Green Chemistry (also known as Chemistry for Sustainability) and Green Engineering are a set of knowledge useful in designing the construction of products, materials, and plants in a manner that has minimal impact on human health and the environment. The course introduce the principles of of these disciplines, providing the tools necessary to quantitatively evaluate different synthetic procedures (chemical and biochemical), BAT technologies, industrial risk, and toxicity /ecotoxicity. Examples from industry, including reaction conditions, alternative solvents, feedstock and intermediates selection, optimization of performance materials, will be discussed as well as emerging trends in bioprocesses and catalysis. 

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

• recognize and discuss the major issues related to sustainability
• understand the basics of green chemistry/green engineering and recognize green chemical processes and products
• understand fundamental considerations on alternative energy sources
• understand the nature, reactivity, and environmental fates of toxic organic chemicals
• undestand the biochemical basis of biological organisms and the importance of biomass as source of chemicals and energy
• undestand the recent trends in industry issues related to sustainability and safety with enphasis on national and international regulations.  
• understand the societal implications of some environmental problems and the green chemistry proposed solutions

The course is intended to provide students in Engineering Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, Safety Engineering and Material Engineering with an overview of the fundamentals of pollution prevention, green chemistry and green engineering. Students should gain a greater appreciation of how improvements and modifications are being made in both research and manufacturing to maintain and even enhance environmental quality, preventing risks connected with the production and use of harmful or toxic chemicals. It may also assist students and laureates in choosing a professional career in chemical industries and in the environmental-safety sectors. The course includes recent trends in the fundamental re-engineering of chemical process, i.e. process intensification, use of catalysis and non-traditional media and energy sources, green metrics and LCA criteria to evaluate alternative processes and products, etc.. A section is devoted to living organisms, their metabolism and ecology to better understand the growing role of biomasses as renewable sources that are capable to "green up" the chemical industry and to support sustainable development of the human society, satisfying the demand in energy and materials.

The course is organized in several sections: 1) Sustainability and Principles of Green Chemistry, 2) Control of Environmental impact of chemical processes and products, 3) Toxicity and Sustainability Legislation (REACh), 4) Green metrics, 5) Industrial Ecology, 6) Biopolymers and Natural products, 7) Biotransformation and Biotechnology, 8) Energy Efficiency and Emerging Technologies, 9) Process Intensification, 10) Intrinsic safety, 11) Solvent and feedstock selection, 12) Catalysis for Sustainable Chemistry, 13) Product and Process Alternatives, 14) Process Analytical Technology and Quality by Design.

Description of topics

1) Sustainability of raw materials and energy sources: renewable and not renewable resources – survey of main concerns – 12 Principles of Green Chemistry and Green Engineering – tools and methodologies for the assessment of chemical, toxicological and environmental risk – life cycle analysis of products and processes, indicators – green design of chemicals, polymers, and materials.
2) Toxicology – hazard and exposure – toxicity risk assessment – REACh: EU Chemicals Law – Safety: types of hazard – risk evaluation, prevention, mitigation – clean production – substitution of toxic/dangerous chemicals.
3) Improvement of environmental performance of existing industrial processes – green metrics – greener production of chemical commodities, materials, and fine chemicals from industry – BAT technologies – Industrial Ecology.
4) Energy – sources, efficiency, safety: fuel types and their environmental impact – hydrogen economy – unconventional energy sources: microwave, ultrasounds, photochemistry and electrochemistry.
5) Living organisms: structure and metabolism – biomasses and Cn building blocks – biopolymers and composites.
6) Bio-refinery: transformation of conventional raw materials into commodities – biocatalysis – energy crops – biofuels – solvents and molecular specialties – biotechnological applications.
7) Development and scale-up of chemical processes: statistical methods in process optimization and just in time analytical controls – chiral products – process intensification and miniaturization – inherent safety and inherently safer processes.
8) Catalysis in green chemistry: heterogeneous catalysis (acid, metal, micellar, phase transfer) – supported reagents – homogeneous catalysis – biocatalysis.
9) Alternative solvents for Green Chemistry: VOC – supercritical fluids – ionic/eutectic liquids – gas expanded liquids – polymeric liquids.
10) Mechanical, thermal and chemical recycling: effluent and waste minimization and control – durability of products and materials – recycle of plastics.

Recommended precedence: Chemistry, Organic Chemistry
Mandatory precedence: Chemistry

N.B. The above defined hours of activities refer only to students which take the course of 5 CFU. Students with 8 CFU (environmental engineering) must follow 54 hours of lectures and 30 hours of tutorials, whereas the experimental activity will always 12 hours (the three extra credits are provided in hours not superimposed to the 5 credit course. Both courses are devided in two parts.  Two visits to representative industries will be organized.

Exams consist in the evaluation of the reports for the exercises, of the personal presentations, and two written exams will assess the knowledge of the contents of the frontal lessons for part one and part two of the course. Both must be positive.

Oral examination is optional.

Testo Introsuttivo

testo generale

Set I: Green Catalysis, (Vol. 1: Homogeneous - 2: Heterogeneous - 3: Biocatalysis); II: Green Solvents (- Vol. 4: Supercritical Solvents - : Reactions in Water - 6: Ionic Liquids); III: Green Processes (Vol. 7: Green Synthesis - 8: Green Nanoscience - 9: Designing Safer Chemicals)