ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
Principles of green chemistry
The twelve principles of green chemistry are:
1. Prevention of waste formation:
It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it has been created. i.e., stop
pollution at source. Because the cost involved the in the treatment and disposal of wastes adds to the
total cost of production.
2. Atom economy:
Synthetic methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the
process into the final product. Atom economy evaluates the efficiency of a chemical
transformation. i.e., it is a measure of the amount of starting materials that become useful products.
Inefficient, wasteful processes have low atom economies.
Efficient processes have high atom economies, and are important for sustainable development, as
they use fewer natural resources and create less waste.
The atom economy of a reaction can be calculated:
Note: Practice the Numerical problems on atom economy
Numerical on Atom economy
(I) What is the atom economy for making hydrogen by reacting coal with steam?
Solution: Write the balanced equation:
C(s) + 2H2O(g) → CO2(g) + 2H2(g)
Write out the Ar and Mr values underneath
C(s) + 2H2O (g) → CO2 (g) + 2H2(g)
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MW: 12 g MW: 2 × 18=36 g MW: 2 × 2=4g
Total mass of the reactants: 12 + 36 = 48g
Mass of desired product (H2) = 4g
% atom economy = 4⁄48 × 100 = 8.3%
This process has a low atom economy and is therefore an inefficient way to make hydrogen. It also
uses a non-renewable resource: coal.
(II) Calculate the % atom economy for the following reaction with respect to allyl chloride.
CH3-CH=CH2 + Cl2 → Cl-CH2-CH=CH2 + HCl [MU’ 11(Dec)]
Solution: Write the balanced equation:
CH3-CH=CH2 + Cl2 → Cl-CH2-CH=CH2 + HCl
MW: (12 X3 + 6 X 1) =42g (2 X 35.5) = 71 g (35.5 +12 X3 + 5 X 1) =76.5 g
Hence, % atom economy = MW of desire product/ MW of reactant X 100
= 76.5/ (42 +71) X 100
= 67.69 %
(III) Calculate the % atom economy for the following reaction. [MU’ 13(May)]
C6H6 + Cl2 → C6H5Cl + HCl
Solution: Write the balanced equation:
C6H6 + Cl2 → C6H5Cl + HCl
MW: (12 X6 + 6 X 1) =78g (2 X 35.5) = 71 g (35.5 +12 X6 + 5 X 1) =112.5 g
Hence, % atom economy = MW of desire product/ MW of reactant X 100
= 112.5/ (78 +71) X 100
= 75.5 %
3. 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. The process focuses on choosing
reagents that pose the least risk and generate only benign by products. Example: synthesis of indigo
4. Designing safer chemicals and products:
Chemical products should be designed to retain their desired function while minimizing their
toxicity. Example: DDT as pesticide is curtailed and alternatively biological pesticides are use.
5. Safer solvents and auxiliaries:
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The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary
wherever possible and innocuous when used. Example: instead of common solvents such as acetone,
chloroform, benzene etc. water and other eco friendly solvents can be used, development of dry
reaction techniques.
6. Design for energy efficiency:
Energy requirements of chemical processes should be recognized for their environmental and
economic impacts and should be minimized. If possible, synthetic methods should be conducted at
ambient temperature and pressure.
7. Use of renewable feedstocks:
A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and
economically practicable. Renewable feedstock is made from agricultural products and depleting
feedstock are made from fossil fuels or it is mined. Example: synthesis of adipic acid.
8. Reduce derivatives:
Unnecessary derivatization (use of blocking groups, protection/ deprotection, temporary
modification of physical/chemical processes) should be minimized or avoided if possible, because
such steps require additional reagents and can generate waste.
9. Catalysis
Catalytic reagents (as selective as possible) are used in small amounts and carry outsingle reaction
many times and so are superior to stoichiometric reagents which can be used onlyonce.
10. 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. Example: Plastics replaced
by biodegradable plastics containing cellulose.
11. Real-time analysis for 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. Developing analytical process
monitoring are important. The quick detection of harmful substance canhelp in curative action
12. Inherently safer chemistry for accident prevention:
Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimize the
potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires.
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1. Synthesis of Adipic Acid
Traditional pathway
Uses benzene which is a fossil fuel based and carcinogenic feedstock
Greener pathway
Uses glucose, which is a renewable feedstock and absolutely safe.
Principles involved:
A. Alternative feedstocks or starting materials (Using environmentally benign feedstocks
reduces therisk of human health and environment. This can be achieved by reducing the amount
of feedstock used, reducing the toxicity of the feedstock by structural modifications or replacing
the feedstock)
B. Design for energy efficiency ( because the green pathway uses less pressure for the synthesis)
C. Less hazardous chemical synthesis ( because the green pathway uses bacteria for the synthesis)
Dept. of Applied Science ( Chemistry) 1
Dept. of Applied Science ( Chemistry) 1