Summer-Fall 2004 Newsletter—Putting Science to Work

 

Highlights from Anaheim

Martin Abraham is recognized as Past Chair by Chair Bill Flank.

 

Melanie Lesko, Steve Cooke, and Martin Abraham at the I&EC poster session at the Anaheim meeting.

 

 

Chair Bill Flank addresses the awards luncheon crowd.

Bill Flank congratulates James Lyons, the recipient of the "ACS Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry".

Kathleen Schultz is recognized as past councilor

Photos by Mike Matthews, using a Palm Zire camera.

 

Chair Bill Flank’s Report

By Bill Flank

It's a pleasure to report that our Division is on solid footing, and that we've got lots of activity.  We had a successful meeting in Anaheim, programmatically and socially as well, with a poster / social session and an Awards Luncheon feting two ACS awardees.  We'll be continuing our programming success in Philadelphia, thanks to the efforts of our National Meetings programming committee and our strong subdivisions, and we'll be continuing our administrative and financial improvement as well, building on recent progress.  We're making plans for the Division's 100th anniversary in 2008, we're developing joint programming with AIChE, and we're planning workshops in alternative career paths and how to prepare for them, among other initiatives.

 

    The Division has been fortunate in having a number of dedicated volunteers, with a good mix of old hands and newcomers, and that's what has been driving our success.  Don't think, however, that we can rest on our laurels, because change is a constant and we must continually innovate and improve what we do and how we do it.  We inaugurated a strategic planning process last year, and we must continue to implement it and regularly re-examine where we're going.

 

    There's room for new energy and talent to help I&EC continue to serve our members and our profession, and I encourage you to step forward.  We're looking for people to help with the Industrial Relations, Public Affairs, and Special Symposia committees, and liaisons to the Materials Secretariat and the Younger Chemists Committee.  In addition, we want some help in extending our programming efforts to more of the Regional Meetings.  Let one of our officers or Executive Committee members know you want to get involved.  And talk with your colleagues.  Encourage them to join us as we move forward.  Both you and your Division will benefit.

 

Past Chair/Councilor Report

By Martin Abraham

 

This past Spring, I attended my first meeting as your new Councilor, filling out Nancy Jackson’s unexpired term (Nancy was elected to the ACS Board, so had to resign as your councilor).  It was an interesting experience. 

 

During the meeting, we spent about one hour discussing the benefits and drawbacks of having a greater relationship with AIChE.  It was pretty clear from the discussion that there is a fair bit of support for this concept.  Since our Division is expected to be a big part of these future interactions, we have spent many hours looking at potential impacts and opportunities.  At this time, it looks like most of the opportunity comes in the area of programming, something that the I&EC Division is extremely good at.  Some of the fallout from our discussions will be apparent during our Fall meeting in Philadelphia. 

 

Our plenary symposium, “Sustainability and the Chemical Industry”, is co-sponsored by the AIChE Sustainability Engineering Forum, as well as the Committee on Environmental Improvement at ACS.  With the help of Joe Zoeller, Chair of the Novel Chemistry subdivision, we have arranged for eight leading speakers in the area to participate, with six from industry, including the President-elect from AIChE.  The new Director of the Green Chemistry Institute will also be a part of this symposium.  A luncheon is also included as part of the symposium; we are still working to line-up a speaker for this activity.  The symposium is an excellent example of the quality programming that can be developed when members from AIChE and ACS work together.

 

We will continue to have interactions with AIChE.  During their annual meeting in Austin, Texas in November, I&EC Division will be represented by (at least) one session in the Sustainable Engineering Topical Conference.  Many other sessions of interest to I&EC members can be found at that meeting, simply be looking on the web at http://www.aiche.org/conferences/annual/index.htm. During the Spring 2005 ACS meeting, we are planning several symposia that will be jointly organized with AIChE Divisions.

 

During the past year, I have also served as an Associate Member of the Committee on Environmental Improvement.  This is another area in which there is a great deal of possible interaction with AIChE, as we look for ways in which our Green Chemistry Institute can partner with AIChE’s Institute for Sustainability.  As a member of CEI, I continue to look out for the interests of the I&EC Division, trying to bring more programming of environmental interest to the attention of our Division membership.  I have enjoyed my time on CEI, and look forward to continuing to represent I&EC’s interests on the committee.

