United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Technology for a Sustainable Environment Grant Program:
A Decade of Innovation
, -*> >
*x
I &" *
^M
July 2006
-------
-------
Preface II
Program Overview 1
Technology for A Sustainable Environment Program Success Stories 7
Technology for A Sustainable Environment Program Reach and Relevance 15
Links to Additional Information 21
References 22
I
-------
Sustainability has many definitions, but its underlying concept remains the same: balancing environ-
mental protection and social responsibility with a healthy economy over time.
This concept of sustainability inspires public and private organizations to become better stewards
of the environment. Green engineering and chemistry play an important role in creating the
options that enable sustainability by developing chemicals, processes, products, and systems that
are environmentally preferable, more energy- and resource-efficient, and often more cost-effective.
These fields have grown and matured through the support of the Technology for a Sustainable
Environment (TSE) grant program. Established 10 years ago and funded jointly by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), the program
has invested over $50 million in innovative interdisciplinary research in green chemistry, green
engineering, and industrial ecology at universities throughout the U.S. In addition to building
fundamental knowledge, this
investment has paid off with Pollution Prevention Hierarchy
environmental, economic, and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_
societal benefits. It has led to new
practices in industry and reshaped
academic curricula.
Pollution Prevention Supports Sustainability
Sustainability cannot be achieved without innovations in
pollution prevention—the reduction or elimination of pollut-
ants at the source. The optimal way to prevent pollution is by
eliminating the production of waste altogether. When this is not
possible, reuse, recycling, and treatment are all better alterna-
tives to direct disposal.
In the success stories presented in this report, Dr. DeSimone's
carbon dioxide-based solvents prevent pollution by replacing
toxic solvents, Dr. Wool's hurricane-resistant housing made
from recycled newspapers reuses waste products, and Dr.
Thomas' research into tracking waste aims to increase recy-
cling efficiency.
Most
Preferred
Least
Preferred
This report describes the TSE
program—its goals, history, benefits,
and performance. Seven grant
"success stories" are presented
to illustrate the breadth of the
program and how it has supported
researchers with novel ideas and
produced groundbreaking results.
-------
The Technology for a Sustain-
able Environment (TSE)
program has fundamentally
reshaped the research
infrastructure in the fields of
chemistry and engineering by
promoting green practices,
nurturing young scientists and
engineers, and supporting new
collaborations among estab-
lished researchers and industry.
The program has funded
research that develops green
chemistry, green engineering,
and industrial ecology. The
TSE program was designed
to cultivate science and
engineering that use energy and
materials more efficiently, and
it promotes the discovery and
implementation of innovative
and environmentally preferable
processes and materials that
are functionally equivalent and
cost-competitive.
The TSE program was initiated
in 1994 when EPA's National
Center for Environmental
Research (NCER) entered into
a partnership with the National
Science Foundation (NSF)
to fund pollution prevention
research. Over the next 10
years, EPA and NSF awarded
tens of millions of dollars in the
form of grants for fundamental
and applied research under the
TSE program. The partnership
capitalized on both organiza-
tions' strengths for soliciting,
competitively awarding,
and managing high-quality,
peer-reviewed environmental
"Green chemistry and engineering are critical components of a
comprehensive approach to manufacturing - an approach that
considers not just the desired product, but the feedstocks, energy
costs, purification procedures, and environmental impact associated
with making the product."
research. NSF's focus on basic
research has balanced EPAs
focus on solutions to environ-
mental problems.
The partnership also brought
together a diverse team of EPA
and NSF technical staff to
shape the program. As a result,
the TSE program significantly
expanded federal support for
innovative research in this area.
Through 2006, EPA and NSF
awarded over $57 million for
205 research projects under
the TSE program (NSF, $30.9;
EPA, $26.8). Awards averaged
approximately $120,000 per
year, typically for a period of
two to three years. Exhibits
1 and 2 show the number of
TSE grants per year and the
program's historical funding
levels, respectively.
—Arden Bement, Director, National Science Foundation
-------
Exhibit 1. Number of TSE Grants Awarded by Year
401
w 35 j
2 30
2 25i
O 201
1 !o|
Z 5J
Joint
NSF
EPA
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
Exhibit 2. TSE Grant Funding Awarded by Year
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
NSF
EPA
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
Funded projects address
technological issues of design,
synthesis, processing, and the
production, use, and ultimate
disposal of products. Exhibit
3 provides an overview of the
major areas of research funded
by TSE grants, with examples
of specific grants, although
many grants fit under several
categories. The program's scope
broadened over time such that
the number of specific research
topics increased, though the
major areas remained consistent.
The TSE program encouraged
interdisciplinary approaches.
Research teams came from a
wide range of scientific fields,
including environmental
sciences, engineering, chemistry,
microbiology, materials science,
and social sciences. The grants
supported pioneering changes
in research infrastructure
through new collaborations
across technical disciplines and
organizations. Research and
development for a sustainable
future often requires analysis
-------
Many solvents used throughout the manufacturing industry are highly toxic, and their inadvertent release
Solvents into the environment can harm the health of wildlife and humans. Dr. Joseph DeSimone's research into
alternative carbon dioxide-based solvents is summarized on pages 7-8 of this report.
Process
Bioengineering
Chemical
Improvements
Green Design
and
Industrial Ecology
Catalysis
Renewable
Resources
Fuels and Energy
The electroplating industry creates a very large volume of chemical waste each year. While waste mini-
mization techniques have been available for some time, they have not been well characterized in terms of
cost and efficiency. At Wayne State University, Dr. Yinlun Huang is using artificial intelligence techniques
to develop an intelligent decision support system that can suggest techniques for waste minimization
in electroplating plants of any size. This TSE-funded research has developed four pollution prevention
technologies that reduce chemical solvent use and wastewater by 15 percent. Dr. Huang also found that
the electroplating industry and local governments were supportive and receptive to these technologies.
There is a growing need to reduce dependency on fossil fuels with renewable resources, which help
diversify the energy portfolio to ensure a constant energy supply even during times of crisis. Dr. Nancy
Ho at Purdue University received a TSE grant to further develop a yeast-based ethanol synthesis process.
