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
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Councilor’s Report
By
Robert A. Stowe
- The 227thACS Natl. Mtg. in Anaheim, with just under
8400 technical talks, attracted 14,141 registrants, broken down as
follows: Regular attendees, 7,595;
Students, 3,801; Guests, 467; and Exhibitors, 2,278. Total ACS membership was reported to be
159,332, a decrease of 1%.
However, the number of recent graduates increased by over 50%.
·
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.
- The Committee on Nominations and Elections presented Lawrence
Barton and Connie J. Murphy to Council as candidates for election to the
Committee on Committees (ConC) to fill a vacancy. The vacancy was created by the resignation
of Nancy B. Jackson, formerly I&EC Councilor, who was elected to the
Board of Directors last Fall as a Director-at-Large. By written ballot the Council elected
Connie J. Murphy.
- In other action, taken at the request of the leadership of the
probationary Division of Laboratory Automation, the Council VOTED to
dissolve the Division, as of June 30, 2004,
- We also received three petitions for consideration: Petition for Electronic Balloting;
Petition to Change Division Annual Report Deadline; and Petition for
Membership Requirements for Teachers.
Council is expected to take action on these petitions at the 2004
Fall national meeting in Philadelphia.
- In a special discussion item ACS President Charles Casey and Board
Chair James Burke briefed the Council on the status of discussions between
ACS and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and noted the
implication of these efforts for ACS.
It was clear that the Board invited and encouraged participation by
the Council in the examination and discussion of these issues. It is my view that the initial panic,
when it looked like AIChE could not survive, has been allayed by deep cuts
in their expenditures (and staff).
It will be awhile before this will fully impact their membership. Meanwhile, co- and joint sponsorship of
topical symposia between I&EC (and our sub-divisions) with various
segments of AIChE, as we have fostered in the past, will probably become
easier and more frequent. We all
need to be engaged in understanding these developments, especially with so
many of our members who also have membership in AIChE.
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:
- I&EC Div. Chair, 1982; Chair-elect, 1981; Past Chair, 1983
- ACS Council-1986-97, 1999-present.
- Program Secretary, ten years (1970-1980)
- Executive Committee, ('70) and Steering Com. ('72) to date
- Program Coordinating Com., Pacific Basin Congress ('84) and
Pacifichem ('89).
- Co-founder of the Catalysis Secretariat; I&EC Rep. ('87-90;
2000-present), Twice elected Secretary General, ('90) and ('93).
- Committees of the Council: Meetings and Expositions (M&E),
Professional Relations (CPR), Economic and Professional Affairs, (CEPA),
Divisional Activities, (DAC) and Chemical Technicians Affairs, (CTA).
- Organized/Chaired numerous National & International Symposia
- Graduate Student Award Chair and numerous other volunteer
assignments.
- Active participant of Divisional Officer's Caucus, (1973 to date).
- Career Consultant since 1993, (over 100 clients).
Post-Retirement Activities and Honors
- Guiseppe Parravano Memorial Award for Excellence in Catalysis
Research and Development, Michigan Catalysis Society, (2000).
- Joseph Stewart Distinguished Service Award, I&EC Division,
(1983).
- Victor J. Azbe Award, National Lime Association, (1963).
- Society of Sigma Xi, (1951). E. Gifford Upjohn Fellowship,
(1948-49).
- President, Bobcat Technologies, Ltd., (1989 to date). Vice
President of Technology, Board of Directors and Operating Board, Vantek
Corp., (1990 to date).