 

And finally, I am winding down my responsibilities as past-chair of the Division. It is especially gratifying to see the Division moving ahead in bold new directions, under very capable leadership.  We have two outstanding candidates for Chair-elect, and a very strong group of individuals running our subdivisions.  I know that the Division is in very capable hands, and look forward to many years of continuing involvement as the Division continues to grow. 

 

To you, the members, I say thank you for the opportunity to serve.  Please get involved with any activities that you believe are important.  Remember, the Division is only as strong as its membership, and we are always looking for more help.

 

I&EC Division and Subdivision Web Sites

I&EC

http://membership.acs.org/I/IEC/

IBT

http://membership.acs.org/I/IEC/html/ibt/ibt.html

SST

http://membership.acs.org/I/IEC/html/sst/default.htm

GCE

http://membership.acs.org/I/IEC/html/GCE/gce.html

AM&NT

http://carbonsolution.com/acs1.htm

NCIA

http://membership.acs.org/I/IEC/html/ncia/ncia.html

 

Councilor’s Report

By Robert A. Stowe

 

 

·         In its meeting on Wednesday, AM, the Committee on Nominations and Elections presented to Council four nominees for selection as candidates for President-Elect, 2005, the election to be held this Fall.  By written ballot the Council selected F. Sherwood Rowland and Isiah M. Warner. It was then announced that E. Ann Nalley, who had been certified as a petition candidate, would join them on the ballot.

 

 

 

 

Reiterating some of my remarks to the Executive Committee in Anaheim, we need to take note that the ACS is currently undergoing a “sea change” in its culture and leadership.  ACS Board Chair Nina McClellan retired after completing her term, the last three years of which she chaired, leading the Board through some difficult financial and cultural periods.  Her leadership will be missed.  James Burke is our new Chair of the ACS Board of Directors.   Executive Director John Crum retired and was replaced by Madeleine Jacobs, who had been Editor-in-Chief of C&E News.  Former Managing Editor, Rudy Baum becomes the Editor-in-Chief.  I believe that Madeleine Jacobs will have a dramatic impact on the future culture of the ACS.

 

Even at the I&EC level, the “sea change” continues.  Ken Nash, our Program Chair, was appointed Councilor to replace Kathleen Schulz who resigned to become the Councilor for the Div of Business Development & Management.  Martin Abraham was appointed Councilor to replace Nancy Jackson, a change necessitated by Nancy’s election last Fall to the ACS Board.  Other appointments, almost too numerous to recount, include Angelo Cassar, Treasurer, Rebecca Chamberlin, Program Chair, Michael Gonzalez, Program Secretary, Bill Yates, Awards  & Nat’l Mtg. Events, Gretchen Kohl, Publications & Publicity, Ralph Gatrone, Historian, Robin Rogers, Parliamentarian, and Dustin James, Newsletter Editor.

 

Our election this August will have Tom Baker and Rick Sachleben vying for Chair-elect and Bill Crooks, our present Secretary, running unopposed for Secretary.  In a three-way race for Councilor, you will have a choice of re-electing the present Councilor (me) or choosing one or the other of two past Chairs, Dale Ensor and Spiro Alexandratos.

 

In other remarks I made to the Executive Committee in Anaheim, I noted with pleasure the increased collegiality and commitment of its members, due in large part to the careful deliberation and persuasion of Martin Abraham and Bill Flank as they sought people to man the duties of the Division. 

 

Well, HELLO out there.  Please provide some feedback.  Times they are a changing and we all need to be aware of the directions and make sure we agree with them.  I welcome questions, comments and any type of feedback.  Phone #:  231-526-5078; E-mail: rstow@northlink.net: Snail-mail: 5680 Chippewa Dr., Box 173, Cross Village, MI  49723; Fax by appt.

 

Councilor’s Report

By Melanie Lesko

 

This is my last year of eligibility to serve on the Division Activities Committee (DAC).  I am co-chair of the Annual Reports Review sub-committee, and am training my replacement.  Since I will rotate off DAC, I have been asked to run for the Council Committee on Committees (ConC), which is an elected committee from the Council.  This committee picks which councilors will serve on all the council committees except the elected ones (ConC and Nominations and Elections) based upon the councilors’ preferences and the needs of the individual committees.  It is therefore a fairly prestigious committee, it would be an honor for me to serve if elected, and it would be good for I&EC to continue to have this level of attention.  (Several other I&EC councilors have served on ConC.)