Dr. Ho has genetically engineered or "bioengineered" yeast to more efficiently convert plant material into
ethanol, an environmentally friendly alternative transport fuel that can be used directly or blended with
gasoline. The use of ethanol has the further advantage of reducing dependency on foreign sources of oil,
thus protecting the nation's energy security and reducing the trade deficit caused by importing oil.
The pulp and paper industry uses organic solvents to remove lignin, the color-causing substance in wood,
from paper. The use of these solvents can result in the production of toxic dioxins. Dr. Robin Rogers of the
University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa received a TSE grant to develop an environmentally benign water-based
system for the removal of lignin. Dr. Rogers' new process more efficiently removes color from pulp
without the use of organic solvents, thus eliminating the production of dioxins and reducing the sulfur
content of paper, making both the process and the product more environmentally friendly.
Green design and industrial ecology aim to manage the environmental impact of an industry using a
systems approach in which the acquisition, use, and disposal of water, energy, and materials and the
relationships among them are documented, evaluated, and optimized. Dr. David Dornfeld at the University
of California-Berkeley received a TSE grant to develop a comprehensive tool to assess the environmental
impacts of semiconductor manufacturing. The aim of Dr. Dornfeld's research is to find new ways to
mitigate negative impacts and to inform environmental decision making with information about environ-
ment and health impacts resulting from different industry practices.
Catalysis refers to chemical processes that use catalysts to transform chemicals into other useful
products or intermediates. Catalysts facilitate the reactions but are not consumed by them. Research to
improve the selectivity and efficiency of catalysts is important to pollution prevention because certain
traditional catalysts produce toxic byproducts. The research of Dr. Terry Collins, summarized on pages
12-14, demonstrates how alternative catalysts can be developed to increase efficiency and decrease
environmental impacts of manufacturing processes.
The use of renewable resources promotes a sustainable production system. New technologies that rely on
waste products as a source of raw material help reduce impacts on the environment. Dr. Richard Wool's
TSE-sponsored research on high performance composites made from chicken feathers and recycled
newspapers is summarized on pages 9-10.
The burning of fossil fuels produces noxious gases such as sulfur oxides, which contribute to acid rain.
Conventional sulfur-removal technology is not able to easily reduce fuel sulfur levels to EPA standards.
Dr. Chunshan Song and colleagues at Pennsylvania State University received a TSE grant to develop a new
process that will efficiently remove the sulfur. The process under development is able to more selectively
remove sulfur compounds under ambient temperatures and pressures, thus reducing the cost and energy
of sulfur removal,
-------
of technical information and
complex phenomena over large
spatial and temporal domains.
Multi-disciplinary research
teams like the ones funded by
the TSE program often find it
difficult to obtain funding from
narrower scientific research
programs. TSE-supported
projects tend to be character-
ized as "on the cutting edge" or
"high-risk/high-payoff." With
its broader science-societal
perspective, the TSE program
has supported innovative,
problem-solving research.
Geographically, TSE investiga-
tors are located in 30 states
across the United States, with
the highest number of grants
in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and
Georgia. The distribution of
grants is shown in Exhibit 4.
TSE grants were awarded
competitively to fund high
TSE grantees Dr. Richard
Wool and Dr. Terry Collins
noted that the TSE program's
competitiveness and peer
review standards results
in high quality science that
is more likely to achieve
buy-in from future industrial
partners. "My best research
came from my TSE grants,"
said Dr. Wool.
quality science that meets
the research solicitation's
goals. The grant applications
were evaluated through a
rigorous merit review process.
The selectivity of the grant
program was high, with about
15 percent of the applicants
receiving grants in the last two
solicitations.
Applicants were encouraged
to seek project collaboration
with industrial partners on
Exhibit 4. Location of TSE Grantees in the U.S.
16
19:
14
121 7
11
19
a
2
2 sL
7 10
fundamental research issues
that link basic and applied
aspects of pollution prevention.
In some cases, state government
agencies or other professional
organizations also collaborated.
One NSF research priority
that has helped shape the TSE
program is the focus on training
and education of junior scientists
and engineers in academia.
Projects that provide both
graduate and undergraduate
students with experience in
research, interdisciplinary
educational activities, and
student teamwork are strongly
encouraged.
TSE program goals have been
focused on improving three
interconnected areas: the
environment, the economy, and
society (see Exhibit 5). Often
the TSE-supported research
leads to technologies that provide
better overall performance
at lower costs. In addition to
protecting the environment,
they require researchers to
consider a different set of design
constraints, thus stimulating
innovation that would not have
happened otherwise.
-------
In addition to these benefits, the
TSE program has all of the stan-
dard indicators of a successful
research and technology program,
including the following:
that
are the main mechanism by
which scientific findings and
advancements are documented
and disseminated to society;
Patents that are an important
step in the lifecycle of a new
technology leading to licensing
agreements and commercializa-
tion; and
that
enable a new process to be
implemented or a new product
to be commercialized more
quickly than if there were no
formal connection between
researcher and industry.
Equally important to the
program's success are the
student researchers who
have contributed significantly
to the development of new
technologies. Portions of TSE
grants funded graduate student
research that enabled these
individuals to achieve higher
degrees, contributing to a more
highly educated workforce.
Many of them go on to work
for industry and government,
bringing an awareness of and
interest in sustainability.
"The goals of green chemistry and engineering move us towards
innovation and collaboration for the mutual benefit of human health
and the environment while furthering economic competitiveness."
