Realization of Low-wax Lipstick by Rubber Molding Technology.

Reducing the quantity of wax in lipstick can improve the properties of the lipstick, including the glossiness, moisturizing capability, and longevity. However, lipsticks with less wax tend to break more easily. Therefore, to prevent breakage while reducing the wax content, we focused on the crystal structure of the wax gel and strain generated during the cooling and solidification processes as they are structural factors that affect fragility. Generally, if the crystals and strain are small, the structure is less easily broken. However, because the tip of the lipstick cools more rapidly from below than the root, the strain of the root against the tip increases owing to poor heat transmission. This creates large shrink holes in the root. While reheating from above can suppress the generation of shrink holes, it also causes the crystals to grow larger and the structure to become weak owing to slow cooling. Therefore, we adopted a rubber-molding technology generally used to form logos and complicated shapes as a strategy to mitigate these issues. This successfully reduced the strain generated inside the lipstick during the cooling process, as the rubber mold shrunk along with the lipstick, making it possible to quench the root. Therefore, we were able to realize a small crystal structure and low strain on the root of the lipstick. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to realize a lipstick with excellent features by reducing the quantity of wax.

Continuous Flow Upgrading of Selected C2-C6 Platform Chemicals Derived from Biomass.

The ever increasing industrial production of commodity and specialty chemicals inexorably depletes the finite primary fossil resources available on Earth. The forecast of population growth over the next 3 decades is a very strong incentive for the identification of alternative primary resources other than petro-based ones. In contrast with fossil resources, renewable biomass is a virtually inexhaustible reservoir of chemical building blocks. Shifting the current industrial paradigm from almost exclusively petro-based resources to alternative bio-based raw materials requires more than vibrant political messages; it requires a profound revision of the concepts and technologies on which industrial chemical processes rely. Only a small fraction of molecules extracted from biomass bears significant chemical and commercial potentials to be considered as ubiquitous chemical platforms upon which a new, bio-based industry can thrive. Owing to its inherent assets in terms of unique process experience, scalability, and reduced environmental footprint, flow chemistry arguably has a major role to play in this context. This review covers a selection of C2 to C6 bio-based chemical platforms with existing commercial markets including polyols (ethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, glycerol, 1,4-butanediol, xylitol, and sorbitol), furanoids (furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural) and carboxylic acids (lactic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, itaconic acid, and levulinic acid). The aim of this review is to illustrate the various aspects of upgrading bio-based platform molecules toward commodity or specialty chemicals using new process concepts that fall under the umbrella of continuous flow technology and that could change the future perspectives of biorefineries.

Harnessing the Power of Enzymes for Tailoring and Valorizing Lignin.

Lignin, a structural component of lignocellulosic plants, is an alternative raw material with enormous potential to replace diminishing fossil-based resources for the sustainable production of many chemicals and materials. Unfortunately, lignin's heterogeneity, low reactivity, and strong intra- and intermolecular hydrogen interactions and modifications introduced during the pulping process present significant technical challenges. However, the increasing ability to tailor lignin biosynthesis pathways by targeting enzymes and the continued discovery of more robust biocatalysts are enabling the synthesis of novel valuable products. This review summarizes how enzymes involved in lignin biosynthesis pathways and microbial enzymes are being harnessed to produce chemicals and materials and to upgrade lignin properties for the synthesis of a variety of value-added lignin industrial products.

Material-Microbe Interfaces for Solar-Driven CO2 Bioelectrosynthesis.

Sustainable production of solar-based chemicals is possible by mimicking the natural photosynthetic mechanism. To realize the full potential of solar-to-chemical production, the artificial means of photosynthesis and the biological approach should complement each other. The recently developed hybrid microbe-metal interface combines an inorganic, semiconducting light-harvester material with efficient and simple microorganisms, resulting in a novel metal-microbe interface that helps the microbes to capture energy directly from sunlight. This solar energy is then used for sustainable biosynthesis of chemicals from CO2. This review discusses various approaches to improve the electron uptake by microbes at the bioinorganic interface, especially self-photosensitized microbial systems and integrated water splitting biosynthetic systems, with emphasis on CO2 bioelectrosynthesis.

