The role of Chemistry in Environmental Protection
Chemistry has evolved over the years to address environmental and human health
problems that arise from industrialization, exploration and utilization of resources as well as the
exponential growth in human population. These events have led to the deterioration of the
environment through chemical contamination of water supplies, pollution of water bodies,
watercourses, air and land. Several environmental problems arise from them, including but not
limited to ozone depletion, climate change, acid rain and toxic air emissions. Properly
understanding these problems so as to help mitigate and prevent them needs an understanding of
chemistry.
The role of chemistry in environmental protection is attributed to two main branches of
chemistry; green chemistry and environmental chemistry. Green chemistry, which is also known
as sustainable chemistry aims at designing processes that reduce the use and production of
hazardous substances. It aims to deal with pollution at the source. Green chemistry applies the
principles of organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry to help prevent and mitigate
the effects of pollution. It is geared towards reducing the hazard and maximizing efficiency of
the choice of any chemical that is used in an industrial practice.
On the other hand, environmental chemistry focuses on environmental chemical
phenomena. It is the chemistry of the environment in its natural state and the pollutant chemicals
in nature. It studies chemical processes that occur naturally in the environment but are affected in
one way or the other by human activities. For instance, the accumulation of carbon dioxide gas
in the atmosphere.