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:
- Sustainable
Engineering
- Bioinformatics
and Functional Genomics
- Fuel
Cells
- Envisioning
Biorefineries: Chemicals and Materials from Renewable Feedstocks
- Sensors
- Coupling
Theory, Molecular Simulations and Computational Chemistry to the Physical
World
- Advances
in Biomaterials, Bionanotechnology, Biomimetic Systems and Tissue
Engineering
- Electrodeposition
Processes in Semiconductor Device Fabrication
- Molecular
Electronics
- 4th
World Congress on Microwave & RF Applications
- 21st
Century Process Development Tools
- Women in
Management
- Annual
Meeting of the American Electrophoresis Society
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:
- Sustainable Processing
- Process
Design for Sustainability
- Sustainability Metrics and Monitoring
- Sustainable Energy
- Green
Chemistry for Sustainability
- Industrial
Ecology & Life Cycle Assessment of Sustainable Designs
- Life
Cycle Analysis of Renewable Feedstock-Based Processes
- Chemicals
and Materials from Renewable Feedstocks
- Environmentally
Benign Manufacturing Alternatives & Innovations
- Principles
of Sustainable Engineering
Sessions of the
Environmental Division:
- Environmental Transport and Fate of Chemicals
- Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Atmospheric
Chemistry
- Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Technology
- Advanced Oxidation Processes in Environmental
Applications
- Fundamentals of Environmental Catalysis
- Applications of Environmental Catalysis
- Reactions in Near Critical and Supercritical Fluids
- Reactions In and Other Applications of Benign
Solvents
- Green Chemistry and Reaction Engineering
- Catalytic/Biocatalytic Membrane Reactors
- Membranes for Gas and Water Treatment
Applications
- Novel Membranes and Membrane Processes for
Recovery/Recycle
- Environmental Applications of Adsorption
- Interfacial Phenomena in Environmental Systems
- Polymers from Renewable Resources
- Polymers and Materials from Renewable Resources
- Advances in Green Bioprocessing
- Developments in Bio-based Alternative Fuels
- Developments in Chemical-based Alternative Fuels
- Environmental Performance Monitoring and Metrics
- Advanced Computations for Environmental
Applications
Sessions of the Catalysis
and Reaction Engineering Division:
- Multiphase Reaction Engineering: In Honor of Mike
Dudukovic
- Reaction Engineering Fundamentals and
Applications - In Memory of Aydin Akgerman
- Supercritical Fluids Applications - In Memory of
Aydin Akgerman
- Perspectives in Industrial Practice of Catalysis
and Reaction Engineering
- Fundamental of Oxide Catalysis
- Fundamental of Supported Catalysis
- Zeolite Catalysis
- Catalysis with Microporous and Mesoporous
Materials
- Novel Catalytic Materials
- Synthesis and Characterization of Nanostructured
Catalytic Materials: Experiment and Simulation
- New Developments in the In Situ Characterization
of Working Catalytic Materials
- Catalytic Informatics and Quantitative
Structure/Property Relationships
- Rational Catalyst Design: Theory and Experiment
- Electro-, Photo- and Other Non-thermal Activation
of Catalyst
- Novel Computational Techniques for Catalysis
- Polymerization and Polymer Processing in
Supercritical Fluid
- Polymerization Kinetics, Catalysis and Reaction
Engineering
- Reactive Separations
- Catalysis for Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals
- Synthesis and Separation in the Pharmaceutical
and Fine Chemical Industries
- Mixing and Chemical Reaction
- Reaction Path Analysis
- Advances in Biocatalysis and Protein Engineering
- Biotechnology in the Petroleum Industry
- Advances in Bioreactors and Cell Culture: Systems
and Operational Strategies
- Microreactors and Microbioreactors: Fundamentals
and Applications
- Novel Reactor Design
- Chemical Reactor Dynamics
- Process Intensification and Multifunctional
Reactors
- Aerosol Reactors and Reactions
- Combustion Reaction Engineering
- High Temperature Synthesis and Processing of
Ceramics
- Nanomaterials and Devices for Energy Applications
- Catalytic Hydrogen Generation for Fuel Cell
Applications
- Fuel Cell Technology: Fuel Processing
- Fuel Cell Technology
- Fuel Cell Technology: Systems
I&EC
Division and Subdivision Committee Meetings Schedule
Sunday, August 22, 2004
10:00 am - 12:00 pm Novel Chemistry with Industrial Applications Subdivision
Meeting, Loews, Anthony
11:00 am - 1:00 pm Div: Industrial Bio-Based Technology Subdivision Meeting,
Loews, Adams
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm IEC Business Meeting, Loews, Adams
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm IEC Executive Council Meeting, Loews, Congress C
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Separation Science and Technology Meeting, Loews,
Commonwealth D
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Green Chemistry and Engineering Subdivision Meeting, Loews,
Roberts Board Room
Monday, August 23, 2004
I&EC Luncheon, noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Anthony
room of the Loews Hotel. It is associated with the Sustainabiliity
Symposium. Nina McClelland will be the luncheon speaker