— Dr. Paul Oilman, Former Assistant Administrator for
Research and Development and Science Advisor, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Benefits
• Reduced use of water, especially in manufacturing processes
• Reduced use of energy in manufacturing processes, businesses, and homes
• Reduced use, generation, and release of hazardous chemicals
• Reduced release of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants to the air
• Reduced release of pollutants to water
• Reduced generation of waste through pollution prevention strategies
Economic Benefits
• Cost savings derived from decreased energy and other resource consumption
• Cost savings associated with reducing hazardous materials procurement,
handling, transportation, disposal, and compliance concerns
• Cost savings from reduced liability
• Competitive advantages from improved product/process performance, improved
efficiency, and consumer preferences
• New businesses and new jobs
• Lucrative products created from renewable resources produced in the United States
Societal Benefits
• Reduction in public health risks from chemical emissions, releases, and accidents
• Minimization of hazardous materials that require transportation and security efforts
• Safer working environments for industrial employees
• Education and inspiration of new generations of scientists and business leaders
who are highly educated and are trained to find sustainable solutions
• Decreased frequency of litigation and associated societal costs
-------
The TSE program has provided
many environmental, economic,
and societal benefits. In the
section that follows, TSE grant
"success stories" illustrate in
greater detail examples of the
program's benefits and progress
made toward sustainability.
-------
The seven TSE research
projects described in this
section reflect a wide range of
challenges to environmental
sustainability that are countered
using cutting-edge technologies
and practices. These success
stories describe research at
various stages of comple-
tion and at different points
in their progression from
research and development
to commercialization; these
stages are depicted in the
continuum in Exhibit 6. Several
technologies resulting from
grants funded in the earliest
years of the TSE program have
been implemented in industrial
applications. Other research
projects described here are in
earlier stages of the research
and development cycle.
with
Organic solvents, such as
perchloroethylene (perc), are
used in hundreds of industrial
processes ranging from manu-
facturing Teflon to developing
film. Some of these solvents are
highly toxic or can break down
into ozone-depleting gases, and
some processes contaminate
billions of gallons of waste-
water. Given these detrimental
environmental impacts, the
TSE program funded research
to identify alternatives to
organic solvent-based processes.
Dr. the
of at
Hill received a TSE grant
from EPA in 1997 to develop
carbon dioxide-based solvents.
His previous research had shown
that carbon dioxide (CO2) in its
liquid and supercritical states is
an excellent environmentally
Exhibit 6. The Technology Continuum
Research
(3 years)
Development
(2 years)
Research is the first in a series of phases necessary for a new technology to achieve full-scale
implementation and realization of its benefits. The rate at which technologies progress to com-
mercialization varies and is dependent on factors beyond the quality of the science. Ten years is the
typical timeframe for new pollution prevention technologies to achieve commercialization.1
-------
benign alternative solvent to
chlorofluorocarbons dissolved
in water. Under the TSE grant,
Dr. DeSimone and his collabo-
rators developed detergent-like
"surfactants" that allow CO2 to
dissolve substances that would
not normally be soluble. One
of the consumer applications
of this research is an alterna-
tive dry cleaning solution that
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
• Fourteen articles published
• Several patents for carbon
dioxide-based solvents,
including those for dry
cleaning and circuit board
coating
• Four industrial partners:
The BOC Group, SCF
Consortium, DuPont,
Stockhalven
• One start-up company:
MiCELL Technologies
• Seven collaborating
institutions, including:
Georgia Institute of
Technology, North Carolina
State University, North
Carolina A&T University,
University of Texas, Austin,
the Triangle National
Lithography Center, Sandia
National Laboratory, Oak
Ridge National Laboratory
replaces perchloroethylene.
This detergent system is now
used in more than 100 dry
cleaning establishments in over
12 states.
A follow-up grant to Dr.
DeSimone in 2001 allowed
him to extend this solvent
research into applications
for the microelectronics
industries. To produce a single
computer chip, conventional
lithography techniques use one
kilogram of organic solvent and
aqueous waste. The CO2-based
process that Dr. DeSimone is
developing to produce these
multi-layer integrated circuits
is environmentally benign,
ensuring that this and other
future manufacturing processes
have minimal impact on the
environment. The technology
also provides solutions to some
of the challenges associated
with traditional water-based
processes, such as achieving film
uniformity while spin-coating
wafers.
In addition to his TSE research,
Dr. Simone co-founded
MiCELL Technologies, a
start-up company committed
to developing and marketing
carbon dioxide-based technolo-
gies. MiCELL currently owns
or has licensing rights to 77
patents in the United States,
with an additional eight applica-
tions pending.
Dr. DeSimone was appointed
the director of the National
Science Foundation's Science
and Technology Center for
Environmentally Responsible
Solvents and Processes. In early
2005, he was elected into the
National Academy of Arts and
Sciences and into the National
Academy of Engineering as its
youngest member.
ABOUT PERC:
• 136 million kg used by
dry cleaners per year
* 130 million kg released
into the environment each
year
* 90% lost directly to the
atmosphere, 10% enters
water supply
• If 50% of dry cleaners
switched to C02-based
solvents, 68 million kg
would be eliminated
• This would substantially
reduce the exposure to
perc via inhalation
-------
and to
Dr. at the
Of is using plant oils
and waste products to develop
the world's cheapest compos-
ites and resins. From tractor
parts made with soybean-based
plastics to circuit board mate-
rial produced using chicken
feathers, to hurricane-resistant
roofing fashioned from recycled
newspaper, Dr. Wool has made
use of renewable, biologically
based materials to create envi-
ronmentally friendly products.
Because of the low cost of
plant oil (10 to 15 cents per
pound) and natural fibers, these
technology breakthroughs are
increasing the available options
for manufacturers and making
sustainable living a reality.
Dr. Wool received a TSE grant
from EPA in January 2002
to study fundamental issues
pertaining to the cost-effective
synthesis and manufacture of
plant-based resins and compos-
ites. These biologically based
materials provide alternatives to
petroleum-derived plastics. As
a direct result of this research,
Dr. Wool helped develop a new
universal theory of fracture
polymers, applied for five
patents, and collaborated with
nine industrial partners.