 

As a member of DAC I was also invited to Washington, D.C. recently to be part of a small working group of 2 representatives from DAC and 3 from the Meetings and Expositions (M&E) committee.  We met with the ACS staff to help determine where our symposia and division meetings would be held at the Philadelphia national meeting.  This was a new idea, to have ACS members interact with the staff during these decisions.  Part of the reasoning was to help smooth over potential location problems before the meeting.  Because of our combined knowledge of various divisions needs and who they wanted to be co-located with, perhaps this meeting will be more efficient than in the past.  Of course we are constrained by the city and what is available, but this meeting looks like everything except governance is going to be very close together. 

 

M&E and DAC have been working on some other issues together, such as the no-show authors of papers at national meetings and what to do about it.  We also discussed the poster sessions, and the problem we (I&EC and other divisions) have with lack of identity when participating in the big rooms.  We are greatly limited in our ability to recruit new or reward members with food or drink due to this venue.  Staff and M&E are considering setting aside a room in each hotel for smaller poster sessions for the duration of the meeting, such that it could be used by several divisions and not “reset” to theater seating several times (which costs money.)  Historically I&EC had a great Sunday evening hospitality event, later coupled with the posters, and I have been doing what I can to help us get back to a meaningful way of managing such an event.

 

Just a reminder that DAC is reviewing the funding for divisions as related to their activities, which will now include not only national meeting programming, but also activities with local sections and at regional meetings.  Both of these areas are so dependent upon one or two individuals stepping up and becoming a division representative and champion.  If you are already active at your local section or in a regional meeting, you can help us (and we can help you) if you claim the I&EC umbrella.  If you have ideas, let us know so we can get the support you need.

 

If you have any questions, or suggestions, please write to me!  leskom@tamug.edu

 

Novel Chemistry with Industrial Applications (NCIA) Subdivision

 

By Joseph R. Zoeller

 

Programming in Novel Chemistry with Industrial Applications Subdivision

 

Symposium programming in the recently initiated Novel Chemistry with Industrial Applications subdivision is beginning to make significant impacts on the division’s programming. At the Spring, 2004 meeting in Anaheim, the subdivision sponsored a half-day session on “Processing in Supercritical Fluids” and has morphed its original program on the “Chemical Industry in a Hydrogen Based Economy” into a division sponsored plenary symposium on “Sustainability in the Chemical Industry” to be held at the Fall, 2004 meeting in Philadelphia. The subdivision has obtained commitments for future programs in “Process Intensification” (Spring, 2005, San Diego); “Chemistry in the Electronics Industry” (Spring, 2005), “Ionic Liquids” (Spring, 2005), and “Diagnostics in Detection of Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents and Food Safety” (Fall, 2005, Washington, D.C.) which is indicative of a healthy pipeline for future programming.

 

Membership Recruiting for Novel Chemistry with Industrial Applications Subdivision

 

Whereas the Novel Chemistry with Industrial Applications subdivision has been successful at generating an interesting slate of programs for the division in it’s <2 years of existence, it will need to grow its membership if this type of programming is to continue long term. For those of you who may not be familiar with the subdivision, the mission of the division is to:

 

“Provide a forum for the dissemination of novel chemistry directed toward industrial applications within traditional and non-traditional chemistry related industries.”

 

While the subdivision shares the traditional role of the I&EC to publicize chemistry and engineering leading to cheaper, cleaner, and less energy intensive production methods with the rest of I&EC, the sub-division is unique in that it will also seek:

a)      Chemistry in industries not traditionally considered a purely chemical enterprise, such as electronics, transportation, security, communications, defense, nutrition, and diagnostics.

b)      Chemistry imbedded in multidisciplinary research efforts and industries, such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, electronics, and diagnostic devices.

Chemistry in these arenas is rapidly evolving, but since they cross traditional disciplines and are often in non-traditional chemical industries, they often lack a good home elsewhere in ACS.

 

If you feel it is important to have a sub-division to meet this need, we would encourage you to support the effort by joining the sub-division. There is no additional cost. Simply contact the sub-division chair, Joe Zoeller, by email at jzoeller@eastman.com, or if you prefer, by mail at Eastman Chemical Co., P.O. Box 1972, Kingsport, TN 37662-5150 or phone at 1-423-229-5684 to join the sub-division or to get additional information.

