https://doi.org/10.15255/KUI.2004.007
Published: Kem. Ind. 54 (5) (2005) 255–272
Paper reference number: KUI-07/2004
Paper type: Review
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Dominant Trends of Green Chemistry
M. Jukić, S. Djaković, Ž. Filipović-Kovačević, V. Kovač and J. Vorkapić-Furač
Abstract
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines Green Chemistry as the use of chemistry for pollution prevention, and design of more environmentally benign chemical products and processes. Green Chemistry utilizes 12 principles that reduces or eliminates the use or generation substances hazardous for human health and environment. Through the several prevailing trends of the green program such as catalysis, biocatalysis and the use of alternative: renewable feedstock (biomass), reaction media (water, ionic liquids and supercritical fluids), reaction conditions (microwave irradiation) and new synthetic pathways (photocatalytic reaction), the dual goals – environmental protection and economic benefit can be achieved. Catalysis as one of the foundational pillars of green chemistry through the new catalytic routes and new benign catalysts such as clays and zeolites offers greater improvements in efficiency, selectivity, energy reduction, and rate enhancement. Catalysis is also finding new applications in alternative reaction media, such as water, supercritical carbon dioxide, and ionic liquids as attractive solvent choice. Green chemistry also uses alternative reaction conditions applying accelerated microwave irradiation for solvent-free organic synthesis. The presence of microwaves greatly improves the rate of many chemical reactions, with a strong reduction of the reaction time, without altering the final yield. Biocatalysis through the enormous potential of microorganisms and enzymes for the transformation of synthetic chemicals with high chemo-, regio- and enantioselectivity is another green chemistry trend which is gaining an increasing interest in laboratory research and industry application. Photocatalytic reaction as a new method for an air and water purification is a growing field of basic and applied research being another trend of green program for achieving sustainability, too. The present paper describes the best examples which illustrate these prevailing trends by the way that Green Chemistry reduces the environmental impact of chemical processes and technologies.
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