Current and Future Roles of Artificial Intelligence in Medicinal Chemistry Synthesis.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have demonstrated their potential role in predictive chemistry and synthetic planning of small molecules; there are at least a few reports of companies employing in silico synthetic planning into their overall approach to accessing target molecules. A data-driven synthesis planning program is one component being developed and evaluated by the Machine Learning for Pharmaceutical Discovery and Synthesis (MLPDS) consortium, comprising MIT and 13 chemical and pharmaceutical company members. Together, we wrote this perspective to share how we think predictive models can be integrated into medicinal chemistry synthesis workflows, how they are currently used within MLPDS member companies, and the outlook for this field.

Engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells for production of fatty acid-derived biofuels and chemicals.

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a widely used cell factory for the production of fuels and chemicals, in particular ethanol, a biofuel produced in large quantities. With a need for high-energy-density fuels for jets and heavy trucks, there is, however, much interest in the biobased production of hydrocarbons that can be derived from fatty acids. Fatty acids also serve as precursors to a number of oleochemicals and hence provide interesting platform chemicals. Here, we review the recent strategies applied to metabolic engineering of S. cerevisiae for the production of fatty acid-derived biofuels and for improvement of the titre, rate and yield (TRY). This includes, for instance, redirection of the flux towards fatty acids through engineering of the central carbon metabolism, balancing the redox power and varying the chain length of fatty acids by enzyme engineering. We also discuss the challenges that currently hinder further TRY improvements and the potential solutions in order to meet the requirements for commercial application.

Biotechnological Production of Organic Acids from Renewable Resources.

Biotechnological processes are promising alternatives to petrochemical routes for overcoming the challenges of resource depletion in the future in a sustainable way. The strategies of white biotechnology allow the utilization of inexpensive and renewable resources for the production of a broad range of bio-based compounds. Renewable resources, such as agricultural residues or residues from food production, are produced in large amounts have been shown to be promising carbon and/or nitrogen sources. This chapter focuses on the biotechnological production of lactic acid, acrylic acid, succinic acid, muconic acid, and lactobionic acid from renewable residues, these products being used as monomers for bio-based material and/or as food supplements. These five acids have high economic values and the potential to overcome the "valley of death" between laboratory/pilot scale and commercial/industrial scale. This chapter also provides an overview of the production strategies, including microbial strain development, used to convert renewable resources into value-added products.

Clostridium butyricum population balance model: Predicting dynamic metabolic flux distributions using an objective function related to extracellular glycerol content.

BACKGROUND: Extensive experimentation has been conducted to increment 1,3-propanediol (PDO) production using Clostridium butyricum cultures in glycerol, but computational predictions are limited. Previously, we reconstructed the genome-scale metabolic (GSM) model iCbu641, the first such model of a PDO-producing Clostridium strain, which was validated at steady state using flux balance analysis (FBA). However, the prediction ability of FBA is limited for batch and fed-batch cultures, which are the most often employed industrial processes. RESULTS: We used the iCbu641 GSM model to develop a dynamic flux balance analysis (DFBA) approach to predict the PDO production of the Colombian strain Clostridium sp IBUN 158B. First, we compared the predictions of the dynamic optimization approach (DOA), static optimization approach (SOA), and direct approach (DA). We found no differences between approaches, but the DOA simulation duration was nearly 5000 times that of the SOA and DA simulations. Experimental results at glycerol limitation and glycerol excess allowed for validating dynamic predictions of growth, glycerol consumption, and PDO formation. These results indicated a 4.4% error in PDO prediction and therefore validated the previously proposed objective functions. We performed two global sensitivity analyses, finding that the kinetic input parameters of glycerol uptake flux had the most significant effect on PDO predictions. The other input parameters evaluated during global sensitivity analysis were biomass composition (precursors and macromolecules), death constants, and the kinetic parameters of acetic acid secretion flux. These last input parameters, all obtained from other Clostridium butyricum cultures, were used to develop a population balance model (PBM). Finally, we simulated fed-batch cultures, predicting a final PDO production near to 66 g/L, almost three times the PDO predicted in the best batch culture. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a dynamic approach to predict PDO production using the iCbu641 GSM model and the previously proposed objective functions. This validated approach was used to propose a population model and then an increment in predictions of PDO production through fed-batch cultures. Therefore, this dynamic model could predict different scenarios, including its integration into downstream processes to predict technical-economic feasibilities and reducing the time and costs associated with experimentation.

