Embedded Files
Green and sustainable chemistry
Awareness of environmental impacts and sustainability has grown in recent decades, and now informs actions at all levels of society. Chemical research and manufacturing is no different. This section introduces the principles and initiatives that are driving safer and more sustainable chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry.
Principles of green chemistry
Principles of green chemistry
The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry form a useful rule book we can use to promote and implement Green Chemistry. John Warner and Paul Anastas outlined these principles (Anastas and Warner, 1998) to empower scientists and engineers to safeguard human well-being and the environment (Anastas and Eghbali, 2010). The twelve principles of Green Chemistry generally teach us to minimise waste and energy use, use less hazardous chemicals, and to understand and minimise risk (to people and the environment).
Prevention
It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it has been created.
Atom economy
Synthetic methods should be designed to maximise incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product.
Less hazardous chemical synthesis
Wherever practicable, synthetic methods should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment.
Designing safer chemicals
Chemical products should be designed to preserve efficacy of function while reducing toxicity.
Safer solvents and auxiliaries
The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary wherever possible and, innocuous when used.
Energy efficiency
Energy requirements should be recognised for their environmental and economic impacts and should be minimised. Synthetic methods should be conducted at ambient temperature and pressure.
Renewable feedstocks
A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable.
Reduce derivatives
Unnecessary derivatisation (use of blocking groups, protection/deprotection, temporary modification of physical/chemical processes) should be minimised or avoided if possible, because such steps require additional reagents and can generate waste.
Catalysis
Catalytic reagents (as selective as possible) are superior to stoichiometric reagents.
Design for degradation
Chemical products should be designed so that at the end of their function they break down into innocuous degradation products and do not persist in the environment.
Pollution prevention
Analytical methodologies need to be further developed to allow for real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances.
Accident prevention
Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimise the potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires.
References
References
Green chemistry: theory and practice: Anastas, P.T. and J.C. Warner, J.C., OUP, 1998.
Green chemistry: principles and practice: Anastas, P. and Eghbali, N. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2010, 39, 301-312.
12 principles of green chemistry: Multiple contributors, American Chemical Society, 2024.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse