ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses twelve principles of green chemistry. Energy consumption is involved in virtually all stages of chemical experiments, manufacturing, and processing. Many energy uses are assumed to be necessary, but they may not be, and thus, the greening can often be done by saving energy. Catalysts typically lower the activation energy barrier for the reaction, thus enabling reactions to occur faster and become feasible at the lower temperatures. Many catalysts have been developed to either enable or enhance selectivity of the reaction. Degradation of chemical products should give benign end products. Green chemistry considers chemical degradation that often occurs in the environment via hydrolysis, photolysis, and oxidation, among other means. Modern analytical techniques are capable of detecting minute amounts of hazardous or undesirable chemicals. Technological capabilities exist for interfacing analytical sensors within process control, and thus minimizing hazards in an automated fashion.
