Greenchemistry.ca

CONFERENCE REPORT
Green approaches: a new horizon for future scientists
Student voices from the Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute on
Green Chemistry
Darren Anderson,a Jennifer L. Anthony,b Arani Chanda,c Ginger Denison,*d Melissa Drolet,e Diego
Fort,f María Joselevichg and Justin R. Whitfieldh
aDepartment of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. [email protected]; +1 416 978 4526; bDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. [email protected]; +1 574 631 8366; +1 574 631 7708 cDepartment of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. [email protected]; +1 412 268 dDepartment of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290, USA. [email protected]; eDepartment of Physical Sciences, University of New Brunswick, New Brunswick, Canada. [email protected]; +1 506 fDepartamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. [email protected]; +592 2 gDepartamento de Química Orgánica – Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. [email protected]; +54 11 4576-3346; +54 11 4576-3346 hGreen Chemistry Ph.D. Program, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected]; +1 617 287 6127; +1 617 287 6128 Introduction
however, we also realized that these ideals responsibility for the modern state of the how much is still left to be accomplished world. With real concerns mounting on the in the field. We begin with a description of cooperation between all scientific fields multinational and multidisciplinary aspects will be necessary to create new methods of of the field, and its role in education. We We are a new generation of scientists.
We have chosen not to ignore the potential believe are important for the advancement consequences of our chosen professions.
We realize that we have responsibilities in commercial materials. This technology and all to reflect upon our actions and beliefs as scientists, ensuring that we promote the government applications as possible. This As a new generation of scientists and unique conference has given us the tools to engineers, we need to recognize that our aggressively pursue these goals, rather than actions and decisions will affect the future well being of our planet. While we have the The PASI on Green Chemistry,
tools to create products and processes that improve our quality of life, we must pertaining to green chemistry, its theory, consciously make choices to ensure that our actions do not endanger life or the conference like none before it. There were environment around us. We strongly believe that by applying the principles of PASI was the first course of its style in the green chemistry to all aspects of science presenters and organizers of this event. The and engineering, we can continue to improve the society in which we live intensive, 10-day study of green chemistry.
without simultaneously harming it. The directors of the course were Dr Patrick Moyna of the Universidad de la República the literature to discover the answers that memories of all involved for some time to Institute. The National Science Foundation, network with people leading their field.
T h i s j o u r n a l i s T h e R o y a l S o c i e t y o f C h e m i s t r y 2 0 0 4 Interest
for all the participants and instructors.
Green chemistry is interesting chemistry.
with active participation from students and practices exist using green alternatives, and instructors; recent scientific papers were chemistry and sustainability were debated.
The topics included the general principles Why green chemistry?
of green chemistry and their applications, specific issues such as alternative solvents, scientific and ethical tool to assist chemists disciplines interact with one another.
well as global sustainability problems such as nonrenewable feedstocks and persistent Efficiency
were exposed to each other’s disciplines as Green chemistry is efficient chemistry. The engineers to adopt these principles, it is alternatives to traditional chemistry has the This course was unique in that it offered potential to save industrial and academic Putting it another way, why should young contribute as the instructors. Lively poster chemists and chemical engineers decide to decreased regulation compliance costs and responsibility, interest, and efficiency.
increases both worker and consumer safety.
activities included analyzing recent papers Necessity
above all, good chemistry. Furthermore, a Green chemistry is necessary chemistry. As things currently stand, human consumption is not a sustainable process. This problem industry, such as Pfizer’s synthesis of countries industrialize and our fossil fuel performed in the areas of solvent-free aldol reasons, the principles of green chemistry condensations, enantioselective reduction recent discoveries about eco-toxic effects should form the fundamental philosophical such as endocrine disruption have made it clear that synthetic chemicals released into young chemists and chemical engineers.
This foundation will preserve our function ecosystems in new and terrifying ways. An cause to ourselves and to the world around principles of sustainability and the use and possible will help mitigate the effects of foreigners to their typical activities and customs. Throughout the course of the two Multinational aspects of green
chemistry
introduced to and participated in theextremely popular local tradition of mate, Responsibility
In the modern world, our way of living and sipping a concentrated ‘green tea’ drink Green chemistry is responsible chemistry.
from a gourd. Several evenings, we played products can cause pollution correlating to Fútbol 5, a popular sport played primarily either academic or industrial settings, have undesirable global change. Toxic chemicals had accidents with the potential to cause long-term damage to their health and well- developed countries, eventually circle the participated equally in these ‘friendly’ competitions. Another day, we traveled to have knowingly chosen to accept the risks concerns that were presented at the PASI- Punta del Este, a popular tourist beach resort in Uruguay. We had lunch on a farm typically have the opportunity to protect and partook of local delicacies of roasted meats, including beef kidney and intestine.
