Environmental Sustainability: implications and limitations to Green Chemistry

Foundations of Chemistry volume 16, pages125–147(2014)Cite this article

Abstract

This study discusses the relationship between Green Chemistry and Environmental Sustainability as expressed in textbooks and articles on Green Chemistry authored by their promoters. It was found that although the Brundtland concept of Sustainable Development/Sustainability has been mentioned often by green chemists, a full analysis of that relationship was almost never attempted. In particular, green chemists have paid scarce attention to the importance of The Second Law of thermodynamics on Environmental Sustainability and the consequences of the limitations it imposes on Green Chemistry, which are discussed in this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

42,99 €

Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  1. Ahluwalia, V.R.: Green Chemistry—Environmentally Benign Reactions. CRC Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Anastas, P.T., Warner, J.C.: Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Anastas, P.T., Williamson, T.C. (eds.): Green Chemistry—Frontiers in Benign Chemistry Syntheses. Oxford UP, Oxford (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Anastas, P.T., Williamson, T.C., Hjeresen, D., Breen, J.J.: Promoting Green Chemistry initiatives. Env. Sc. Technol. 33, 116A–119A (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Anastas, P.T., Bartlett, L.B., Kirchhoff, M.M., Williamson, T.C.: The role of catalysis in the design, development, and implementation of Green Chemistry. Cat. Today 55, 11–22 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Anastas, P.T., Kirchhoff, M.M., Williamson, T.C.: Catalysis as a foundational pillar of Green Chemistry. Appl. Catal. A 221, 3–13 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Anastas, P.T., Kirchhoff, M.M.: Origins, current status, and future challenges of Green Chemistry. Acc. Chem. Res. 35, 686–694 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Anastas, P.: Meeting the challenges to sustainability thorough Green Chemistry. Green Chem. 5, G29–G34 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Anastas, P., Beach, E.S.: Green Chemistry: the emergence of a transformative framework. Green Chem. Lett. Rev. 1, 9–24 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Arons, J., van der Kooi, H.J.: Towards a metabolic society: a thermodynamic view. Green Chem. 3, G53–G55 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Basiago, A.D.: Methods of defining “Sustainability”. Sustain. Dev. 3, 109–119 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Beach, E.S., Cui, Z., Anastas, P.: Green Chemistry: a design framework for sustainability. Energy Environ. Sci. 2, 1038–1049 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. BSD (Board on Sustainable Development, US National Academy of Sciences): Our Common Journey. National Academy Press, Washington (1999)

  14. Centi, G., Perathoner, S.: Catalysis and sustainable (green) chemistry. Catal. Today 77, 287–297 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Clark, J.H.: Green Chemistry: challenges and opportunities. Green Chem. 1, 1–8 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Clark, J.H.: Green Chemistry: today (and tomorrow). Green Chem. 8, 17–21 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Collins, T.J.: Green Chemistry. MacMillan Encyclopedia of Chemistry, vol. 2, pp. 691–697. Macmillan Publishing, New York (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Daly, H.E.: Steady-State Economics, 2nd edn. Island Press, Washington (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Daly, H.E.: The economic thought of frederick soddy. Hist. Political Econ. 12, 469–488 (1980)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Dichiarante, V., Ravelli, D., Albini, A.: Green Chemistry: state of the art through an analysis of the literature. Green Chem. Lett. Rev. 3, 105–113 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ehrenfeld, D.: Sustainability: living with the imperfections. Conserv. Biol. 19, 33–35 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Georgescu-Roegen, N.: The Entropy Law and the Economic Process. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Goldsmith, E., Allen, R., Allaby, M., John Davoll, J., Lawrence, S. (eds): A blueprint for survival. Penguin Books Ltd, Harmondsworth (1972)

  24. Goodland, R.: The concept of Environmental Sustainability. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 26, 1–24 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Graedel, T.E.: Green Chemistry and sustainable development. In: Clark, J.H., Macquarrie, D. (eds.) Handbook of Green Chemistry and Technology, Chapt. 4, pp. 56–61. Wiley, Chichester (2002)

