Replacing toxic chemicals with organic or ‘green’ alternatives is rapidly gaining importance in the world’s response to rising pollution and environmental degradation.
But in spite of many research advancements in green chemistry and engineering, mainstream chemical businesses have not yet fully embraced the technology, with the majority of organic chemicals still derived from petroleum.
Green chemists and engineers are working to take their research and innovations out of the lab and into the boardroom through the creation of viable alternatives that can be embraced by industry leaders, says Flinders University Professor in Clean Technology Colin Raston.
“The planet relies on more sustainable solutions – from affordable, clean energy, water and agriculture, to environmental remediation, waste reduction and recycling and more responsible and clean chemical production,” says Professor Raston.
“Green chemistry is part of the main drivers of change in combating climate change, biodiversity and resource decline – and it could even help change the way we live, think and work.”
Flinders University Professor Mats Andersson, director of the Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, is researhing green chemistry which includes developing a new active antifouling technique that relies on electrochemical activity of conducting coatings.
“This is a green way of preventing biological growth on ship hulls and other surfaces without the release of harmful biocides, such as harmful copper compounds, into harbour water and other environments,” says Professor Andersson, an expert in organic chemistry and polymer technology who also works on more sustainable solar cell manufacturing.
Fouling, or growth of often invasive organisms on ship hulls, is a serious hazard for marine environments and is also a serious problem that can dramatically increase fuel consumption for freight transportation at sea.
“We have developed a new active coating technique that can significantly reduces biofouling – including under real marine growth conditions in the Port River in Adelaide – and are proving highlight efficient against marine growth under certain conditions.”
Professor Andersson’s study is part of the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation.
Many of the milestones in green chemistry in the past 25 years will be covered at the first Australian Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering which will be held in Cairns, from 2-5 July 2023.