 

I&EC Division Election Candidate Statements

 

About the time this newsletter is issued I&EC Division members will be receiving a card via postal mail regarding the election of division officers.  The post card lists a URL for the I&EC web site where a link is posted to the candidate statements.  Those same statements are duplicated here.  Please vote by indicating your choice for candidates on the card and returning the ballot to the address listed.

 

Chair-Elect and Alternate Councilor:

Tom Baker—No statement submitted.

Rick Sachleben—No statement submitted.

 

Councilor:

Spiro Alexandratos—biography and staement follow.

 

Spiro Alexandratos is Professor of Chemistry at Hunter College of the City University of New York. He has been there since 2001, having been, before that, at the University of Tennessee. His research focuses on the design and development of new ion exchange resins for the selective complexation of metal ions from aqueous solutions. Having collaborated with separations chemists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, the polymers have been applied to problems in purification of water in the environment and the treatment of waste solutions. His current research centers on new coordinating polymers and a more detailed understanding of ionic recognition within polymer-supported reagents. While he may miss certain aspects of life in East Tennessee, his laboratory is now on Park Avenue. So everything evens out, in the end.

Statement

I have long been committed to the IEC Division, having served as chair in 1994 and as chair of the Separations Subdivision in 1991. Through this involvement, as well as work on the Executive and Programming Committees, I have come to know this division as an example of what is best within ACS: high quality science, as reflected in the symposia organized by each subdivision, and high quality people with whom one can share both the give-and-take of science and the give-and-take of good conversation over dinner. This division deserves to be recognized as the focal point for interactions with industry and the engineering community, especially the AIChE. As Councilor, I would work within the ACS to ensure that the voice of the IEC Division membership is heard when it comes to matters that relate to industry and our AIChE counterparts. We should have a voice, not only with Corporation Associates, but also more directly with the American Chemistry Council. We should also have a strong voice in interactions with AIChE and work towards closer ties with that organization, regardless of any formal ties that may or may not occur between ACS and AIChE. Such interactions would benefit the programming efforts of both organizations and it is programming of scientific symposia that I see as a highly critical component of the success enjoyed by the ACS, generally, and IEC, specifically. This division works because its membership consists of a tireless group of people dedicated to its success. As Councilor, I would work to represent the membership, and hope to benefit from your ideas on the trajectory we should be on as a division.

Dale Ensor—biography and statement follow.

 

 

Dale Ensor is Professor of Chemistry at Tennessee Technological University. He teaches a variety of courses in inorganic, analytical, and radiochemistry at the undergraduate and graduate level. His current research interests include the separation of environmentally significant radioisotopes. Numerous undergraduate and graduate students have been mentored in his radiochemistry laboratory, which has produced 33 publications. Dale served as the Chair of I&EC Division in 2001, Chair of the Separation Science Subdivision in 1994, and has served on the executive and programming committees for that Subdivision for over ten years.

 

Statement

 

Councilors serve as the link between the Division and ACS and have the responsibility to keep the membership informed about legislation that will affect the Division. The Councilors' first priority is to the I&EC membership and must work for the enhancement of their benefits. As your Councilor, I would keep the executive committee of the Division informed of important ACS legislation by attending its meetings and the general membership by putting regular updates on the Division's Website. Obtaining the membership's thoughts and ideas about major issues will be my main concern in order to better represent the Division.

 

The I&EC Division is unique in that it's programming reaches out to the three main branches of the chemical community: government, industry, and academics. The continuation of this type of programming is the key to the health and vitality of the Division. As Councilor, I would work to assist each Subdivision in their efforts to enhance their programming by making them aware opportunities provided by ACS to support efforts in this area. I would work with ACS to evaluate new ways to support programming and reward divisions for unique programming.

I have been involved with the Division for over 15 years and have benefited from the meeting the many talented scientists and engineers that make up the membership. If given the opportunity to serve the Division as Councilor, I will make the I&EC Division my first and only priority.