Currently, the John Deere
Company uses Dr. Wool's
soybean oil plastics to manu-
facture parts for its tractors,
and his chicken feather circuit
board material has attracted the
interest of Intel. Additionally,
Dr. Wool's hurricane-resistant
roofing received attention from
the news media and architecture
societies including Newsweek,
Architectural Record, and the
RIBA Journal (the magazine of
the Royal Institute of British
Architects). The roofing is
built primarily from recycled
newspaper, chicken feathers,
and soybean-derived plastics
that are processed into a single,
specially fitted lightweight
roof. Its storm-resistant design
could greatly reduce the
millions of dollars of damage
to homes in regions affected
by hurricanes. In addition to
the safety factor, its foam-core
engineered structure imparts
huge thermal energy savings, a
benefit to both the environment
and consumers. This roofing
has the potential to become
the country's highest-volume
application of bio-based
composite materials derived
from low-cost, environmentally
friendly, renewable resources.
These biologically based
composite materials could
make a considerable positive
impact on the environment. If
they are commercialized and
produced in large quantities,
each pound of plant or beans
used would save about a pound
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
• Twenty-one articles and
two books published
• Two patents received and
three pending
• Soybean oil plastics used
to manufacture parts for
tractors
• Using soybean-based
plastics could reduce
carbon dioxide emissions
by 300 billion pounds per
year
• Nine industrial partners,
including: 3M, Avery
Denison, Cytek Corp
(formerly UCB Radcure
Corp), Diab, Doc Resins,
Georgia Pacific, Nike,
Rome & Haas, Westvaco
• Four collaborating institu-
tions, including: Colorado
State, Howard University,
Georgia Tech, Michigan
State University
• Ten undergraduate and
four graduate students
supported
• New course developed on
"Green Engineering"
-------
of fossil fuel. In addition, the
substitution of 10 billion kilos
of soybean-based products for
fossil fuel-based plastics would
be equivalent to reducing
carbon dioxide emissions by
300 billion pounds per year.
This research extends into
the classroom, furthering its
impact by educating the next
generation of green chemistry
and engineering researchers.
The TSE grant provided partial
funding for four graduate and
ten undergraduate students to
train with Dr. Wool, and many
of these students have gone on
to careers in environmentally
related research. To promote
both the growing interest from
students and the growing need
from industry Dr. Wool also
developed a course on green
engineering for undergraduates
at the University of Delaware.
with
lijs for
Dr. at
received a TSE grant
from EPA in 2002 to develop
electronic tags that could be
used to monitor waste and
recycling. Her work aims to
increase recycling efficiency by
using information technology
solutions for identification and
sorting.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
• Six articles published
• One intellectual property
disclosure
• Three industrial partners,
including: Motorola, MQBA
Mobile Automation, OxLoc
• Three new employment
opportunities with:
Intel, New Jersey
Congressman Rush Holt,
Georgia Tech
• One undergraduate and
one graduate student
supported
There is currently no system in
place to track non-hazardous
waste and recyclables as they
move through the waste
management system in the
United States. Dr. Thomas'
research examines the
options that are available for
implementing such a system,
focusing on the feasibility of
different technologies such
as barcodes, radio frequency
identification (REID) tags, and
global positioning system (GPS)
transmitters. Such systems
potentially could track a
product throughout its lifecycle
while feeding back important
data on product distribution,
consumption, use, disposal,
and recycling. Identification
of products also will make
recycling easier and cheaper,
allowing a larger recovery of
economic value from the waste
stream.
Dr. Thomas collaborated with
Motorola to develop a working
prototype barcode system to
aid in recycling Motorola cell
phones. With Princeton under-
graduate student Steven Saar,
Dr. Thomas developed Web-
based software that recognizes
the scanned barcode on a
Motorola phone and provides
disassembly instructions for
"My work with Dr. Valerie Thomas has had a profound influence on
my current research interests and my future career. I think of Dr.
Thomas as my mentor, especially at this juncture in my career where
I am exploring my interests and future career after graduate school.
She has encouraged me to apply my scientific background to a
career in environmental and public policy."z
—Audrey Lee, Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering,
Princeton University
-------
that particular model. The soft-
ware has not been patented in
order to promote development
of similar waste management
systems, but Motorola wrote an
intellectual property disclosure
naming Dr. Thomas, Saar, and a
collaborator at Motorola as the
developers of the technology.
Saar's work on the barcode-
tracking software for Motorola
helped secure him a job with
Intel after he graduated in
2004. Audrey Lee, a Ph.D.
graduate student in electrical
engineering, won a Student
Paper Award in May 2004 from
the Institute for Electronic
and Electrical Engineers for
a paper she and Dr. Thomas
wrote using the findings from
the TSE grant. Lee's work with
Dr. Thomas on electronic tags
allowed her to redirect her
thesis toward environmentally
relevant issues.
Also as a result of this research,
funded almost entirely by the
TSE grant, Dr. Thomas was
able to win a competitive posi-
tion working on energy policy as
Congressional Science Fellow to
New Jersey Congressman Rush
Holt and to secure a position at
the Georgia Institute of Tech-
nology. There, she will continue
to develop a practical method
of labeling waste and recycling
products for use in U.S. towns
and cities.
roc
Dr. Fred aid his
the of
are studying an advanced
oxidation (AO) process that can
be used to prevent pollution
from foundries. Dr. Cannon
received a TSE grant from EPA
in 2002 to study and improve
the AO process based on data
from five full-scale foundries
where the new technique
is in use. The metal casting
industry represents a significant
manufacturing sector of the
U.S. economy, with approxi-
mately 3,000 foundries across
the country. The AO process
is applicable to foundries
that use green sand molds,
which includes 60 percent
of foundries in the U.S. The
new process has been shown
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
• Six articles published
* One book published
• Five full-scale foundries
employ the new process
* Up to 75 percent reduction
in VOC emissions at the
five foundries where
process is currently
installed
• $10 million savings at
one foundry
to greatly reduce the emission
of hazardous air pollutants
from the foundries where it is
installed, including toxic volatile
organic compounds (VOCs),
benzene, and carbon monoxide.
