Industrial Green Chemistry

The editors and authors, with backgrounds in academia and industry, tie together recent and established technologies for the upcoming change to sustainable industrial chemistry. The extensive worldwide activities towards that goal are exemplified with a series of green processes. Some of these processes are already commercially applied (squalene to squalane, hydraulic fluids from vegetable oils, biosourced polycarbonates), others are ready for a large scale implementation (glycerol to acrylic acid, biosourced acrylonitrile and levulinic acid, polyamides from fatty nitriles-esters hydrogenation, butadiene from bioethanol) or are being developed (cyclic carbonates from epoxides, selective pyrolysis of biomass). This book is an indispensable source for the researchers and professionals who work for a greener chemical industry. The chapters have been arranged to guide students through the design of new processes for more sustainable chemistry, using case studies as examples.

Editors and authors with background in academia and industry tie together recent and established technologies for the change to a sustainable industrial chemistry. Modern methods and technologies are presented to make catalytic processes more efficient, resource-saving and environmentally-friendly. This book is an indispensable source for researchers and professional working for a sustainable change in chemistry.

In recent years the need for sustainable process design and alternative reaction routes to reduce industry?s impact on the environment has gained vital importance. The book begins with a general overview of new trends in designing industrial chemical processes which are environmentally friendly and economically feasible. Specific examples written by experts from industry cover the possibilities of running industrial chemical processes in a sustainable manner and provide an up-to-date insight into the main concerns, e.g., the use of renewable raw materials, the use of alternative energy sources in chemical processes, the design of intrinsically safe processes, microreactor and integrated reaction/ separation technologies, process intensification, waste reduction, new catalytic routes and/or solvent and process optimization.

The “greening” of industry processes, i.e. making them more sustainable, is a popular and often lucrative trend which has emerged over recent years. The 3rd volume of Green Chemical Processing considers sustainable chemistry in the context of corporate interests. The American Chemical Society’s 12 Principles of Green Chemistry are woven throughout this text as well as the series to which this book belongs.

This book features in-depth and thorough coverage of Minimum Impact Mill Technologies which can meet the environmental challenges of the pulp and paper industry and also discusses Mills and Fiberlines that encompass “State-of-the-Art” technology and management practices. The minimum impact mill does not mean "zero effluent", nor is it exclusive to one bleaching concept. It is a much bigger concept which means that significant progress must be made in the following areas: Water Management, Internal Chemical Management, Energy Management, Control and Discharge of Non-Process Elements and Removal of Hazardous Pollutants. At the moment, there is no bleached kraft pulp mill operating with zero effluent. With the rise in environmental awareness due to the lobbying by environmental organizations and with increased government regulation there is now a trend towards sustainability in the pulp and paper industry. Sustainable pulp and paper manufacturing requires a holistic view of the manufacturing process. During the last decade, there have been revolutionary technical developments in pulping, bleaching and chemical recovery technology. These developments have made it possible to further reduce loads in effluents and airborne emissions. Thus, there has been a strong progress towards minimum impact mills in the pulp and paper industry. The minimum-impact mill is a holistic manufacturing concept that encompasses environmental management systems, compliance with environmental laws and regulations and manufacturing technologies.

Packed with real-world examples, this book illustrates the 12 principles of green chemistry. These diverse case studies demonstrate to scientists and students that beyond the theory, the challenges of green chemistry in pharmaceutical discovery and development remain an ongoing endeavor. By informing and welcoming additional practitioners to this mission, the negative environmental impact of pharmaceutical products will continue to be minimized. Green chemistry is the methodology by which chemical production in this industry can become more efficient, adding environmental stewardship to the noble mission of treating human disease.

The 5th volume of Green Chemical Processing considers sustainable chemistry in the context of governmental and corporate interests, explaining how “red tape” can help or hinder the “greening” of industry processes. The American Chemical Society’s 12 Principles of Green Chemistry are woven throughout this text as well as the series to which this book belongs.

This book aims to stimulate and promote the wide-ranging aspects of green chemistry and its major role in ensuring sustainable development. The book covers the following areas: green chemistry; green reagents and atom economy; safeguarding the atmosphere; industrial green catalysis; alternative reaction conditions; biocatalysis and green chemistry. This book is based on the third edition of the Collection of Lectures of the Summer Schools on Green Chemistry held in Venice, Italy in the summers of 1998-2003 (sponsored by the European Commission, TMR and Improving Programmes and carried out by the Consortzio Interuniversitario La Chemica per l'Ambiente).