Green Chemistry and the Ten Commandments

Chap. 12. Feedstocks 323

mixture was simply separated mechanically from the calcium alginate beads containing
the microorganisms, which were then recycled for the next batch of reactant. The water
was distilled off of the product to leave an oil, from which the 5-cyanovaleramide
product was dissolved in methanol, leaving adipamide and other byproducts behind. In
contrast to the enormous amount of waste catalyst produced in the chemical synthesis
of 5-cyanovaleramide, only 0.006 kg of catalyst waste residue was produced per kg
of product. And the waste microbial catalyst was 93% water, so its disposal was not a
problem.

LITERATURE CITED

1. Miller, Edward S., and Steven W. Peretti, “Bioconversion of Toluene to p-
   Hydroxybenzoate Using a Recombinant Pseudomonas Putida,” Green Chemical
   Syntheses and Processes, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000, pp. 126–142.


2. DiCosimo, Robert, “Biocatalytic Production of 5 Cyanovaleramide from Adiponitrile,”
   Green Chemical Syntheses and Processes, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000,
   pp. 114–125.

QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS

1. Discuss advantages that biological feedstocks have over petroleum. Are there
   disadvantages?


2. What is a fundamental chemical difference between petroleum and biological
   feedstocks?


3. Name some characteristics of an ideal feedstock.


4. Name three kinds of reactions used in processing feedstocks. Which is best from the
   viewpoint of green chemistry?


5. Name several categories of biomass that can be used for feedstocks. Which of these
   is the least useful?


6. How are oils extracted from plant sources?


7. Use chemical formulas to make the argument that carbohydrates are a more oxidized
   chemical feedstock than hydrocarbons.


8. What are the two main biological sources of materials?


9. Name some categories of chemicals routinely produced by fermentation.


10. Which pharmaceutical material has been produced by fermentation for many
    years?