Hazard Reduction

Chrome plating with trivalent chromium. Conventional chrome plating uses hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is the most toxic form of chromium due to its carcinogenic properties. This technology uses trivalent chromium, which is much less toxic and non-carcinogenic. This company uses a new electrodeposition process alternating between a cathodic pulse followed by an anodic pulse and a relaxation period. This process allows for thicker coatings of trivalent chromium and allows the structure and properties of the coating to be adjusted.

Sustainable and energy efficient building materials. These builing materials capture carbon dioxide and replenish farmland. The industrial hemp used in these products are grown sustainably and manufacture into insulation materials with renewable energy. Hemp growth offsets 9.8 tons of carbon dioxide per acre. HempWool® has no VOCs and toxins and is safe to touch. Other products include Hempcrete, Hemp and Lime Blocks, and AcoustiBatts.

Highly magnetic materials for enzyme immobilization. Enzyme immobilization can improve enzyme stability and enable enzyme recycling. This company uses a highly magnetic matrix that protects the enzymes from degradation and denaturation, allowing them to function in more extreme temperatures and pHs. The immobilized enzymes are also optimized to reach full activity and high loadings. The magnetic matrix allows the enzymes to easily and quickly recover with a simple magnet. This technology allows for cost-effective, industrial biocatalysis with better activity, results, and productivity.

Medical sterilization of sensitive tissues using supercritical carbon dioxide, peracetic acid, and water. Traditional sterilization techniques, such as ethylene oxide and gamma radiation, eliminate bacteria and bacterial endospores while causing severe damage to the tissue. Ethylene oxide can cause mutations and cancer, and gamma radiation can penetrate and damage cells. This process serves as an alternative method to sterilization. Supercritical carbon dioxide is easily available, inexpensive, non-toxic, and ensures gentle treatment of the product.

One-step, environmentally friendly process for the synthesis of solid oxide catalysts. The conventional production of catalysts requires acid-base precipitation with a metal nitrate, producing large volumes of nitrate and halogenated waste and emitting NOx and SOx gases. The extraction of nitrate and other salts generates large volumes of wastewater. This novel synthetic process eliminates aqueous and nitrate waste by using an organic acid, a pure metal, and an oxidizing agent that is usually air.

Technology that uses a protein tag that selectively binds to amino acids to measure protein concentration. The Sprint® Rapid Protein Analyzer uses iTAG® protein-tagging technology. The iTAG® solution selectively binds to three amino acids present in proteins: histidine, arginine, and lysine. The iTAG® solution is acidic and connects with the basic group of these amino acids when they come into contact. After removing the iTAG® solution through filtration, colorimetry is used to determine protein concentration.

Ingredients for flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, personal care products, and specialty materials. P2 Science transformers terpenes from the forest and oleochemicals from the field into safe, renewable, high performance, biodegradable, and multi-functional new ingredients for flavors, fragrances, cosmetics, personal care products, and specialty materials. Citropol® is a novel class of low MW liquid polymers that are made from 100% forest-derived terpenes through a clean, mild, and high yielding conversion process.

Fluorinated, nonflammable, environmentally friendly solvent. ZEORORA® H is a nonflammable and environmentally friendly solvent for a variety of applications.  ZEORORA® H/HTA is a cleaning solvent and functions as an alternative to HCFC-225 and nPB. This solvent has zero ozone depletion potential, minimal global warming potential, and a short atmospheric lifetime. It is also thermally stable, easy to recover, and has a high boiling point and low consumption.