Nonionic surfactant enhanced biodegradation of m-xylene by mixed bacteria and its application in biotrickling filter.

In this study, m-xylene biodegradation was examined in bacteria-water mixed solution and biotrickling filter (BTF) systems amended with the nonionic surfactant Tween 80. The mixed bacteria were obtained from the activated sludge of a coking plant through a multisubstrate acclimatization process. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed that Rhodanobacter sp. was the dominant species among the mixed bacteria. In the bacteria-water mixed solution, the bacterial density increased with increasing Tween 80 concentration. Hence, Tween 80 could be utilized as substrate by the mixed bacteria. Tween 80, with concentrations of 50-100 mg L-1, could enhance the bioavailability of m-xylene and consequently improve the degradation efficiency of m-xylene. However, further increasing the initial concentration of Tween 80 would decrease the degradation efficiency of m-xylene. At concentrations exceeding 100 mg L-1, Tween 80 was preferentially degraded by the mixed bacteria over m-xylene. In BTF systems, when the m-xylene inlet concentration was 1200 mg m-3 and the empty bed residence time was 20 sec, the removal efficiency and elimination capacity of BTF1 with Tween 80 addition were at most 20% and 24% higher than those of BTF2 without Tween 80 addition. Overall, the integrated application of the mixed bacteria and surfactant was demonstrated to be a highly effective strategy for m-xylene waste gas treatment. IMPLICATIONS: The integrated application of mixed bacteria and surfactant was demonstrated to be a promising approach for the highly efficient removal of m-xylene. Surfactant can activate mixed bacteria to degrade m-xylene by increasing its bioavailability. Besides, surfactant can be utilized as carbon source by the mixed bacteria so that the growth of mixed bacteria can be promoted. It is expected that the integrated application of both technologies will become more common in future chemical industry.

Quantification and Variability Analysis of Lignin Optical Properties for Colour-Dependent Industrial Applications.

Lignin availability has increased significantly due to the commercialization of several processes for recovery and further development of alternatives for integration into Kraft pulp mills. Also, progress in lignin characterization, understanding of its chemistry as well as processing methods have resulted in the identification of novel lignin-based products and potential derivatives, which can serve as building block chemicals. However, all these have not led to the successful commercialization of lignin-based chemicals and materials. This is because most analyses and characterizations focus only on the technical suitability and quantify only the composition, functional groups present, size and morphology. Optical properties, such as the colour, which influences the uptake by users for diverse applications, are neither taken into consideration nor analysed. This paper investigates the quantification of lignin optical properties and how they can be influenced by process operating conditions. Lignin extraction conditions were also successfully correlated to the powder colour. About 120 lignin samples were collected and the variability of their colours quantified with the CIE L*a*b* colour space. In addition, a robust and reproducible colour measurement method was developed. This work lays the foundation for identifying chromophore molecules in lignin, as a step towards correlating the colour to the functional groups and the purity.

Components of sustainability considerations in management of petrochemical industries.

Sustainability comprises three pillars of social, environmental, and economic aspects. Petrochemical industry has a great inter-related complex impact on social and economic development of societies and adverse impact on almost all environmental aspects and resource depletion in many countries, which make sustainability a crucial issue for petrochemical industries. This study was conducted to propose components of sustainability considerations in management of petrochemical industries.A combination of exploratory study-to prepare a preliminary list of components of sustainable business in petrochemical industries based on review of literature and Delphi-to obtain experts' view on this preliminary list and provide a detailed list of components and sub-components that should be addressed to bring sustainability to petrochemical industries, were used.Two sets of components were provided. First general components, which include stakeholders (staffs, society, and environment) with four sub-components, financial resources with 11 sub-components, improvement of design and processes with nine sub-components, policy and strategy of cleaner production with seven sub-components and leadership with seven sub-components. The second operational components included raw material supply and preparation with five, synthesis with ten, product separation and refinement with nine, product handling and storage with five, emission abatement with eight, and improvement of technology and equipment with 16 sub-components.

PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB minimization: A 13-year experimental study along the flue gas cleaning system of a secondary aluminium refining plant.

A 13-years study shows that a careful design of the flue gas cleaning system of a full scale secondary aluminium refining plant results in a minimized and very stable emission of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins (PCDD), Polychlorinated Dibenzo Furans (PCDF) and dioxin-like Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB). The value of equivalent toxicity of PCDD/F in the emission was definitely of an order of magnitude less than the regulation limit. In the initial flue gas cleaning system, the PCB mean fingerprint after the slow cooling of the flue gas was typical of de novo synthesis. Instead, in the presence of quenching, there was evidence that the fast cooling of flue gas prevented the PCB de novo synthesis. In fact, the PCB profile was similar to that in the air collected from the aspiration hoods for the quenching. The gas-phase and solid-phase partitioning of PCBs, before and after the fabric filters, highlights the predominant role of the vapor phase with respect to the total removal efficiency. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons breakdown could be an additional de novo formation pathway even in industrial plants.

Modular Chemical Process Intensification: A Review.

Modular chemical process intensification can dramatically improve energy and process efficiencies of chemical processes through enhanced mass and heat transfer, application of external force fields, enhanced driving forces, and combinations of different unit operations, such as reaction and separation, in single-process equipment. These dramatic improvements lead to several benefits such as compactness or small footprint, energy and cost savings, enhanced safety, less waste production, and higher product quality. Because of these benefits, process intensification can play a major role in industrial and manufacturing sectors, including chemical, pulp and paper, energy, critical materials, and water treatment, among others. This article provides an overview of process intensification, including definitions, principles, tools, and possible applications, with the objective to contribute to the future development and potential applications of modular chemical process intensification in industrial and manufacturing sectors. Drivers and barriers contributing to the advancement of process intensification technologies are discussed.

Industrial biomanufacturing: The future of chemical production.

The current model for industrial chemical manufacturing employs large-scale megafacilities that benefit from economies of unit scale. However, this strategy faces environmental, geographical, political, and economic challenges associated with energy and manufacturing demands. We review how exploiting biological processes for manufacturing (i.e., industrial biomanufacturing) addresses these concerns while also supporting and benefiting from economies of unit number. Key to this approach is the inherent small scale and capital efficiency of bioprocesses and the ability of engineered biocatalysts to produce designer products at high carbon and energy efficiency with adjustable output, at high selectivity, and under mild process conditions. The biological conversion of single-carbon compounds represents a test bed to establish this paradigm, enabling rapid, mobile, and widespread deployment, access to remote and distributed resources, and adaptation to new and changing markets.

[Evaluation of workplace air pollution with fluor compounds and their contents of biologic media in aluminium production workers].

The authors estimated fluorine compounds content of workplace air in electrolysis workshops of aluminium production, for various electrolysis technologies. The data cover results of physical and chemical analysis and material constitution of produced toxic dust complexes, urinary excretion levels of fluorine ion and fluorides accumulation in hair of aluminium production workers.

[Biologic monitoring of chlorine organic hydrocarbons in vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride production].

The authors presented data of chemical analytic control of chlorine compounds level in workplace air of vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride production, and biomonitoring results of vinyl chloride and 1.2-dichloroethane metabolite - thiodiacetic acid urinary level in workers of this production. Findings are exceeded hygienic norms on maximal concentrations of 1.2-dichloroethane in a workshop for vinyl chloride production from 1.0 to 2.85 MACs and of vinyl chloride in a workshop for polyvinyl chloride production from 2.06 to 5.52 MACs. Urinary levels of thiodiacetic acid were assessed in workers of vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride production in dependence on occupation, length of service and post-contact time.

[Changes in endocrine profile of workers in pulp and paper plant.]

Examination covered 245 individuals and included characteristics of endocrine state of pulp and paper plant workers over 2011-2012, in comparison with data from 1990, as well as comparison with reference groups of male workers with no contact with chemical'industry in Arkhangelsk. Findings are both in main and reference groups general decrease in levels of cortisol, thyroxin;progesterone, testosterone, insulin, somatotropin and increased serum level of estradiol. With that, inside both groups, reliable tendencies to increased levels of cortisol, thyroxin, insulin, SSH and lower concentration of progesterone in the pulp and paper plant workers vs. the reference group members. Positive tendency was absence of abnormal concentrations of insulin, SSH and lower frequency of high cortisol levels in the pulp and paper plant workers nowadays.