 

Robert A. Stowe—biography and statement follow

 

 

Dr. Robert A. Stowe received his B.A. from Kalamazoo College and his Ph.D. from Brown University. An industrial research chemist with Dow Chemical for 36-years, he achieved the rank of Associate Scientist, (2nd highest technical rank attainable). He is listed on 46 U.S. and Foreign Patents and has more than a score of contributions to the literature of science and technology.  Robert A. Stowe, Emeritus, joined the ACS in 1947 and I&EC in 1954. Highlights of I&EC service follows:

 

Post-Retirement Activities and Honors

 

 

Statement

 

The I&EC division is now emerging from several years of a struggle for relevance and survival. This crisis involved financial, administrative and consensus problems. As noted in my Newsletter update of the Spring Meeting in Anaheim to our membership, this difficult period has now generated a new depth of commitment and respect for volunteer effort as well as a new collegiality amongst the members of the Executive Committee. Also surviving the crisis is our time-tested model of a horizontal organization having a diversity of interests. These interests, which tend to reflect the diversity of the National Chemical Enterprise, are presented in cutting edge format in the Symposia organized by our various Sub-divisions. As an elected member of the I&EC Executive Committee, I have long been a strong advocate for this flexible organizational model. If re-elected, I would continue to encourage fine tuning procedures for steady improvements in communications and transparency of operations

 

During 2003-04 the ACS has embarked on an immense change in its culture and direction as it seeks to enhance its value and relevance to the major (industrial) fraction of its members. All 33 Divisions of the ACS will be impacted by basic changes in financial support starting this year. We are already seeing organizational and programming changes among Divisions and changes in non-divisional programming. For I&EC, relief from the annual anxieties of financial survival will allow us to re-focus much of the energy of our committed volunteers toward improved balanced programming and stronger nurturing and support of the Sub-divisions, as well as the smooth and effective administration of division affairs.

 

Hence, the I&EC Division, with its diverse membership that already mirrors the major cohort of the ACS, stands at a threshold, poised to become a leader in forming alliances and helping to set strategies for the ACS of the future. The challenge for I&EC will be to recognize its leadership role as a Division and, with the confidence, commitment and coherence of its 93 year legacy as the first ACS Division, step forward and grasp the reins of this opportunity.

 

I am a seasoned professional industrial chemist with in-depth experience and current activity in both I&EC affairs and ACS Council. I have reported these activities to you in the various issues of the Newsletter and would continue to do so. I have excellent "name recognition" in the ACS staff , ACS Board of Directors and the various committees of the Council. As a member of eight other "Applied" Divisions, I am well known by the Division Councilors and by the Executive Committees of many of these divisions, as well.

 

I believe my experience in the Council and my long tenure on the I&EC Executive Committee uniquely qualifies me to represent your interests in the Council. I have the commitment, the interest, the time and the inclination to represent you. I appreciate your past confidence in me and earnestly solicit your support in my bid for re-election to the Council.

 

Secretary:

Bill Crooks--No statement submitted.

Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge

 

The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 established a national policy to prevent or reduce pollution at its source whenever feasible. The Pollution Prevention Act also provided an opportunity to expand beyond traditional EPA programs and devise creative strategies to protect human health and the environment. Green Chemistry, or the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances, is a highly effective approach to pollution prevention because it applies innovative scientific solutions to real-world environmental problems, all through voluntary partnership programs. In order to successfully effect the technical and behavioral changes necessary to accomplish widespread pollution prevention through green chemistry, the benefits of the approach must be clearly demonstrated.

 

The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Program was established to promote pollution prevention and industrial ecology through an EPA Design for the Environment partnership with the chemical industry. The program recognizes outstanding accomplishments in green chemistry in order to demonstrate the scientific, environmental, and economic benefits that green chemistry technologies offer. This is accomplished primarily through an annual awards program that provides national recognition for selected winning technologies. Nominations received for the awards were judged by an independent technical expert panel selected by the American Chemical Society on criteria that included health and environmental impact, industrial applicability, and innovation. The program was open to all individuals, groups, and organizations involved in chemical design, manufacture, and use.

 

As illustrated by the 41 projects selected from hundreds of nominations to receive the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in previous years, many individuals, groups, and organizations from academia, small businesses, industry, and government are clearly demonstrating a commitment to designing, developing, and implementing green chemical methodologies that are technologically and economically sound as well as less hazardous to human health and the environment. This environmental commitment is equally evident in the projects selected to receive the 2004 Awards. The benefits that all of these technologies have nationally are significant with respect to their positive scientific, economic, and environmental impacts.

