From green to circular chemistry paved by biocatalysis

Abstract

Since its origin, green chemistry has headed the best-guiding philosophy for reducing pollution and safeguarding the environment. The twelve Principles of Green Chemistry provide us with enough tools to design sustainable transformations and implement industrial processes by means of renewable feedstocks. All these processes, to avoid or minimise waste production, require not only selective and efficient catalytic transformations with high atom and energy efficiency but also clean separation processes, and the use of non-toxic and safe products. Biocatalysts synthesized by the green chemistry and circular economy principles can constitute the most important and efficient strategy for achieving many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. This will drive our society to a sustainable future by reducing the consumption of resources and drastically minimising the environmental impact of our recalcitrant wastes. This perspective illustrates by a series of selected examples how green and circular chemistry based on biocatalytic processes can pave synergies for sustainable development.