Green Chemistry: Life Cycle Assessment and Process Safety

This lecture covers the principles of green chemistry and life cycle assessment (LCA), focusing on the synthesis of phenol and the production of carbaryl, a pesticide. The instructor discusses alternative synthesis methods, including the Solutia and Exxon Mobil processes, highlighting their selectivity and yields. The lecture emphasizes the importance of safety in chemical processes, referencing the Bhopal disaster as a case study for the consequences of inadequate safety measures. The instructor proposes safer production methods, such as on-demand synthesis, to minimize risks associated with hazardous substances. Additionally, the lecture introduces various green metrics, including atom efficiency and process mass intensity, to evaluate the environmental impact of chemical processes. The discussion extends to the role of green engineering principles in enhancing sustainability in chemical manufacturing. The lecture concludes with examples of life cycle assessments comparing petrochemical and bio-based polymers, illustrating the complexities of evaluating environmental impacts across different production methods.