Promoting green engineering through green chemistry.

The decisions made by chemists in designing chemical products and processes directly impactthe options available to engineers. The physical and chemical properties of a material, for example, dictate the type of reactor that must be used in a given process. The task of the engineer is simplified when chemists design products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry provides a foundation on which to build green engineering. This paper highlights green chemistry technologies that minimize the need for engineering safeguards in the areas of feedstocks, reagents, solvents, and syntheses.