Green Chemistry Principles: How to Reduce Threats to Environmental and Safety

The quality of our lives, especially in modern society, is highly dependent on the products of the chemical, oil processing, and automotive industries. In other words, people's lives in this age of globalization are greatly influenced and also dependent on the products of emerging technologies. However, the products of these industries not only produce the products we need but also produce waste or emissions that can damage the environment and human health. In this case, there are still many processes or technologies used in these industries when producing certain products that produce waste or damage the environment around us.

In addition, concern for the environment has become socialized and globalized, where the attention of the community, industry and government support each other and work together in dealing with this. The government has also issued regulations or laws on overcoming or preventing waste or pollution to the environment.

Therefore, we as chemists must have an innovative approach that aims to design chemical products and processes that are more environmentally friendly. The concept emerged as a form of concern about the negative impact of the chemical industry on the environment and human health.

Green Chemistry is a term coined in 1991 by Anastas of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But this does not mean that the green chemistry movement did not exist before the early 1990s. Several countries had begun practicing the principles of green chemistry in previous years triggered by concerns about the disruption of natural and environmental balance, threats to the availability of clean water, and depletion of energy reserves. Green chemistry applies new principles in the synthesis, processing, and application of chemicals in such a way as to reduce threats to environmental and human safety. Green chemistry, often also called Environmental benign Chemistry, Clean Chemistry, atomic economy, benign-by-design chemistry.

Green Chemistry aims to overhaul the traditional way of conducting chemical processes, emphasizing pollution prevention from the beginning of the production process, rather than just the treatment of waste after it is formed.

Green chemistry principles can be applied by the use of renewable raw materials, waste utilization, avoiding the use of toxic and/or hazardous reagents and solvents in the manufacture and application of chemical products. Natural materials whether sourced from plants or animals have a role in the application of green chemistry. The application of green chemistry is expected to facilitate the assurance of human health and the environment, while maintaining efficiency and profitability.

Green chemistry proposes 12 principles that direct the approach in designing more sustainable chemical processes. These principles include:

Pollution prevention rather than waste management: Design chemical processes to produce products with a minimum amount of waste. In general, chemical industries are under pressure from various regulations or government regulations to minimize their waste. As is well known, waste is defined as all process products (by-products) except the desired product. As an example of handling, the use of catalysts in synthesis reactions can enable the formation of desired products with less waste.
Design of safer materials: Developing chemicals that are safer for humans and the environment. For example, the development of packaging materials that are biodegradable after use.
Safer and more efficient reaction design: Reducing or eliminating hazardous raw materials or solvents in chemical reactions. For example, the use of solventless reactions or the use of water-based solvents.
Reduced energy consumption: Designing chemical reactions to require minimal energy. For example, using reactions at room temperature rather than high temperature to save energy.
Reduction of hazardous raw materials: Using non-hazardous or less hazardous raw materials than existing alternatives. An example is the use of non-toxic catalysts in synthesis reactions.
Use of renewable raw materials: The use of renewable feedstocks is preferred over the use of non-renewable feedstocks based on economic arguments. Renewable feedstocks are usually derived from agricultural products or natural products, while non-renewable feedstocks are derived from fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, coal, and other mined materials. For example, the use of biomass waste as a carbon source in material synthesis.
Use of catalysts: The use of catalysts offers better selectivity, increased yields, and is able to minimize by-products. The role of catalysts is important as they are expected to convert into the desired product. In terms of green chemistry, the use of catalysts plays a role in increasing selectivity, can minimize the use of reagents, and can minimize the use of energy in a reaction. For example, the use of catalysts in hydrogenation reactions to increase the effectiveness of the reaction.
Safer degradation design: Designing products so that their degradation results in safer products. For example, the development of plastics that can biodegrade after use.
Analysis for prevention: Developing analytical methods that identify the generation of hazardous materials during the process that may allow for their replacement or reduction. For example, product life cycle analysis to identify waste reduction points.
Safer Solvents and Additives: The use of solvent-like chemicals, extractants, or other auxiliary chemicals should be ruled out. If they must be used, they should be kept to a minimum. The use of solvents is very important in the synthesis process, for example in the reaction process, recrystallization, as a mobile phase in chromatography, and others. Excessive use will result in pollution that will pollute the environment. Another alternative is to use several types of solvents that are more environmentally friendly such as ionic liquids, flourous phase chemistry, supercritical carbon dioxide, and “biosolvents”. In addition, there are some new synthesis systems that are more conducive such as solventless reactions or reactions in aqueous media.
Design for the reduction of scarce resources: Designing products to reduce the use of scarce and expensive materials. For example, development of recyclable catalysts to reduce dependence on rare metals.
Evaluation: Evaluating the overall process and resulting product to minimize unwanted environmental impacts. For example, product life cycle analysis to evaluate the environmental impact of the product from start to finish.

The application of green chemistry principles in material synthesis methods has a significant impact on the sustainability and efficiency of the process. By adopting these principles, researchers can design synthesis processes that are cleaner, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly. For example, by reducing the use of hazardous chemicals, using renewable raw materials, and improving reaction efficiency, synthesis processes can produce less waste, require less energy, and reduce the overall carbon footprint.

The application of green chemistry and environmental knowledge plays an important role in shaping individual awareness and action towards environmental conservation. By applying green chemistry and having good environmental knowledge, it can increase environmental awareness, thus increasing environmental care behavior.