The course was concluded with a visit to a possible. The general public, however, has Developed countries
high standard of living often means a high public’s perception of this helps to explain †Various presentations from the PASI-GC are the staggering fact that ‘trust’ of scientists of large quantities of waste materials. The posted on the Green Chemistry Institute’swebpage at www.chemistry.org/ Multidisciplinary nature of green
Green chemistry and engineering
chemistry
education
chemistry offers strategies to help reduceor eliminate the waste in chemical materializing the concepts and principles and industry. Therefore, it is only natural for the implications of ‘green chemistry’ Integration of these ideas into mainstream for many nations, leaving behind a nuclear legacy. The sites that once were involved production in the US, such as Hanford and education and process design needs to start are facing colossal costs for the evaluation at least from the undergraduate level and preferably earlier in students’ primary and engineering, ecology, and toxicology. This equip the present and future generations of scientists and engineers with the ideas of problems created by our actions in the past, waste minimization, innovation of safe and it would seem only logical to turn to green energy efficient synthetic processes, real time analysis for pollution prevention, and accident prevention to sustain our current Developing countries
general field of chemistry, yet it is truly an engineering also have begun embracing the development. It can be used to improve the concept of ‘green engineering’. While towards an entirely sustainable civilization people’s quality of life while avoiding poor minimization have long been principles in every aspect of society. The responsibility natural resources. In developing countries there is a different and equally difficult economic problems are the priority, which are often believed to be distinct from the environmentally conscious concepts can be In a recent editorial by Paul Anastas,3 he existing technologies that may not sustain presented a graph (Fig. 5) that shows that in the future. Also, an intimate and well- knit academia–industry relationship needs Other ‘non-scientific’ fields also have trajectory. He also showed an alternative science already have ‘green’ platforms that countries are able to ‘leap-frog’ to a state education–which can be fulfilled only by a Specific steps must be taken to ensure that particularly helpful in the public relations point of interest for global citizens.
Future directions
contradiction, as an increase in quality of Virtually any material project, regardless of field, has ‘green’ implications and applications when the ramifications of the technologies offer us an alternative: the use teach the principles of green chemistry. We lifespan. Therefore it is imperative that we begin to look for and understand the links economical. Green chemistry is a practice between disciplines because as scientists that minimizes the impact on human health we cannot solve these problems alone.
established faculty and professionals, to act sustainable future for the next generations.
as our supporters and collaborators. Thus, incorporating ‘greenness’ in multiple disciplines is absolutely necessary in order developed and developing worlds alike.
White House Office of Science And Tech. Policy, USA the footprint of the labs we currently work in is an excellent place to start; solvent Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Argentina researching and considering the potential alternative, greener reactants. In order to ‘green chemists’, we must learn to think in US EPA Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics, USA recognize and correct our past mistakes.
chemical community, expanding greenchemistry beyond the inner circle. A paradigm shift is necessary to enable all acquire a ‘cradle to grave’ mindset. We University of Massachusetts at Boston, USA made that scientists are held accountable University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA training and effective technical leadership.
To encourage these transitions, we believe graduate levels and incorporated into peer- University du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, Canada economy in place of percent yield as well as an estimate of waste production for each process. We suggest that classes, such as chemical along with its different reactivity and spectroscopic properties with similar University of Massachusetts at Boston, USA University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA taught with equal magnitude in a chemical engineering class. While we believe it is possible to convert all scientists to green hose that are more willing to change first, University of Massachusetts at Boston, USA chemistry is an easy and effective way for us to improve the public image of chemists useful and influential resources we can use is school teachers; volunteering at those students to pursue science while teaching fields. Whether this is achieved within the scientific community, such as between the University of Massachusetts at Boston, USA and conviction, it is in our hands to fix the References
demonstrating that green chemistry is good 1 P. T. Anastas and J. C. Warner, Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, Oxford in others. In any situation, we will strive to Acknowledgements
2 (a) R. Cassidy, University of Saskatchewan, We would like to thank all the participants http://chem4823.usask.ca/~cassidyr/CurrentA ctivities.htm (b) House of Lords, Third Report by the Select Committee appointed to Conclusions
during the conference and feedback on this consider Science and Technology, Science and Society, United Kingdom Parliament, London,UK, February 23, 2000; chemistry is critical to that. In an ideal acknowledge financial support provided by future, ‘green chemistry’ will cease to exist office.co.uk/pa/ld199900/ldselect/ldsctech/38/ 3802.htm (c) P. Jensen, Public Trust in Scientific Information, Science and within the field of chemistry. However, it Governance in a Knowledge Society: The will require education, leadership, and a would especially like to recognize Dr Mary Challenge for Europe, Brussels, Belgium,2000, http://www.jrc.es/sci- conscious effort by all scientists for this gov/docs/IssuePaperSciGov12.doc (d) Science change to occur. In general, chemists are a and Engineering Indicators, National finally, a special thanks goes to Professor aware of the extent of their power or they Kup O’Lynt for all the assistance during 3 P. Anastas, Green Chem., 2003, 5, G29–G34.

Source: http://www.greenchemistry.ca/reports/conference_report_workshop.pdf