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It's not easy being a green chemist
It’s not easy being a green chemist The Last Word
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n 2008, this column discussed taking green actions to minimize adverse effects on the environment.1 The specific topics discussed (antiknock agents, global warming, diapers, food to ethanol conversion) were of interest to some members of the general public, but they had chemical aspects. There is a strategic approach to the development of chemicals and chemical processes that is commonly referred to as ‘‘green chemistry.’’ The classic early conception of green activities is the list of 12 Principles of Green Chemistry2 by Anastas and Warner. The list can be accessed at www.acs.org by typing green chemistry principles in the search box. Each principle seems to be a reasonable concept. As an industrial chemist, I think the most effective application of these principles would be in chemical manufacturing and chemical processes. In academic research laboratories, application of these principles is less straightforward. The principle on designing safer chemicals is explained as ‘‘Chemical products should be designed to affect their desired function while minimizing their toxicity.’’ What the chemical safety professional views as toxic, the synthetic chemist views as reactive. What if the desired function is to be a reactive intermediate? Another principle discusses solvents, ‘‘The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary whenever possible and innocuous when used.’’ We probably do not think much about why we use solvents in lab scale reactions. A research colleague of mine once tried to run a simple reaction without using a solvent; fortunately his apparatus was contained in a hood when it shattered. A third principle on reducing derivatives says ‘‘Unnecessary derivatization should be minimized or avoided if possible. . .’’ What synthetic chemist intentionally makes ‘‘unnecessary derivatives’’? The nature of academic research can make application of these principles an unaffordable luxury. Optimizing reagent use and energy efficiency requires time that grad students, postdocs
and professors often do not think they have. During my graduate career, methylene chloride had not yet been regulated as a carcinogen. It was my solvent of choice for reactions and chromatographic separations. I had little concern for substituting a safer solvent. But my most significant concern about green chemistry is the often inferred general principle of avoiding or restricting the use of hazardous materials. Such a precaution unnecessarily limits what we can do in chemistry and fosters a tendency to fear hazardous materials. Having expressed these reservations, I admit that my viewpoint was broadened during a CHAS symposium, entitled Greening Our Laboratories, at the San Francisco national meeting. There were seven papers in the symposium representing at least six academic institutions. These colleges and universities appreciated the benefits of green chemistry and enthusiastically implemented green programs. Concepts discussed included: green laboratory certification, energy control (fume hoods and cold storage), chemical recycling, communication and education, water and steam, waste reduction, purchasing, greenhouse gas reduction, green building design, travel and field work. These schools were making significant progress in minimizing harmful activity on the environment. The most interesting report of several speakers was that students were very supportive of green chemistry activities. The students felt it was very important for chemists to contribute to this kind of activity. So, in addition to improving conditions in our environment, green chemistry makes our students proud to be chemists. Although we should use our knowledge and experience when establishing and reviewing procedures, let’s be open to applying appropriate principles of green chemistry when possible. Our organizations, our students, and the general public will appreciate our efforts. The science of chemistry and our world will benefit. Let’s be careful out there and try to be green out there as well.
1
Fivizzani, K. P., J. Chem. Health Saf., 2008, 15, (5), 45. 2 Anastas, P. T.; Warner, J. C., Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998.
1871-5532 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jchas.2014.09.010
ß Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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I
n 2008, this column discussed taking green actions to minimize adverse effects on the environment.1 The specific topics discussed (antiknock agents, global warming, diapers, food to ethanol conversion) were of interest to some members of the general public, but they had chemical aspects. There is a strategic approach to the development of chemicals and chemical processes that is commonly referred to as ‘‘green chemistry.’’ The classic early conception of green activities is the list of 12 Principles of Green Chemistry2 by Anastas and Warner. The list can be accessed at www.acs.org by typing green chemistry principles in the search box. Each principle seems to be a reasonable concept. As an industrial chemist, I think the most effective application of these principles would be in chemical manufacturing and chemical processes. In academic research laboratories, application of these principles is less straightforward. The principle on designing safer chemicals is explained as ‘‘Chemical products should be designed to affect their desired function while minimizing their toxicity.’’ What the chemical safety professional views as toxic, the synthetic chemist views as reactive. What if the desired function is to be a reactive intermediate? Another principle discusses solvents, ‘‘The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary whenever possible and innocuous when used.’’ We probably do not think much about why we use solvents in lab scale reactions. A research colleague of mine once tried to run a simple reaction without using a solvent; fortunately his apparatus was contained in a hood when it shattered. A third principle on reducing derivatives says ‘‘Unnecessary derivatization should be minimized or avoided if possible. . .’’ What synthetic chemist intentionally makes ‘‘unnecessary derivatives’’? The nature of academic research can make application of these principles an unaffordable luxury. Optimizing reagent use and energy efficiency requires time that grad students, postdocs
and professors often do not think they have. During my graduate career, methylene chloride had not yet been regulated as a carcinogen. It was my solvent of choice for reactions and chromatographic separations. I had little concern for substituting a safer solvent. But my most significant concern about green chemistry is the often inferred general principle of avoiding or restricting the use of hazardous materials. Such a precaution unnecessarily limits what we can do in chemistry and fosters a tendency to fear hazardous materials. Having expressed these reservations, I admit that my viewpoint was broadened during a CHAS symposium, entitled Greening Our Laboratories, at the San Francisco national meeting. There were seven papers in the symposium representing at least six academic institutions. These colleges and universities appreciated the benefits of green chemistry and enthusiastically implemented green programs. Concepts discussed included: green laboratory certification, energy control (fume hoods and cold storage), chemical recycling, communication and education, water and steam, waste reduction, purchasing, greenhouse gas reduction, green building design, travel and field work. These schools were making significant progress in minimizing harmful activity on the environment. The most interesting report of several speakers was that students were very supportive of green chemistry activities. The students felt it was very important for chemists to contribute to this kind of activity. So, in addition to improving conditions in our environment, green chemistry makes our students proud to be chemists. Although we should use our knowledge and experience when establishing and reviewing procedures, let’s be open to applying appropriate principles of green chemistry when possible. Our organizations, our students, and the general public will appreciate our efforts. The science of chemistry and our world will benefit. Let’s be careful out there and try to be green out there as well.
1
Fivizzani, K. P., J. Chem. Health Saf., 2008, 15, (5), 45. 2 Anastas, P. T.; Warner, J. C., Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998.
1871-5532 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jchas.2014.09.010
ß Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
45