  26. Graedel, T.E.: Green Chemistry as systems science. Pure Appl. Chem. 73, 1243–1246 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hjeresen, D.L., Anastas, P., Ware, S., Kirchhof, M.: Green Chemistry progress & challenges. Env. Sci. Technol. 35, 114A–119A (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Hull, Z.: Sustainable Development: premises, understanding and prospects. Sustain. Dev. 16, 73–80 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Huesemann, M.H.: The limits of technological solutions to sustainable development. Clean Techn. Environ. Policy 5, 8–20 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Huesemann, M.H.: The failure of eco-efficiency to guarantee sustainability: future challenges for industrial ecology. Environ. Prog. 23, 264–270 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Jacoby, M.: Securing the supply or rare earths. Chem. Eng. News 88(35), 9–12 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Jischa, M.F.: Sustainable Development and technology assessment. Chem. Eng. Technol. 21, 628–636 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Kates, R.W., Parris, T.M., Leiserowitz, A.A.: What is sustainable development? Goals, indicators, values and practice. Environment 47(3), 8–21 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Khan, M.A.: Sustainable Development: the key concepts, issues and implications. Sustain. Dev. 3, 63–69 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Kidwai, M., Mohan, R.: Green Chemistry: an innovative technology. Found. Chem. 7, 269–287 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Kirchhoff, M.M.: Promoting sustainability through Green Chemistry. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 44, 237–243 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Lancaster, M.: Green Chemistry—An Introductory Text. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Lancaster, M.: Green Chemistry—An Introductory Text, 2nd edn. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Lélé, S.M.: Sustainable Development: a critical review. World Dev. 19, 607–621 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Linthrost, J.A.: An overview: origins and development of Green Chemistry. Found. Chem. 12, 55–68 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Logar, N.: Chemistry, Green Chemistry, and the instrumental valuation of sustainability. Minerva 49, 113–136 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Machado, A.A.S.C.: Da génese ao ensino da Química Verde. Quim. Nova 34, 535–543 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Machado, A.A.S.C.: Green Chemistry Education: Towards a Systems Thinking Approach, Plenary Presented at the 4th International IUPAC Conference on Green Chemistry. Foz do Iguaçu, Brasil (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Manley, J.B., Anastas, P., Cue Jr, B.W.: Frontiers in Green Chemistry: meeting the grand challengers for sustainability in R&D and manufacturing. J. Clean. Prod. 16, 743–750 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Matlack, A.S.: Introduction to Green Chemistry. Marcel Dekker, New York (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Matlack, A.S.: Introduction to Green Chemistry, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  47. Matus, K.J.M., Clark, W.C., Anastas, P.T., Zimmerman, J.B.: Barriers to the implementation of Green Chemistry in the United States. Env. Sci. Technol. 46, 10892–10899 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  48. Nemerow, N.L.: Zero Pollution for Industry—Waste Minimization Through Industrial Complexes. Wiley-Interscince, New York (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  49. Newton, J.L., Freyfogle, E.T.: Sustainability: a dissent. Conserv. Biol. 19, 23–32 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Nitta, Y., Yoda, S.: Challenging the human crisis: “The trilemma”. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Chang. 49, 175–194 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Norton, B.G.: Evaluating ecosystems states: two competing paradigms. Ecol. Econ. 14, 113–127 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Paehke, R.: Environmental politics, sustainability and social science. Environ. Polit 10(4), 1–22 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Paehke, R.: Sustainability as a bridging concept. Conserv. Biol. 19, 36–38 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Pawlowski, A.: How many dimensions does sustainable development have? Sustain. Dev. 16, 81–90 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Sciubba, E., Zullo, F.: Exergy-based population dynamics. J. Ind. Ecol. 15, 172–184 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Soddy, F.: Cartesian Economics: The Bearing of Physical Science upon State Stewardship, Hendersons, London (1922). Available from: http://habitat.aq.upm.es/boletin/n37/afsod.en.html. Accessed 06 November 2012

  57. Soddy, F.: Wealth, Virtual Wealth, and Debt. Allen and Unwin, London (1926)

    Google Scholar 

  58. Soddy, F.: The Role of Money: What it Should be, Contrasted with What it has Become. Routledge, London (1934); fac-simile reprint (2003). Available from: http://archive.org/details/roleofmoney032861mbp. Accessed 06 November 2012

  59. Srivastava, M.M., Sanghi, R. (eds.): Chemistry for Green Environment. Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  60. Thornton, J.: Implementing Green Chemistry: an environmental policy for sustainability. Pure Appl. Chem. 73, 1231–1236 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Thornton, J.: Beyond risk: an ecological paradigm to prevent global chemical pollution. Int. J. Occup. Environ. Health 6, 318–330 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Tiezzi, E.: Tempos Históricos, Tempos Biológicos, a Terra ou a Morte: os Problemas da Nova Ecologia. São Paulo, Nobel (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  63. Werner, J.C., Cannon, A.S., Dye, K.K.: Green Chemistry. Environ. Impact Assess. Rev. 24, 775–799 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Winterton, N.: Sense and sustainability: the role of chemistry, green or otherwise. Clean Techn. Environ. Policy 5, 8–20 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Winterton, N.: Chemistry for Sustainable Technologies: A Foundation. RCS Publishing, Cambridge, UK (2011), Chapter 6

  66. Woodhouse, E.J., Breyman, S.: Green Chemistry as a social movement. Sci. Techonol. Human Values 30, 199–222 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. WCED (World Commission on Environmental and Development): Our Common Future. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1987)

Download references

Acknowledgments

To CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Brasil), as well as CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brasil) and FCT (Fundação de Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal), for the award of a collaboration project on “Chemical Education under the Perspective of Green Chemistry and Environmental Sustainability”, project nr 289/11 (Brasil) and 151/11 (Portugal).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Metodologia de Ensino and Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação Científica e Tecnológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Carlos Alberto Marques

  2. Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal

    Adélio A. S. C. Machado

Authors
  1. Carlos Alberto Marques
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adélio A. S. C. Machado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adélio A. S. C. Machado.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Marques, C.A., Machado, A.A.S.C. Environmental Sustainability: implications and limitations to Green Chemistry. Found Chem 16, 125–147 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10698-013-9189-x

Download citation

Keywords

  • Green Chemistry
  • Sustainable Development
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Eco-thermodynamics