 

The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge is a voluntary program that operates through a broad and diverse consortium of partners including the American Chemistry Council (representing almost 200 of the largest chemical manufacturers in the United States that collectively are responsible for more than 90% of the basic chemical productive capacity), the American Chemical Society (the largest scientific members society worldwide with more than 159,000 member scientists), the Council for Chemical Research (active in promoting fundamental research collaborations between industry and academia), other trade associations and scientific societies, and several individual chemical companies and universities. The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge successfully demonstrates the themes of partnership, scientific approaches to addressing environmental issues, and non-regulatory solutions to environmental problems.

For more information, see http://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry.

 

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Development of a Green Synthesis for Taxol® Manufacture via Plant Cell Fermentation and Extraction

 

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) has developed a more sustainable process for obtaining paclitaxel using the latest plant cell fermentation (PCF) technology. Paclitaxel, the active ingredient in the anticancer drug Taxol®, was first isolated and identified from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, in the late 1960s. The continuity of supply was not guaranteed, however, because yew bark contains only about 0.0004% paclitaxel. In addition, isolating paclitaxel required stripping the bark from the yew trees, killing them in the process. The complexity of the paclitaxel molecule makes commercial production by chemical synthesis from simple compounds impractical. Published syntheses involve about 40 steps with an overall yield of approximately 2%. A semisynthetic process developed from naturally occurring 10-deacetylbaccatin III (10-DAB) was complex, requiring 11 chemical transformations and seven isolations. The semisynthetic process also presented environmental concerns, requiring 13 solvents along with 13 organic reagents and other materials. In the BMS PCF process, paclitaxel is extracted directly from plant cell cultures, then purified by chromatography and isolated by crystallization. By replacing leaves and twigs with plant cell cultures, BMS improves the sustainability of the paclitaxel supply, allows year-round harvest, and eliminates solid biomass waste. Compared to the semisynthesis from 10-DAB, the PCF process has no chemical transformations, thereby eliminating six intermediates. During its first five years, the PCF process will eliminate an estimated 32 metric tons of hazardous chemicals and other materials. In addition, the PCF process also eliminates 10 solvents and six drying steps, saving a considerable amount of energy. BMS is now manufacturing paclitaxel using only plant cell cultures.

 

Buckman Laboratories International, Inc. Optimyze®: A New Enzyme Technology to Improve Paper Recycling

 

Optimyze® from Buckman Laboratories International is a novel enzyme technology that eliminates certain problems common in the manufacture of paper products from recycled papers.  Adhesives, coatings, and other materials form sticky contaminants that ruin the appearance of paper goods produced from recycled materials. These “stickies” also create costly problems for paper manufacturing. One source estimates the annual cost to the industry from production downtime alone to be more than $500 million annually. As a result, some papers cannot be recycled at all. In other cases, volatile organic solvents must be used to clean papermaking equipment. Buckman Laboratories’ Optimyze® technology is a completely new option to control these problems. A major component of the sticky contaminants in paper is polyvinyl acetate or similar materials. Optimyze® contains an esterase enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of this type of polymer to polyvinyl alcohol, which is not sticky and is water soluble. As a protein, the enzyme is less toxic, renewable, completely biodegradable, and itself completely recyclable.

 

Optimyze® makes it possible to recycle more paper and allows the production of higher quality paper from recycled materials. Although available commercially for only about one year, this innovative technology is so effective that it is already used in more than forty paper mills. In one U.S. mill, conversion to Optimyze® reduced solvent use by 200 gallons per day and chemical use by about 600,000 pounds per year. Production increased by more than 6%, which amounted to a $1 million benefit per year for this mill alone.

 

Engelhard Corporation Engelhard Rightfit™ Organic Pigments: Environmental Impact, Performance and Value

 

Engelhard Corporation has developed a wide range of environmentally friendly RightfitTM azo pigments that contain calcium, strontium, or sometimes barium instead of heavy metals. Historically, pigments based on lead, chromium(VI), and cadmium have served the red, orange, and yellow color market. Due to the regulation of heavy metals, however, color formulators turned to high-performance organic pigments to replace heavy metal-based pigments. Although these organic pigments meet performance requirements, they are more costly and their manufacture is problematic due to the use of volatile organic solvents. Engelhard’s RightfitTM pigments have the right environmental impact, right color space, right performance characteristics, and right cost/performance value. RightfitTM pigments eliminate the risk to human health and the environment from exposure to heavy metals, such as cadmium, chromium(VI), and lead, used in the manufacture of cadmium and chrome yellow pigments.

