Sep 9 2013
Chemical processes are involved in production of almost 96 percent of all manufactured goods, and some of the latest advances in efforts to redesign those processes from the ground up are on the agenda here today at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society.
Those efforts — called “green chemistry” or “sustainable chemistry” — involve the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.
Green chemistry involves a range of efforts such as using renewable raw materials, switching to production processes that work at room temperature and use less energy, and minimizing or eliminating toxic waste from the outset, rather than clean up afterwards.
ACS is holding a symposium, “Green Chemistry and the Environment," during the meeting, which continues through Thursday in the Indiana Convention Center and downtown hotels. It is being held here today at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the ACS.
Thousands of scientists and others are expected for the event, which features almost 7,000 reports on new discoveries in science and other topics.
Among the topics:
- Using banana-peel powder to remove lead and other potentially toxic metals from water.
- Sustainable production of nanoparticles used in energy harvesting.
- Green processes for producing nanomaterials.
- Using mechanical force, rather than solvents and catalysts, to synthesize medicines.
More information about the symposium, with abstracts from the presentations, is available on the ACS website here.
About the American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.