Dr. Cannon and his team have
demonstrated reductions in
VOC emissions ranging from
20 to 75 percent at the five
foundries where the process is
currently installed and predict
that it can be improved to
consistently reduce up to 80
percent of emissions. Using
this as an estimate of potential
pollution reduction, this process
alone could reduce over 2.5
million pounds of VOCs each
year.
In addition to this environ-
mental benefit, the process is
more efficient and thus more
economically profitable. The AO
process has reduced the amount
of clay, coal, and sand required
for casting by up to 40 percent
and decreased the number of
casting defects by 35 percent.
for
Dr. C.R the
Of received
a TSE grant from EPA in
December 2003 to develop a
substitute for leaded solder,
which is used broadly in the
electronics industry. Lead is
recognized as a carcinogen,
-------
a developmental toxicant, a
reproductive toxicant, and is
suspected to be a neurological
toxicant. Its use in household
electronics, such as computers,
personal digital assistants
(PDAs), and cell phones, has
attracted scrutiny from regula-
tory agencies in Europe and
Japan.
To date, most substitutes
developed for leaded solder
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
• Ten articles published,
with additional tive
submitted or in preparation
• Five invention disclosures
and two patents pending
• Pursuing licensing of
the EGA technology with
several companies
• Up to 60 percent energy
savings in electronics
manufacturing by
replacing leaded solder
• Two graduate students
trained
• Two companies pursuing
licensing of technology:
Indium Corporation of
America and Ablestik,
a National Starch and
Chemical Company
have been alloys that combine
tin with metals such as silver,
gold, copper, bismuth, or
antimony. These have the
disadvantage of higher manufac-
turing temperatures (up to 260
degrees Celsius), which neces-
sitates higher energy costs and
more expensive circuit board
materials. With the assistance
of graduate students Grace Yi
Li and Kyoung-sik Moon, Dr.
Wong is developing electrically
conductive adhesives (EGAs)
that are much better substitutes
for leaded solder.
In addition to the benefits of
reduced lead use, EGAs could
simplify electronics manu-
facture by eliminating several
processing steps. Because the
EGAs can be cured at lower
temperatures—about 150
degrees Celsius and potentially
even room temperature—they
would produce less thermal
stress on components, require
less energy, and enable the
use of existing circuit board
materials.3 If all of the current
tin-lead solder in the U.S. were
replaced with EGAs, energy
savings for electronics manu-
facturing could be as much as
60 percent and the short-term
consumption of lead potentially
could drop by as much as 10
percent.
To overcome one of the main
challenges of lead-free EGAs
(the lower density of the
electrical current, which is
not adequate for many power-
intensive devices), Dr. Wong
and his collaborators developed
self-assembled monolayers
(SAM). SAM structures are
molecular wires made of an
organic polymer matrix that
provide a direct electrical
connection, bypassing resistance
normally found at an interface.
Georgia Institute of Technology
has applied for patents on the
SAM and is pursuing licensing
of the technology with several
companies.
New and improved catalysts
enable important chemical
reactions to be conducted
under milder conditions, with
less energy expenditure, in a
shorter time, using less reactive
and more environmentally
friendly chemicals and solvents.
A TSE grant from NSF to Dr.
Terry of
in 1996 led to the
development of environmentally
friendly oxidant activators. Dr.
Collins won the 1999 Presiden-
tial Green Chemistry Challenge
Award for this research.
In the paper manufacturing
process, the newly developed
activators catalyze the oxidizing
ability of hydrogen peroxide,
-------
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
• Eighteen articles published
• Ten U.S. patents received,
additional patents received
in 25 other countries, and
license agreements for
commercialization of paper
bleaching technology in
place
• 23.2 million tons of coal
could be saved in energy
costs per year with TAML
bleaching methods
• One industrial partner:
PAPRO New Zealand
• Six collaborating institu-
tions, including: National
Energy Technology Labo-
ratory at the Department
of Energy, Naval Surface
Warfare Center at the
Department of Defense,
University of Auckland,
Osaka City University, GSF
Munich, the Pittsburgh
Department of Energy
creating water and oxygen as
byproducts of the bleaching
process. The older methods
relied on elemental chlorine-
based catalysts and produced
toxic dioxins that are known
to accumulate and persist in
the tissues of humans and
animals. One of the alternative
methods uses chlorine dioxide,
which reduces dioxin emis-
sions significantly but does not
eliminate them.
The environmental benefits
of the newly developed iron
(Ill)-tetra-amidato macrocyclic
ligand (or TAML) activators in
paper manufacturing go beyond
eliminating dioxin emissions
and reducing wastewater
production. First, TAML
bleaching is more effective,
leaving behind only a third of
the lignin (the color-causing
compound) of traditional
bleaching methods. It also
works most efficiently at lower
temperatures, and the esti-
mated savings from this benefit
alone have been calculated at
23.2 million tons of coal per
year if 100 percent of paper
mills in the U.S. used the
TAML activators.4 This paper
bleaching technology has been
patented, and license agree-
ments for commercialization
already are in place.
TAML oxidant activators also
can be used for fuel desulfuriza-
tion, easily removing more than
85 percent of recalcitrant sulfur
compounds in refined fuels.
Sulfur is associated with human
health impacts, contributes to
acid rain, and causes engines to
burn less efficiently. The appli-
cation of these activators in the
fuel refining process could lead
Potential applications of
TAML oxidant activators
• Paper bleaching
• Fuel desulfurization
• Laundry detergents
• Pesticide detoxification
• Drinking water disinfection
• Anthrax decontamination
» Chemical warfare agent
decontamination
• Textile mill effluent cleanup
to cleaner fuels that have higher
efficiency.
The laundry industry has also
benefited from Dr. Collins's
activators. TAML-activated
peroxide in household bleaches
provides the most attractive
dye-transfer inhibition and
improved stain removal proper-
ties. The TAML-peroxide
activators used in this process
require less water than tradi-
tional processes offering both
economic and environmental
benefits. Dr. Collins and other
researchers continue to develop
additional uses for the TAML
activators including water
disinfection, degradation of
persistent organic pollutants,
and homeland security.
