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Atom economy/
e-factor increased
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The conversion efficiency of a chemical process in terms of all atoms involved. In an ideal chemical process the amount of starting materials or reactants equals the amount of all products generated and no atom is wasted.
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Bio-catalysis/
enzyme
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The utilization of natural catalysts, called enzymes, to perform chemical transformations on organic compounds.
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(Bio)degradable chemicals
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The degradation or breaking down of a large molecule into smaller molecules or atoms. Biodegradation involves the break-down by microorganisms. In green chemistry, the degradation products should be safe rather than toxic.
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Biotechnology
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Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.
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Bulk and commodity chemicals
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This category includes chemicals produced at high volumes and sold at relatively low prices.
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Catalysis
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The acceleration of the reaction rate of a chemical reaction by means of a substance, called a catalyst, that is itself not consumed by the overall reaction.
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Catalysts/
inorganics/
organometallics
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A catalysts is a substance that accelerates the rate (speed) or ease of a chemical reaction (see also catalysis) without itself being changed at the end of the chemical reaction. Inorganics are chemical compounds which are not based upon chains or rings of carbon atoms, which are termed organic compounds. Organometallic chemistry is the study of chemical compounds containing bonds between carbon and a metal.
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Coatings
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A covering that is applied to an object to protect it or change its appearance.
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Colorants
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This category includes pigments and dyes that are colored.
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Construction and Building Materials
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This category includes any materials related to building, architecture, and furnishing.
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Dense phase fluids (supercritical)
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Dense phase fluids include supercritical fluids and compressed sub-critical fluids. A supercritical fluid is a substance at a pressure and temperature above its thermodynamic critical point. These fluids have the unique ability to diffuse through solids like a gas and dissolve materials like a liquid. Additionally, dense phase fluids can readily change in density upon minor changes in temperature or pressure. These properties make it suitable as a substitute for organic solvents.
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Derivatized/
polymeric solvents
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A solvent that is comprised of a liquid macromolecule, generally with a molecular weight of greater than 1000 daltons.
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Diisocyanate replacements
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Chemical alternatives for an organic compound containing two isocyanate groups. Isocyanate is the functional group of atoms -N=C=O (1 nitrogen, 1 carbon, 1 oxygen).
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Energy
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This category includes energy as related to nuclear, solar, water, wind, fuel cell, and energy efficiency.
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Energy requirements reduced
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This category includes any modification that will reduce energy requirements, such as: energy efficiency of reaction or process increased, heating or cooling requirements reduced, high pressure or vacuum requirements reduced, separation/purification energy requirements reduced, microwave used to reduce energy requirements, and ultrasonics used to reduce energy requirements.
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Fewer process steps
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This category includes any modification that will reduce the number of process steps, such as: elimination of blocking/protection steps, fewer synthetic steps, inherent solubility/insolubility used to reduce process steps, and reduced number of separations, extractions, and purifications.
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Fine and specialty chemicals
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A chemical produced for a specialized use. They are produced in lower volume than bulk chemicals.
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Formulation ingredients
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This category includes surfactants, defoamers, thickeners, fragrances, coalescents, etc.
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Hazardous chemical reduction/
elimination
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This category includes the use of feedstocks, reagents, solvents, and chemicals in less quantity and/or with less toxicity.
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Inherently safer process steps
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This category includes any modifications that are inherently safer, such as: just-in-time generation and consumption of the hazardous substance within a contained process, large quantity storage avoided, and worker handling/exposure minimized.
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Ionic liquids
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A liquid that contains essentially only ions. Generally the melting point is below 100 degrees C. Ionic liquids generally have high polarity, very low vapor pressure and low mass transfer rates.
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Metals
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The metals are one of the three groups of elements as distinguished by their ionisation and bonding properties, along with the metalloids and nonmetals. A metal is an element that readily forms ions (cations) and has metallic bonds.
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Nanotechnology
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Technological developments on the nanometer scale, usually 0.1 to 100 nm (1/1,000 µm, or 1/1,000,000 mm).
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Non-bioaccumulating
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Substances that do not accumulate in a biological system. Examples of bioaccumulant uptake over time include mercury poisoning where mercury forms organic species such as methyl mercury, which is lipid soluble, and tends to accumulate in the brain.
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Non-covalent interactions replaces covalent bonds
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Noncovalent bonding refers to a variety of interactions, that are not covalent in nature, between molecules or parts of molecules that provide force to hold the molecules or parts of molecules together usually in a specific orientation or conformation. These non-covalent interactions include: ionic bonds, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals forces (aka London dispersion forces), Dipole-dipole bonds. These bonds are generally weaker than covalent bonds and could be beneficial in green chemistry because the interactions can be broken with less energy.
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Personal care
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This category includes products used for personal hygiene, including cosmetics, fragrances, hair care, oral care, and skin care.
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Plastic additives
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This category includes plasticizers, compatiblizers, etc.
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Plastics
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This category includes plastics, composites, rubber, elastomers, resins, absorbents, polymers, monomers, etc.
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Preservatives
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A natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, etc. to retard spoilage, whether from microbial growth, or undesirable chemical changes.
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Process analytical chemistry to improve process
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Process analytical chemistry involves real-time, in-process monitoring and control to prevent the formation of hazardous substances or generation of excess waste.
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Recyclable chemicals
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This category includes recyclable and reusable solvents, reagents, products, wastes, etc.
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Renewable feedstocks
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Any natural resource that is depleted at a rate slower than the rate at which it regenerates. A resource must have a way of regenerating itself in order to qualify as renewable. Renewable resources include oxygen, fresh water and biomass. However they can become non-renewable if used at a greater rate that the environment's capacity to replenish them.
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Selectivity improved
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Improving either how selective reactions occur amongst several pathways which are typical in particular for organic reactions; or how selective one particular compound is recognized, or bound, by something else.
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Transportation
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This category includes any mode of transportation, such as automotive, aviation, aerospace, and boating technology.
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Waste conversion/ treatment
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This category includes the treatment and conversion of waste into a useful material.
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Waste from another process
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Waste recycled and used as a feedstock.
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