In recent years, more and more researchers have been trying to find environmentally benign ways to manufacture products, create chemical reactions, treat waste, generate energy and monitor air and water. Nsf supports a broad range of such research projects, known collectively as green chemistry. Perhaps the most immediate of green chemistry rsquo s many goals is to reduce or eliminate the use of toxic solvents, poisonous metals, corrosive chemicals and other hazardous substances.

Along with his colleagues at the university of north carolina, chapel hill, and the north carolina state university, raleigh, desimone has been pioneering ways to carry out a variety of industrial scale chemical processes using nothing but carbon dioxide as a solvent. The techniques have proven successful in applications ranging from the manufacture of teflon to the production of semiconductors, and if employed widely, could dramatically lower the release of many industrial pollutants. By no coincidence, desimone serves as director of the nsf science and technology center for environmentally responsible solvents and processes and co director of the kenan center for the utilization of carbon dioxide in manufacturing. Meanwhile, other scientists are focusing on the use of hydrogen as a source of energy. Hydrogen is an attractive fuel for automotive power and other applications because it produces an exhaust that is nothing but water vapor, with no noxious emissions to pollute the air and no carbon dioxide to exacerbate global warming. Or it can be used in a far more energy efficient device known as a fuel cell, where the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen creates an electrical current. It can be extracted from natural gas but an inevitable by product of the process is carbon dioxide the very thing that the use of hydrogen is intended to eliminate.

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Recently, for example, researchers found that sunflower oil can yield hydrogen suitable for powering fuel cells in cars. Others are studying leaves, which are a kind of natural fuel cell in reverse: they use the energy of sunlight to separate water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. Taken together, such green chemistry research projects will not only pay off in a cleaner environment, but will take us a long way toward the more productive use of raw materials, a greater emphasis on renewable resources and potential energy independence. Indeed, nsf rsquo s green chemistry portfolio is still growing, but it has already had a substantial effect. Nearly all of the academic winners of the environmental protection agency's presidential green challenge award , which recognizes major contributions to green chemistry and engineering research that has significant societal impact, have been supported by nsf.

green chemistry provides a unique forum for the publication of innovative research on the development of alternative sustainable technologies. The scope of green chemistry is based on, but not limited to, the definition proposed by anastas and warner green chemistry: theory and practic e, p t anastas and j c warner, oxford university press, oxford, 1998. Green chemistry is the utilisation of a set of principles that reduces or eliminates the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture and application of chemical products. green chemistry is at the frontiers of this science and publishes research that attempts to reduce the environmental impact of the chemical enterprise by developing a technology base that is inherently non toxic to living things and the environment. The journal publishes original and significant cutting edge research that is likely to be of wide general appeal. green chemistry does not normally deal with research associated with 'end of pipe' or remediation issues. Occasionally the editorial board may decide to publish something outside the defined scope of the journal this will depend on the accompanying letter of justification from the author indicating why a particular paper should be included.

17 feb 2016 thomas clarke reports on the 1st green and sustainable chemistry workshop held at the university of nottingham held on february 9 th 10 th. 2016, the university of nottingham organised its first green and sustainable chemistry workshop. Held at the breadsall priory hotel, located in derbyshire, uk, the two day workshop offered a unique opportunity for scientific discussion around green and sustainable chemistry. Bringing students from the centres for doctoral training from nottingham, bath, bristol and cardiff, together with established academics from across the field, the workshop aimed to showcase the challenges that face green chemistry in the years to come, and offer open discussion around how such issues should be tackled. More importantly the true focus of the workshop lay towards the establishing of discourse and networking between the new generation of researchers combined with unparalleled access to a wide array of disciplines and experience offered by the workshop participants.

The first day of the workshop began with a philosophical viewpoint from professor paul anastas yale university , the father of green chemistry. Offering an impassioned and motivating talk pointing to numerous examples of successful green chemistry technologies, professor anastas challenged the workshop participants to be the crazy ones and strive to produce innovative research and technologies to change the world. Stressing the importance of green chemistry for the future, his stimulating presentation fuelled exciting discussion, not just for the post presentation questions, but well into the evening. The rest of the day saw presentations by both professor chris moody university of nottingham and professor chao jun li mcgill university. Putting words into practice, both talks highlighted innovative and exciting research within the realms of green chemistry. Professor moody presented work revolving around the development of solar photochemistry processes, and how harnessing the power of the world around us can be a valuable tool for green chemistry research.

Following on from this, professor li outlined his research towards the development of green chemistry for chemical synthesis. showcasing several pioneering techniques developed within his research group, his presentation displayed the success that can be achieved by challenging conventional techniques and striving for innovation. Continuing the theme of the future of green chemistry, sir martyn poliakoff gave an inspiring speech about the future of green chemistry and how it lay at the feet of the young researchers participating within the workshop to carry on to design the next generation of green research and technologies. Andrew marr queen’s university belfast discussing the advantages and disadvantages of different types of catalysts.

Marr presented research aimed towards the combination of different types of catalysts to harness the advantages of them all. Bringing together materials, biotechnology and chemical catalysis he focused on the development of green and sustainable processes using such techniques. Following this, the conference was rounded off with more inspiring presentations by professor jairton dupont university of nottingham and professor walter leitner rwth aachen. Professor dupont, whose research focuses on the use of ionic liquids, showcased their use within the realms of green and sustainable chemistry, offering an informed perspective into how research in this area can drive countless improvements. Wrapping up the final day of talks, professor leitner presented his perspective on the development of alternative energy and fuels, weaving in his own research to provide a valuable insight into a key issue for green chemistry in the years to come.

An inspirational end to the workshop, professor leitner’s talk left many participants with much to discuss during the end of workshop lunch. Overall the green and sustainable chemistry workshop offered much to all those that attended. Although many stimulating presentations were given, the true success was seen in the bringing together of students from multiple universities with academics at the top of their fields. Working as a platform to encourage ideas, networking and discussion between researchers at the beginning of their careers and those at the forefront of green chemistry innovation, the workshop has undoubtedly cultivated future collaborations and countless new ideas. More importantly, it has worked to inspire a new generation of researchers to push the boundaries of green chemistry to their limits and beyond. thomas clarke is a phd researcher in the epsrc cdt in sustainable chemistry at the university of nottingham. gfp beta barrel with chromophore shown we are a computational chemistry group comprised of myself and an ever changing group of undergraduate researchers. Currently most of our research is focused on fluorescent proteins, but we also model luciferases and methyl coenzyme m reductase.