AI Summary
Researchers are studying chemical processes in nature to develop new, cleaner means of chemical production and computers that can communicate with the human body. Dr. Andrés de la Escosura is looking to mimic nature's efficient and environmentally friendly chemistry in industrial processes through the CLASSY research initiative funded by the EU. By better understanding how living organisms utilize biochemical reactions, they hope to create a more sustainable chemical industry with less waste.
Researchers are studying chemical processes in nature to develop new, cleaner means of chemical production and computers that can communicate with the human body.
When Dr. Andrés de la Escosura, an organic chemistry researcher at the Institute for Advanced Research in Chemical Sciences (IAdChem) in Madrid, Spain, set out to fundamentally change the way that we produce the chemicals used in everyday life, his rationale was simple. Chemistry in nature is clean and efficient, while industrial chemistry is anything but.
“Chemical reactions in nature are incredibly efficient, generating very little waste and consuming very little energy,” said de la Escosura.
He wondered whether, by mimicking biology more closely in industrial reactions, we could create a cleaner, more environment-friendly chemical industry.
Thanks to funding from the EU, de la Escosura was able to join forces with researchers from countries such as Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland to put these ideas to the test in a research initiative called CLASSY that ended earlier this year.
Natural advantage
Living organisms function using biochemical reactions. Everything, from respiration and photosynthesis through to the digestion of food and the contraction of muscles, involves the movement, breakdown, recombination and synthesis of chemicals. These processes are all very clean and energy efficient.
On the other hand, today’s industrial chemical industry that is used to power sectors such as health, energy, transport and housing creates vast amounts of waste. The