Environmental Aspects of Chemical Technology

For the production of pharmaceuticals it is of great importance that the feedstock purity is always the same and all synthetic and purifications steps are fully reproducible to guarantee that the final drug is of the highest quaUty. 

The pollution of air, water, and soil is a huge global problem, and environmental quaUty is not a simple, easy issue. The costs of environmental damages are high. For example, the annual costs of damage only from emissions of sulfur oxides 

Emissions of SO, (NO and NO2), hydrocarbons (HCs), CO, and particulate matter from stationary and mobile combustion systems are serious hazards to human and animal health, and cause add rain and smog, which leads to damage of property, agriculture, and forests. Mobile sources account for a large fraction of these emissions, especially of NO, and CO. Stationary sources like coal-fired power plants are also major contributors, and account in most countries for most of the SO2 and about half of the NO, emissions (Table 5.4.1). 

In view of these serious problems, it is no wonder that environmental issues have risen to the top of national and international agendas. For about the last three decades, control of NO,c, SO2, HCs, and CO air emissions has been among the highest priorities, which is reflected by the worldwide increasingly restrictive standards on emissions (more details in Section 6.18). 

Region Year of peak emissions Peak emissions (10 t S) (asSOa) Emissions in 2000 (10 t S) (asSOz) Shares of global emissions in 2000 (%) 

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The writing of this book was undertaken because it was intended to be the first work that solely focuses on chemistry, and what appropriate metrics for Green Chemistry might be. We hope the book provides an up-to-date and authoritative text on the current development of environmental concepts in chemical technologies from clean and green to sustainable development. We also think it provides up-to-date information on the problems of metrics fundamental aspects of metrics, practical realisations and real-world case study examples. The concepts and approaches of metrics are related to the fundamental problems in chemistry and the main focus is on the use of metrics to promote the development and implementation of green chemistry and technology solutions. 

A few chemicals are based on the direct reaction of methane with other reagents, including carbon disulfide, hydrogen cyanide, chloromethanes, and synthesis gas mixture. A more detailed discussion for chemistry and synthesis can be found in Chapter 4. In this chapter, emphasis will be placed on the environmental aspects of the chemicals and their manufacturing technologies. 

Joseph M. DeSimone (BCST Liaison) is William R. Kenan, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina. He is also director of the National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes. He received his B.S. in chemistry form Ursinus College and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. His areas of interest include polymer synthesis in supercritical fluids, surfactant design for applications in interfacial chemistry, and polymer synthesis and processing—from fundamental aspects of chemical systems to the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to manufacture polymers and polymer products. 

The photodegradation and photo-oxidation of polymer systems is still a subject of considerable scientific and technological activity. A number of general review articles have appeared on the subject. Allen and McKellar " have reviewed the interactions of light with polymers, and Shalaby has written a comprehensive review on all the chemical, physical, and environmental aspects of polymer photodegradation. Three other reviews of interest have also appeared. ... 

Raw Materials, Products, Environmental Aspects, and Costs of Chemical Technology... 

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