EPA Award

Natural rhamnolipids, or co-surfactant systems, for bioremediation applications and crude oil recovery. These rhamnolipid biosurfactants can facilitate the removal of hydrocarbons and heavy metals, making them effective in remediating soil and sludge. These rhamnolipids also contain a synergistic activity with many synthetic surfactants, resuluting in a reduction in synthetic surfactant components. They are also biodegradable, with decompositions that are non-persisitent and safe for the environment.

Halogen-free firefighting surfactant. RE-HEALING™ RF3 is a fluorosurfactant and fluoropolymer-free foam concentrate that effectively extinguishes Class B hydrocarbon fuel fires. It can be used in fresh, salt, or brackish water. These surfactants have a high rate of degradation and perform equal or superior to those in conventional firefighting foams. It is also easy to integrate into existing systems. Conventional firefighting foams use fluorinated surfactants, which are persistent, toxic, and bioaccumulative. 

Atom Transfer Radical Polymerizatoin (ATRP) for manufacturing polymers. ATRP is the most effecting method of controlled radical polymerization (CRP). The ATRP process allows for the easy formation of polymers by assembling monomors in a piece-by-piece fashion. This allows for the production of a wide range of polymers with specific functions and properties. The ATRP process uses enviromentally friends chemicals, such ascorbic acid, and requires less transition metal catalysts.

Synthetic methodology for the development of 4-ADPA. 4-Aminodiphenylamine (4-ADPA) is a key building block for rubber preservatives. Many aromatic amines are made with halogenated reagents, especially those containing chlorine. The Eastman Chemical Company's previous production of 4-ADPA is based on the chlorination of benzene. This process produced aqueous waste with high levels of inorganic salts that are difficult and expensive to treat. This process also required the storage and handling of large quantities of chlorine gas, which is hazardous to human health.

Polylactic acid (PLA) made from greenhouse gases. This process transforms greenhouse gases into PLA by using agricultural crops to sequester carbon and transform it to simple plant sugars through photosynthesis. The plants are milled to extract glucose as starch. Enzymes are then added to convert the glucose to dextrose via hydrolysis. Microorganisms then ferment the dextrose into lactic acid. Lactic acid is converted to lactide and lactide is polymerized into Ingeo™ PLA by opening the lactide ring and linking them together to form a long polylactide polymer chain.

Catalysts that use carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide to produce polymers. Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are ideal feedstocks for chemistry because they are abundant, renewable, and easily extracted at low costs. This technology polymerizes carbon dioxide and epoxides into polycarbonates that can be used as feedstocks to produce pharmaceuticals and plastics. Novomer Inc uses polycarbonate coating in their electronics though a process called Novo™.

Bayer CropScience developed a microbial fungicide for fruits and vegetables that produces lipopeptides to combat the growth and development of fungi. This technology is made of QST-713, a soil bacterium that protects the plant by creating a protective layer on the surface of the plant leaf (preventing the attack of pathogens) and producing multiple different lipopeptides (iturins, agrastatins/plipastatins, and surfactins) that inhibit the development of fungi by different mechanisms of action. The combined properties of Serenade® make it an effective and specific fungicide.

Dow/Corteva™ developed a biopesticide for pests in tree fruits, tree nuts, small fruits, and vegetables called Spinetoram. Corteva™ used the principles of green chemistry to develop a synthetic pathway for the synthesis of spinetoram. Spinetoram is a combination of 3'-O-ethyl-5,6-dihydro spinosyn J and 3'O-ethyl spinosyn L and can be produced in a low-impact synthetic route from spinosyns J and L. These two compounds are naturally occurring fermentation products with minimal environmental damage. Most catalysts, solvents, and catalysts in the synthesis process are recycled.