Water and Green Solvents

     The first "green solvent," was developed by a team of chemists from the University of Buffalo, the University of Texas, the University of Nottingham, and the University of Colorado.  It was a microemulsion, and it was made of water, an alternative form of carbon dioxide, and a flourinated surfactant.  A flourinated surfactant is composed of multiple flourine atoms, and is used to lower the surface tension of water.  This particular surfactant was one that is typically used as a blood substitute.
     This solvent was unique because it was composed of water as well as carbon dioxide.  Carbon dioxide is also a naturally preferable solvent, since it is not dangerous and is in abundantly available.  However, water and proteins cannot be dissolved in carbon dioxide alone, which created the need for the other ingredients listed above.

Green catalyst

     Recent research has indicated that iron is quite useful as a catalyst when creating pharmaceuticals and fragrances, among other substances.  Iron has been used lately in replacement of harsh, toxic catalysts, and with impressive results.  Not only is this substance more green, it is also cost-efficient.  In the past, metals such as ruthenium and rhodium have been used for the same purpose, rendering the substance toxic until costly toxin removal procedures have been performed.  There is no such risk when iron is used because it is safe and does not produce toxins in these reactions.
     I liked doing research for this blog because I was able to find an example of something that is green and also economically preferable to the alternative processes.  I hear of so many examples of living in an environmentally-friendly way costing more, and there are many cases like this where it is actually less expensive to use a safer, more natural product.