Striving to make products and processes safer, more efficient, more sustainable, more economical and more environmentally friendly has long been the goal of research and applied scientists and engineers. For the past 28 years, new and innovative “green” chemistry technologies have been recognized by the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; www.epa.gov) recently announced this year’s winners.
Submissions were judged by an independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute (ACS; www.acs.org), who made recommendations to the EPA. Award recipients were recognized on September 26 in New York City. The following are the 2024 winners (Source: EPA):
Greener Synthetic Pathways — Merck & Co., Inc. (Rahway, N.J.; www.merck.com) was recognized for its development of a continuous process for manufacturing pembrolizumab, tradenamed KEYTRUDA ®. Pembrolizumab works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. Typically, this type of protein is made in batches. Merck developed a continuous process that removes the protein from the producing cells continuously rather than by batch filtration. This allows smaller equipment to be used, reduces energy and water use and thereby reduces emissions.
Design of Safer and Degradable Chemicals — This award went to Pro Farm Group (Davis, Calif.; www.profarmgroup.com), a subsidiary of Bioceres Crop Solutions, for its microbial pesticide, Rinotec™, which is based on a microbe with natural pesticidal effects. After growing the microbe in large vessels, it is killed and used in a treatment to coat seeds prior to planting. The company says the product is biodegradable and can replace several commonly used synthetic pesticides. Pro Farm Group engineered its fermentation process to increase production of the key pesticidal metabolite, which allows for a substantially reduced application rate compared to a previous product, reducing the amount of product released into the environment.
Specific Environmental Benefit – Climate Change — PhoSul® (Sugar City, Idaho; www.phosul.com) received this award for developing an enhanced phosphate rock fertilizer. Phosphate that is usable by plants as a fertilizer is currently produced from phosphate rock that is processed with acids. The process produces a gypsum waste stream that contains heavy metals. PhoSul has developed a method to use phosphate rock directly by enhancing it with other materials. The additives allow the phosphate in the rock to be converted into forms that are available to plants in the soil without the use of acids, thus avoiding associated hazardous wastes and emissions.
Academic Category — University of Delaware (Newark, Del.; www.udel.edu) chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Dionisios Vlachos was recognized for developing new synthetic methods to produce lubricant base oils from plant or food waste biomass instead of petroleum-based feedstocks. The innovative process uses sugars as a starting point and a solid catalyst, which allows milder reaction conditions compared to existing bio-based lubricant production.
Small Business Award — This award went to Viridis Chemical Co. (Columbus, Neb.; www.viridischemical.com) for developing a catalyst and process to produce ethyl acetate from corn instead of from coal or methane feedstocks. The process also produces H2 gas as a byproduct, which can be used in energy generation.■
Chemical Engineering
Innovations in ‘green’ chemistry
| By Dorothy Lozowski
Striving to make products and processes safer, more efficient, more sustainable, more economical and more environmentally friendly has long been the goal of research and applied scientists and engineers. For the past 28 years, new and innovative “green” chemistry technologies have been recognized by the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; www.epa.gov) recently announced this year’s winners.
Submissions were judged by an independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute (ACS; www.acs.org), who made recommendations to the EPA. Award recipients were recognized on September 26 in New York City. The following are the 2024 winners (Source: EPA):
Greener Synthetic Pathways — Merck & Co., Inc. (Rahway, N.J.; www.merck.com) was recognized for its development of a continuous process for manufacturing pembrolizumab, tradenamed KEYTRUDA ®. Pembrolizumab works by increasing the ability of the body’s immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. Typically, this type of protein is made in batches. Merck developed a continuous process that removes the protein from the producing cells continuously rather than by batch filtration. This allows smaller equipment to be used, reduces energy and water use and thereby reduces emissions.
Design of Safer and Degradable Chemicals — This award went to Pro Farm Group (Davis, Calif.; www.profarmgroup.com), a subsidiary of Bioceres Crop Solutions, for its microbial pesticide, Rinotec™, which is based on a microbe with natural pesticidal effects. After growing the microbe in large vessels, it is killed and used in a treatment to coat seeds prior to planting. The company says the product is biodegradable and can replace several commonly used synthetic pesticides. Pro Farm Group engineered its fermentation process to increase production of the key pesticidal metabolite, which allows for a substantially reduced application rate compared to a previous product, reducing the amount of product released into the environment.
Specific Environmental Benefit – Climate Change — PhoSul ® (Sugar City, Idaho; www.phosul.com) received this award for developing an enhanced phosphate rock fertilizer. Phosphate that is usable by plants as a fertilizer is currently produced from phosphate rock that is processed with acids. The process produces a gypsum waste stream that contains heavy metals. PhoSul has developed a method to use phosphate rock directly by enhancing it with other materials. The additives allow the phosphate in the rock to be converted into forms that are available to plants in the soil without the use of acids, thus avoiding associated hazardous wastes and emissions.
Academic Category — University of Delaware (Newark, Del.; www.udel.edu) chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Dionisios Vlachos was recognized for developing new synthetic methods to produce lubricant base oils from plant or food waste biomass instead of petroleum-based feedstocks. The innovative process uses sugars as a starting point and a solid catalyst, which allows milder reaction conditions compared to existing bio-based lubricant production.
Small Business Award — This award went to Viridis Chemical Co. (Columbus, Neb.; www.viridischemical.com) for developing a catalyst and process to produce ethyl acetate from corn instead of from coal or methane feedstocks. The process also produces H2 gas as a byproduct, which can be used in energy generation.■