5th ICGC 2014: Focus on Green Chemistry

(PHOTO CREDIT: JOSEPH SOHM-VISIONS OF AMERICA/GETTY IMAGES)

The 5th International IUPAC Conference on Green Chemistry (5th ICGC) attracts experts and interested parties from around the world. The conference will be held in Durban, South Africa, from 17-21 August 2014. Durban is one of the largest cities in South Africa, and is famous for its beaches that open out onto the warm Indian Ocean and for its rich cultural heritage as the centre of Zulu culture.

Green chemistry itself is comparatively young. The IUPAC Working Party on Synthetic Pathways and Processes in Green Chemistry was founded in 1996 and the IUPAC Subcommittee on Green Chemistry was established in December 2000. The first conference of the series was held in Dresden, Germany, in 2006, and these conferences are now central events for those interested in green chemistry.

The main objective of the conference is to emphasize the importance of green chemistry for sustainable development, and to promote novel research and collaborations, by bringing together experts and interested parties from all over the world from academia to industry and governments. Plenary speakers from around the world will present sessions focused on the main research areas: Green synthesis processes; catalysis; environmentally benign solvents; enegy storage; biofuels; green chemistry education; and many others. Interfaces with other areas of chemistry will be emphasized in joint sessions with other IUPAC committees or divisions: Environmental chemistry, polymers, and chemical education. Fundamental aspects will be underlined in a session on sustainability and security that will be conducted by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

A preconference workshop "Ultrasound and Microwave as Green Processing Techniques for Diverse Technological Applications" presented by Sivakumar Manickam from the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (Selangor, Malaysia) and Giancarlo Cravotto from the University of Turin (Torino, Italy) will provide additional opportunities for specialized professional exchanges.

Overall, the 5th ICGC will provide a forum for presenting recent achievements, discussing new challenges, and exploring collaboration and networking possibilities. Participants in the 5th ICGC will enjoy an exceptional scientific meeting and the opportunity of an unforgettable African tourist experience.

Chairperson: Liliana Mammino

E-mail: saci.chem@wits.ac.za

Website: www.saci.co.za/greenchem2014/index.html

This article is from The Column. The full issue can be found here: http://www.chromatographyonline.com/vol-10-no-13-column-july-24-2014-europe-and-asia-pdf