-------
Polylactides (PLAs) are fully
biodegradable, completely
recyclable plastics derived
entirely from a widely available
and renewable resource: corn.
Dr. at the
if received a TSE
grant from EPA in 1998 that
helped fund the development
of PLAs. Unlike traditional
plastics, which are made from
non-renewable fossil fuel
feedstocks, PLA plastics are
produced by the fermentation
of corn. This process uses 30 to
50 percent less fossil resources
and results in 50 to 70 percent
lower carbon dioxide emissions
than the typical polyethylene
and nylon manufacturing
processes for plastics. The
production process also uses
internal recycling to eliminate
waste, preventing pollution
at the source and resulting in
greater than 95 percent yields.
Dr. Dorgan's TSE grant, which
was matched with financial
support from Cargill-Dow,
funded the research necessary
to establish a fundamental
scientific understanding of the
properties of PLAs. Cargill-
Dow now produces 300 million
pounds of PLA each year at
the word's first global-scale
manufacturing facility capable
of making commercial-grade
plastic resins from an annually
renewable resource. The plant
in Blair, Nebraska, employs
close to 100 people and sells
its biodegradable plastics to
companies all over the world.
Some of the everyday products
made from PLA plastics include
blister packs, floral wraps, tray
inserts, and window films. A
number of companies, including
Wal-Mart and Del Monte, now
use PLA for food packaging.
Dr. Dorgan and his colleagues
characterized the basic chain
properties of the PLAs, studied
the plastic's permeability
to gases important to the
packaging and food industries,
developed a strengthened
plastic that combines PLA
with a secondary biodegradable
plastic, and created a software
simulation package which can
help facilitate the change-over
from the manufacture of
traditional plastics to PLA
plastics. The research has
even led to PLA-based fibers,
developed in collaboration
with industry, receiving Federal
Trade Commission classification
as a new generic fiber joining
the ranks of cotton, wool,
silk, nylon, and polyesters.
Seventeen publications and
two graduate degree projects in
chemical engineering resulted
from the research.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS:
• Seventeen articles
published
• 30 to 50 percent less
fossil fuel resources
needed to produce plastics
from corn
• 50 to 70 percent reduc-
tion in carbon dioxide
emissions in corn-based
synthesis
• One industrial partner:
Cargill-Dow
• 300 million pounds of the
newly developed, fully
biodegradable, completely
recyclable plastics
produced each year and
distributed world-wide
• Wal-Mart now uses PLA
for fresh food packaging
• Two graduate students
supported
-------
In addition to the successes of
the TSE program illustrated
in the previous section, other
indicators such as program
relevance, research awards, and
external evaluations contribute
to a more complete description
of what the program has accom-
plished. The TSE program is not
currently being funded by either
agency as results continue to be
assessed.
One measure of the success
of the program to date is the
extent to which it has supported
EPA and NSF strategic goals.
The TSE program has supported
five of the goals in EPA's
2003-2008 EPA Strategic Plan:
Direction for the Future.6 The
TSE program also has assisted
other EPA programs by funding
TSE Complements Regional Environmental Protection Programs
TSE's goals and objectives complemented the work of many state
and regional environmental protection programs. For example, the
Massachusetts Office for Technical Assistance (OTA) for Toxics Use
Reduction works with researchers and industry to bring pollution
prevention innovations to commercialization. OTA worked with TSE
grantee Terry Collins (see pages 12-14) to help develop industry
connections, ensuring implementation of his new technology. They
provided funding to develop Collins' bench-scale model into a pilot
unit that tested the TAML activator bleaching technology on an
industrial scale.
And similar to the TSE program, OTA has a strong commitment to
both pollution prevention and education. Graduate students funded
by OTA grants have worked extensively on developing the TAML
bleaching technology, providing key support that are helping bring it
to commercialization.
research on innovative tech-
nologies for reducing emissions
of air toxics from indoor,
stationary, and area sources.
Some examples are illustrated in
Exhibit 7 on the following page.
It has supported three aspects
of NSF goals from their 2003-
2008 Strategic Plan5 that pertain
to people, ideas, and tools. TSE
grants have provided new oppor-
tunities for students to become
involved in green science
research, promoting the devel-
opment of a strong community
of researchers for the future.
Additionally, research funded
under the TSE program results
in the development of new ideas
and tools on the cutting edges
of science, engineering, and
information technology.
-------
Goal 1: Clean Air and Global Climate Change
tie of Air and
1.1 Healthier Outdoor Air
TSE has funded research in many areas, including solvents and
catalysis, that can lead to reductions in emissions of hazardous air
pollutants through cleaner alternative manufacturing processes
1.5 Reduce Greenhouse Gas Intensity
Similar to Goal 1.1, the alternative reactions and manufacturing
processes being developed by TSE funded researchers offer ways to
avoid greenhouse gas emissions, either directly or through reduced
energy consumption. Additionally, replacement of petroleum-based
feedstocks with bio-based materials reduces CO, emissions.
Goal 2: Clean and Safe Water
tie of
I Alternative manufacturing processes developed with TSE support allow
2.2.1 Protect the Quality of Rivers, Lakes, and Streams j industries to greatly reduce the amount and decrease the concentration
I of pollutants in wastewater, thus protecting water bodies from pollution.
Goal 3: Land Preservation and Restoration
tie of and
3.1 Reduce Waste and Increase Recycling
Goal 4: Healthy Communities and Ecosystems
Every research project funded by TSE contributes to waste reduction.
Many do so by decreasing the production of waste at the source, while
others develop new ways to reuse and recycle waste products.
tie of ani
Tiiic
4.1 Prevent and Reduce Pesticide, Chemical, and
Genetically Engineered Biological Organism
Risks to Humans, Communities, and Ecosystems
Risks to humans and the environment will be decreased thanks to
alternative technologies developed under TSE funding. Environmentally
benign chemicals can replace toxic solvents, thus decreasing the risks
associated with their acquisition, use, transport, storage, and disposal.
4.3 Protect, Sustain, and Restore the Health of
Natural Habitats and Ecosystems
By developing new processes and technologies to minimize the amount
of waste and hazardous pollutants produced and released into the
environment, TSE-funded researchers contribute to the protection of
natural habitats and ecosystems.
Goal 5: Compliance and Environmental Stewardship [ tie of and
5.2 Improve Environmental Performance through
Pollution Prevention and Innovation
5.4 Enhance Science and Research Supporting
Environmental Policies and Decisions on
Compliance, Pollution Prevention, and Environ-
mental Stewardship
New green technologies are helping to transform industries traditionally
perceived as poor environmental performers into models of green
manufacturing.
TSE-funded research has helped make new low-impact processes and
products accessible to industry. The availability of these technologies
makes pollution prevention more cost-effective and can strengthen
the case for developing new standards that are more protective of the
environment.
-------
TSE
Another measure that demon-
strates the quality of TSE-
funded research is the merit
awards given to investigators.
Prestigious awards won by TSE
grantees include the following:
• Presidential Green
Chemistry Challenge
Academic Award
• Presidential Award for
Excellence in Science,
Mathematics, and Engi-
neering Mentoring
• Carnegie Science Award for
Excellence
• Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar
Award
• Scientific American's
50 Most Influential
Researchers
• R&D 100 Award from R8£D
Magazine
The Presidential Green
Chemistry Challenge Academic
Award has been won by seven
TSE researchers. Sponsored
by EPAs Office of Preven-
tion, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances, the award recog-
nizes individuals, groups, and
organizations for innovations
in cleaner, cheaper, smarter
chemistry. This award, first
granted in 1996, is given annu-
ally. As shown in Exhibit 8, TSE
grantees have been recognized
with academic awards nearly
every year since the awards
program began.
A panel of nine leading
scientists from industry,
academia, and professional
societies met in May 2004
to conduct an independent
evaluation of the TSE program.
The panel members included
highly accomplished senior
representatives from the
American Institute of Chemical
"A measure of the quality of investments made through IMSF
[funding] awards is that nearly all of the academic winners who
have received the EPA's Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
Award have been NSF-supported investigators. This award
recognizes major contributions to green chemistry and engineering
research that have significant societal impact."
—Arden Bement, Director, National Science Foundation
Year
2004
TSE-funded Investigator
1Qq7 j Joseph M. DeSimone, University of North Carolina at
yy | Chapel Hill (EPA)
1998 i John W. Frost, Michigan State University (EPA)
1999 i Terry Collins, Carnegie Mellon University (NSF, EPA)
2001 i Chao-Jun Li, Tulane University (EPA)
2002 i Eric Beckman, University of Pittsburgh (EPA, NSF)
Charles Eckertand Charles Liotta, Georgia Institute of
Technology (NSF)
2005 | Robin Rogers, University of Alabama (EPA)
i
Research that Received Award
Design and application of surfactants for carbon dioxide
Use of microbes as environmentally benign synthetic catalysts
TAML oxidant activators: General activation of hydrogen
peroxide for green chemistry
Quasi-nature catalysis: Developing transition metal catalysis in
air and water
Design of non-fluorous, highly C02-soluble materials
Benign tunable solvents coupling reaction and separation
processes
A platform strategy using ionic liguids to dissolve and process
cellulose for advanced new materials
-------
Peer Reviewed Publications from TSE Are Among Those Most Highly Cited
Peer-reviewed publications are the most important means by which credible scientific information is
transmitted to and used by other researchers, industry, and government. A random sampling of grantees
showed the following:
• As of August 2004, 91 EPA TSE grants produced a total of 372 publications.8
• Each grant produces an average of 7.9 publications.
• Approximately 21 percent of these publications were "highly cited publications" according to ISI
Essential Science Indicators criteria.
• Nearly one-third of the TSE publications were published in "very high-impact" journals—journals that
are cited quickly after publication as monitored by ISI Journal Citation Reports.
For the three years for which data
are available, there is an upward
trend in publication rates for the
TSE grants. The graph below shows
that there was an average of 5.8
publications per grant in 1995,
increasing steadily to 13.3 publica-
tions per grant in 1999.
Peer-reviewed Publication Rate for TSE Grants by
Year Awarded
n 14
6 12
to 8
I 6
S *•
Q. 0
1995
1997
Year Awarded
1999
As shown in the graph, the average
citation rate for EPA TSE-funded
publications is 7.76 citations
per publication, which is above
the average citation rates for the
fields of engineering and materials
science, and comparable to those
for the field of chemistry.
Average Citation Rate* for TSE Publications
Compared to Individual Fields 1996-2003
S
Citations per Publ
7 4
6 -!
5 !
4-j
3 !
2-1
1 4
o -I -,
TSE
Publications
Engineering Materials
Publications Science
Publications
Chemistry
Publications
•"Citation rate" is the total number of citations from the year of publication to the current year divided by the number
of years. It indicates how frequently research articles are subsequently referred to in new research publications.
-------
Engineers, Cameron University,
DuPont, Ford Motor Company,
Greenpoint Science, the Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory,
Polytechnic University, the
University of Arizona, and the
University of California at San
Diego. Their expert review was
based on historical background
materials and presentations by
and discussions with the TSE
grantees and EPA and NSF
officials.9
The findings from the evalua-
tion include the following:
• Outputs from TSE research
have been of excellent
quality, with numerous
highly cited publications
in highly respected, peer-
reviewed journals, and
dozens of resulting patents.
• The program's approach
has been appropriate and
successful in the first years
of research.
• EPA and NSF goals are
clearly articulated and
appropriate.
• Measurable outcomes are
being produced, and EPA is
developing a mechanism to
track these results.
"By fostering a sustainable research community, the TSE program
is acting as a catalyst in redefining environmental science and
bringing about a paradigm shift toward prevention that will benefit
our environment, economy, and quality of life."
— TSE E¥aluation Panel Report
The panel also recommended
several strategies to improve
the program. These recom-
mendations included holding
additional investigator meetings
to foster interaction, collabora-
tion, and dissemination of
results to industry, EPA regions,
states, and the pollution
prevention community; and
developing formal and informal
outreach mechanisms to seek
input and feedback about
industry needs, program goals,
priorities, and outcomes. For
example, the TSE program
could make presentations to the
National Pollution Prevention
Roundtable and other similar
venues.
Additionally, the panel noted
that as the program matures, it
is essential to ensure that the
goals and desired outcomes are
clear and focused. The panel
suggested that goals relate more
directly to how the program can
affect academic researchers,
industry, the public, and policy
makers in terms of the economy,
environment, and society.
Both EPA and NSF face a very
different set of challenges today
from those they faced a decade
ago. Indeed, the challenges and
approaches needed to meet
them will change even further
over the coming decades. It is
important that future research
programs anticipate and prepare
for these changes. Future
programs at both agencies
could draw on a broad-scale
understanding of technology
and technology systems, while
still supporting engineering and
chemistry foundations. Key
areas that could receive greater
attention include:
• Identifying gaps and leverage
points in technology systems
to help achieve sustainability
outcomes at the broader
systems level.
• Increasing the focus on
multi-disciplinary integration
- adding to engineering and
physical science knowledge
by bringing in ideas and
experts from other fields
in the natural and social
sciences.
• Linking research and
application by increasing
communication and
exchange between academia
and industry and broadening
to wider audiences.
-------
• Understanding and
measuring success by
tracking long-term direct
and indirect benefits from
funded grants.
Future research in sustainability
could improve understanding
technology and technological
systems more broadly in time
and space. An economy-wide
view of materials flow systems
can help prioritize opportunities
for pollution prevention and
the efficient use of materials.
This is particularly important
for those materials that are
potentially harmful to the
environment or are used at high
volumes. In addition, there is
a need for development of the
technologies themselves, and
also for the broader systems
understanding and tools to
prioritize and select the tech-
nologies. Better understanding
the multitude of socioeconomic
factors that can influence the
development and adoption of
new technologies calls for more
collaboration across disciplines
and between scientist and
engineers and decision-makers.
Over the past 15 years, EPA has
broadened beyond the tradi-
tional command-and-control
model of regulation to include
other approaches—voluntary,
incentive-based, and collabora-
tive—to better achieve environ-
mental results.
Many EPA offices have begun to
develop models and strategies
for the future that re-examine
fundamental approaches to
carrying out their missions.
For example, a recent Agency
report on environmental stew-
ardship sketches a vision that
draws from an understanding
of the multimedia nature of
environmental protection;
emphasizes pollution preven-
tion over product lifecycles;
emphasizes the substitution
of environmentally preferable
materials and chemicals; strives
to inform the everyday deci-
sions of individuals, companies,
and government; and aims for
sustainability outcomes.
Sustainability necessarily
involves moving toward a shared
future, requiring scientists,
engineers, and social scientists to
interact with each other and the
public to refine their research
questions and communicate
their results. NSF's increasing
focus on interdisciplinary
research has helped support
researchers' important collabora-
tive role. TSE's success thus far
has shown NSF's investment
in enhancing the quality and
productivity of science and
engineering to be well-coupled
to EPA's goal of protecting the
environment.
The TSE grants program has
focused on pollution prevention
and on funding collaborative
research that will lead to applied
results, has served EPA well.
The program's results to date
have contributed to EPA and
NSF goals, while its design and
focus mesh well with new ways
of thinking, new research plans
under development, and the
new environmental challenges
facing our society.
-------
EPA's "Homepage for TSE" web site including a database of grants funded is available at
www.epa.gov/ncer/tse.
NSF's "Homepage for TSE" is available at
www.nsf.iiw/eni/tse/.
EPA's "Sustainability" web site, at provides information and links to
sustainability planning, practices, scientific tools and technology, progress measures, and new
resources and opportunities.
EPA's National Center for Environmental Research "Environmental Research Grant Program Site,'
located at WWW.epa.gov/ncer/, provides additional access to a database of EPA's TSE STAR grants.
EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances homepage for the Presidential Green
Chemistry Challenge is located at
-------
National Academies of Science. 2003. Reducing the Time from Basic Research to Innovation in
the Chemical Sciences: A Workshop Report to the Chemical Sciences Roundtable. NAS Board on
Chemical Sciences and Technology. Accessible at:
Diaz, E., M. Hinton, and M. Stevenson. 2004. Examining the Technology for a Sustainable
Environment Grant Program. Submitted to Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Washington, DC
Project Center in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Georgia Institute of Technology. 2005. Replacing lead-based solder: Molecular wires and corrosion
control boost performance of electrically conductive adhesives. Press release dated March 13,
2005. Accessible at:
Collins, T J., and S.W Gordon-Wylie. 1989. A manganese(V)-oxo complex. /. Amer. Chem. Soc.
111:4511-4513.
National Science Foundation. 2003. National Science Foundation Strategic Plan: FY 2003 - 2008.
Accessible at:
6 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2003. 2003-2008 EPA Strategic Plan: Direction for the
Future. Office of Planning, Analysis, and Accountability, Washington, DC. EPA-190-R-03-003.
Accessible at:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2006. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Winners. Accessible at:
8 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2004. Bibliometrics analysis for TSE grant publications.
August 24, 2004. Prepared by the Scientific Consulting Group, Inc., for the National Center for
Environmental Research. Accessible at:
es.epa.gov/ncer/publications/ncer/tse_grants_highly_cited.html.
9 TSE Program Evaluation Panel. 2004. EPA and NSF Technology for a Sustainable Environment
Evaluation Meeting Report. Prepared by the Scientific Consulting Group, Inc., May 19, 2004.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2005. Everyday Choices: Opportunities for Environmental
Stewardship: A Report to the Administrator. Accessible at:
-------
-------
, g^^S^mSi
sI^INSJk
"r l^sslj ^ 'M Aofsncy
Office of Research and Development (8101R)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA/600/S-06/004
July 2006
www.epa.gov
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper
(Minimum 50% Postconsumer) Process Chlorine Free
------- |