Green chemistry: The ethics of sustaining the Earth

Academic chemists generally believe that today's high technology civilization is not sustainable.

At the 221st national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Terrence J. Collins, professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa., will discuss the role chemistry can play in achieving creative, intellectual and practical solutions in sustaining the Earth's natural resources and how to develop ethical strategic chemical goals to support sustainability.

Collins was presented the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in 1999.

WHO: Terrence J. Collins, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pa.

WHAT: Green Chemistry: Ethics

WHEN: Tuesday, April 3, 9 a.m.

WHERE: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Manchester A

Also at this ACS national meeting, research will be presented that demonstrates the promise of an innovative new approach to solving pollution. New designer liquids that can replace hazardous and polluting organic solvents are poised to revolutionize industrial chemistry and dramatically reduce pollution at its source, according to researchers participating in a five-day symposium on ionic liquids.

Ionic liquids, which are chemically similar to table salt, are liquid at room temperature. Unlike organic solvents, many ionic liquids do not evaporate or escape into the atmosphere easily. Another advantage of the liquids is that they can be recycled and reused as solvents many times.

Solvents are widely used in many industries, and by individulas, for cleaning, degreasing, stripping and thinning. Examples of well-known organic solvents include acetone, kerosene and naphtha. Ionic liquids can be tailor-made to dissolve a vast range of substances.

The symposium, Green (or Greener) Industrial Applications of Ionic Liquids, will be held at the Westin Horton Plaza: Sunday, April 1, 8 a.m-noon & 1:30-5:30 p.m., California C; Monday, April 2, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 1:30-6 p.m., Plaza A-B; Tuesday, April 3, 8 a.m.-noon, Plaza A-B & 1:30-6 p.m., California C; Wednesday, April 4, 8 a.m.-noon & 1:30-5:30 p.m., California C; Thursday, April 5, 8 a.m.-noon & 1:30-5:30 p.m., Sierra.

For more information regarding the ionic liquid symposium, see the ACS press release "Designer solvents promise revolutionary pollution solution."