 

They are expected to have very low potential toxicity based on toxicity studies, physical properties, and structural similarities to many widely used food colorants and have been approved both by the U.S. and Canada for indirect food contact applications. In addition, these pigments are manufactured in aqueous medium, eliminating exposure to the hazardous intermediates and organic solvents associated with the manufacture of traditional high performance organic pigments. RightfitTM pigments have additional benefits, such as good dispersibility, improved dimensional stability, improved heat stability, and improved color strength. RightfitTM pigments also cover a wide color range at a higher color strength, achieving the same color values using less pigment.

 

Jeneil Biosurfactant Company Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant – A Natural Low Toxicity Alternative to Synthetic Surfactants

 

Jeneil Biosurfactant Company has successfully produced a series of rhamnolipid biosurfactant products, making them commercially available and economical for the first time. Surfactants are widely used in soaps, laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids, and many personal care products, such as shampoos. Other important uses are in lubricants, emulsion polymerization, textile processing, mining flocculates, petroleum recovery, and wastewater treatment. Most currently used surfactants are derived from petroleum feedstocks. Many of these chemical surfactants pose significant environmental risks because they form harmful compounds from incomplete biodegradation in water or soil. Jeneil’s biosurfactant products provide good emulsification, wetting, detergency, and foaming properties, and are much less toxic. Rhamnolipid biosurfactants are are also “greener” throughout their life cycle compared to traditional synthetic and petroleum-derived surfactants. Rhamnolipid biosurfactants are naturally occurring extracellular glycolipids found in soil and plants. They are readily biodegradable and leave no harmful or persistent degradation products. Biosurfactant production requires fewer resources, uses feedstocks that are innocuous and renewable, employs processes that are less complex and less capital- and energy-intensive, and does not require the use and disposal of hazardous substances. Jeneil produces these biosurfactants commercially in controlled, aerobic fermentations using particular strains of the soil bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The biosurfactants are recovered from the fermentation broth after sterilization and centrifugation, then purified to various levels to fit intended applications.

 

Professors Charles A. Eckert and Charles L. Liotta, Georgia Institute of Technology

Benign Tunable Solvents Coupling Reaction and Separation Processes

 

For any chemical process, there must be both a reaction and a separation. Generally, the same solvent is used for both, but is optimized only for the reaction. The separation, however, typically involves 60-80% of the cost, almost always has a large environmental impact, and is often designed separately. Professors Eckert and Liotta have combined reactions and separations through use of a series of novel, benign, tunable solvents to create a paradigm for sustainable development: safer solvents and improved performance. Using a synergistic combination of chemistry and engineering, Professors Eckert and Liotta have investigated a series of solvents (primarily water and carbon dioxide) to alter reaction conditions, tune reaction equilibria and rates, increase selectivity, eliminate waste, recycle catalysts, and achieve facile separations. These researchers were the first to use supercritical CO2 with phase transfer catalysts to separate products cleanly and economically. They have demonstrated the feasibility of a variety of phase transfer catalysts on reactions of importance in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, including chiral syntheses. They have also carried out a wide variety of synthetic reactions in near-critical water, replacing conventional organic solvents. They have used CO2 to expand organic fluids to make it easier to recycle homogeneous catalysts, including chiral catalysts and enzymes. Finally, they have used tunable benign solvents to design syntheses that minimize waste by recycling and demonstrate commercial feasibility by process economics.

 

AIChE Annual Meeting

The 2004 AIChE Annual Meeting takes place November 7-12 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. R&D professionals from academia and industry have access to a record number of conference sessions and papers at this year's AIChE Annual Meeting. The conference will include 13 topical conferences and over 540 sessions, covering everything from advances in fundamentals, to the newest developments in emerging technologies including bioengineering, nanotechnology, sustainability and more. More information is available on the web at http://aiche.org/conferences/annual/index.htm.

The 13 Topical Conferences in this year's event include:

In addition to programming at the Topical Conference, I&EC Division members may be interested in programming from selected Divisions of AIChE.  Sessions sponsored or supported by selected Divisions include:

 Sessions of the Sustainable Engineering Forum:

 

Sessions of the Environmental Division:

 

Sessions of the Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division: