducted under less water environment under room temperature. Under the optimal reaction condition (0.25 g/L NHPI, 2.5 g/L PAG, bath ratio 1:10, 30 °C, 2 h), the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content reached 82.19%, 10.82% and 1.74% respectively; the density, tenacity, DP value and whiteness reached 14 dtex, 78 cN/dtex, 2100 and 52.0 respectively. Compared with fiber prepared in NaOH degumming and alkali H2O2 degumming system, the fiber prepared in NAAH system get better tensile property; consumed 50% and 50% less water; 6.45 × 106 kcal/h and 5.16 × 106 kcal/h less energy, and produced 9.52% and 73.5% lower COD discharge, respectively.