Applying the three R's: Reduce, reuse, and recycle in the chemical industry.

Pollution prevention (P2) assessment was conducted by applying the three R's, reduce, reuse, and recycle, in a chemical industry for the purpose of reducing the amount of wastewater generated, reusing paint wastewater in the manufacture of cement bricks, recycling cooling water, and improving water usage efficiency. The results of this study showed that the annual wastewater flow generated from the paint manufacturing can be reduced from 1,100 m3 to 488.4 m3 (44.4% reduction) when a high-pressure hose is used. Two mixtures were prepared. The first mixture (A) contains cement, coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, Addicrete BVF, and clean water. The second mixture (B) contains the same components used in the first mixture, except that paint wastewater was used instead of the clean water. The prepared samples were tested for water absorption, toxicity, reactivity, compressive strength, ignitability, and corrosion. The tests results indicated that using paint wastewater in the manufacture of the cement bricks improved the mechanical properties of the bricks. The toxicity test results showed that the metals concentration in the bricks did not exceed the U.S. EPA limits. This company achieved the goal of zero liquid discharge (ZLD), especially after recycling 2,800 m3 of cooling water. The total annual saving could reach $42,570 with a payback period of 41 days. IMPLICATIONS: This research focused on improving the water usage efficiency, reducing the quantity of wastewater generated, and potentially reusing wastewater in the manufacture of cement bricks. Reusing paint wastewater in the manufacture of the bricks prevents the hazardous pollutants in the wastewater (calcium carbonate, styrene acrylic resins, colored pigments, and titanium dioxide) from entering and polluting the surface water and the environment. We think that this paper will help to find the most efficient and cost-effective way to manage paint wastewater and conserve fresh water resources. We also believe that this paper provides a rich agenda for future research in water conservation and industrial wastewater reuse subjects.

Soft Sensors: Chemoinformatic Model for Efficient Control and Operation in Chemical Plants.

Soft sensor is statistical model as an essential tool for controlling pharmaceutical, chemical and industrial plants. I introduce soft sensor, the roles, the applications, the problems and the research examples such as adaptive soft sensor, database monitoring and efficient process control. The use of soft sensor enables chemical industrial plants to be operated more effectively and stably.

Life cycle assessment of carbon capture and utilization from ammonia process in Mexico.

Post-combustion CO2 capture (PCC) of flue gas from an ammonia plant (AP) and the environmental performance of the carbon capture utilization (CCU) technology for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) system in Mexico was performed as case study. The process simulations (PS) and life cycle assessment (LCA) were used as supporting tools to quantify the CO2 capture and their environmental impacts, respectively. Two scenarios were considered: 1) the AP with its shift and CO2 removal unit and 2) Scenario 1 plus PCC of the flue gas from the AP primary reformer (AP-2CO2) and the global warming (GW) impact. Also, the GW of the whole of a CO2-EOR project, from these two streams of captured CO2, was evaluated. Results show that 372,426 tCO2/year can be PCC from the flue gas of the primary reformer and 480,000 tons/y of capacity from the AP. The energy requirement for solvent regeneration is estimated to be 2.8 MJ/kgCO2 or a GW impact of 0.22 kgCO2e/kgCO2 captured. GW performances are 297.6 kgCO2e emitted/barrel (bbl) for scenario one, and 106.5 kgCO2e emitted/bbl for the second. The net emissions, in scenario one, were 0.52 tCO2e/bbl and 0.33 tCO2e/bbl in scenario two. Based on PS, this study could be used to evaluate the potential of CO2 capture of 4080 t/d of 4 ammonia plants. The integration of PS-LCA to a PCC study allows the applicability as methodological framework for the development of a cluster of projects in which of CO2 could be recycled back to fuel, chemical, petrochemical products or for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). With AP-2CO2, "CO2 emission free" ammonia production could be achieved.