The twelve principles of green chemistry, developed by Paul Anastas and John Warner, guide scientists in creating safer chemicals. Key principles include:
Prevention: Avoid waste rather than treating or cleaning it up after it has been created. Atom Economy: Design synthetic methods that maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product. Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses: Design syntheses to use and generate substances with little or no toxicity to human health and the environment. Design for Degradation: Chemical products should be designed to break down into benign substances after use. Real-time Analysis for Pollution Prevention: Develop analytical methodologies to allow real-time, in-process monitoring and control of hazardous substances.
