(273f) Advancing Environmental Sustainability through Green Chemistry and Engineering Principles and Matrices.

School of Engineering, Saint Martin’s University, Lacey, Washington, USA

Prepared for Presentation at the 2023 AIChE Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida

Abstract:

The goal of this presentation is to forge a pathway for environmental sustainability by incorporating basic principles and concepts of green chemistry, green engineering, recycle, reuse, and recovery; and zero discharge. Bearing in mind, the design and implementation of completely green products and processes is an enormous challenge. Because the number of chemical synthesis pathways is enormous, there is no one systematic, fail-safe method for ensuring that the chemistry being implemented is green. Indeed, it is more nearly correct to inquire if a proposed chemical manufacturing process is simply “greener” than other alternatives. Thus, green chemistry recognizes the importance of incremental improvements applying a set of 12 principles to define and guide the scope of green chemistry. Sustainable engineering involves the design, commercialization, and use of processes and products that are feasible and economical while minimizing both the generation of pollution at the source and the risk to human health and the environment. The discipline embraces the concept that decisions to protect human health and the environment can have the greatest impact and cost effectiveness when applied early in the “design and development phase of a process or product.” Sustainable engineering transforms existing engineering disciplines and practices to those that promote environmental sustainability. A few mini-case studies are presented.

Key References:

Anastas, P.T. and Warner, J.C. (1998). Green Chemistry Theory and Practice, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Anastas, P.T. and Zimmerman, J.B. (2003). Design through the 12 Principles of Green Engineering, Engineering Science and Technology, 37(5), 94A-101A.

Das, T.K. (2005). Toward Zero Discharge: Innovative Methodology and Technologies for Process Pollution Prevention, John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ.

Rahimi, A. and Garcia, J.M. (2017). “Chemical Recycling of Waste Plastics for New Materials Production”, Nature Reviews Chemistry, 1, 1-11.

Das, T.K. (2020). Industrial Environmental Management: Engineering, Science and Policy, 1st ed., John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ.