Call for papers/Topics

Topics of interest for submission include any topics related to:

1. Green Chemistry Principles & Molecular Design

Focuses on minimizing or eliminating hazardous substances at the molecular level, prioritizing safety and resource efficiency.

• Atom Economy & Reaction Efficiency: Optimizing chemical reactions to ensure the maximum number of starting atoms end up in the final product, minimizing waste.

• Design for Degradation: Engineering chemicals and polymers to break down into non-toxic, innocuous environmental byproducts after their intended use.

• Safer Solvents & Auxiliary Chemicals: Replacing volatile organic solvents with water, supercritical fluids, bio-based solvents, or solvent-free systems.

• Energy-Efficient Synthesis: Lowering activation energy requirements to perform chemical processes at ambient temperature and pressure.

• Real-Time Monitoring for Pollution Prevention: In-process analysis during manufacturing to catch and prevent hazardous byproduct formation before it occurs.

2. Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocess Engineering

Applies biological systems, living organisms, and biochemical mechanisms to scale up sustainable production.

• Biocatalysis & Enzymatic Synthesis: Using natural enzymes instead of heavy-metal catalysts to run highly selective, low-energy, non-toxic chemical reactions.

• Fermentation Technology: Harnessing microbial systems to produce fine chemicals, organic acids, fuels, and pharmaceuticals from simple sugars.

• Cellular Agriculture & Synthetic Biology: Redesigning organisms to synthesize alternative proteins, lab-grown agricultural inputs, and bio-based raw materials.

• Upstream & Downstream Processing Optimization: Designing low-energy extraction, separation, and purification methods for bio-manufactured compounds.

3. Bio-Based Feedstocks & Alternative Materials

Replaces finite, petroleum-derived fossil fuels with renewable, biological raw materials.

• Lignocellulosic Biomass Utilization: Converting agricultural waste, wood residues, and plant fibers into industrial building-block chemicals.

• Algal Biotechnology: Cultivating microalgae and macroalgae to capture carbon, produce biofuels, and extract biopolymers.

• Bioplastics & Biodegradable Polymers: Developing polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and chitin-based materials to replace single-use petroleum plastics.

• Valorization of Organic Waste Streams: Diverting food waste, municipal bio-waste, and forestry byproducts into high-value chemical products.

4. Environmental Biotechnology & Ecosystem Bioremediation

Leverages biological organisms to clean up existing environmental contamination and manage waste.

• Microbial Bioremediation: Utilizing specialized bacteria and fungi to metabolize and break down environmental toxins, oil spills, and heavy metals.

• Phytoremediation: Using plants to extract, sequester, or neutralize soil and groundwater pollutants.

• Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment: Implementing aerobic/anaerobic bioreactors and constructed wetlands to remove nitrogen, phosphorus, microplastics, and pharmaceutical residues.

• Solid Bio-Waste Management: Utilizing anaerobic digestion to convert organic waste into biogas and nutrient-rich digestate fertilizer.

5. Circular Economy & Life Cycle Assessment

Evaluates and structures industrial systems to eliminate waste loops and track ecological impacts from extraction to disposal.

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Methodology: Quantifying environmental impacts across raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life stages.

• Industrial Ecology & Symbiosis: Structuring industrial hubs where the waste or byproduct of one facility becomes the feedstock for another.

• Closed-Loop Manufacturing: Designing products for continuous re-manufacturing, biological degradation, or infinite closed-loop recycling.

• Regrettable Substitution Prevention: Methodically screening green alternatives to ensure safer chemicals do not carry hidden ecological or toxicological trade-offs.

6. Ecological Conservation & Climate Change Mitigation

Aligns scientific innovations with broader planetary health, ecosystem restoration, and climate goals.

• Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS): Using biological and chemical methods to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide and transform it into fuels or building materials.

• Sustainable Agriculture & Agritech: Developing biopesticides, biofertilizers, and microbial soil restorers to replace synthetic agrochemicals and protect biodiversity.

• Ecotoxicology & Risk Assessment: Studying the transport, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of emerging contaminants in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

• Renewable Energy Integration: Combining bio-energy systems (biomass, bio-hydrogen, biogas) with solar and wind to power chemical and biological manufacturing processes.

7. Policy, Economics, & Industrial Adoption

Addresses governance, market drivers, and regulatory pathways needed to transition from research to commercial implementation.

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Regulatory frameworks holding manufacturers accountable for the post-consumer lifecycle of their products.

• Regulatory Science & Chemical Policy: Navigating global safety frameworks (e.g., REACH, EPA regulations) to accelerate green chemistry commercialization.

• Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA): Balancing production costs, scaling feasibility, and market competitiveness of bio-based products against petroleum incumbents.

• Green Standards & Certification: Establishing verifiable industry benchmarks (e.g., USDA Certified Biobased Product, Cradle to Cradle certification)