• Energy Research

This article is both an essay to propose social chemistry as a new scientific discipline and a preface of the books Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World. Environmental chemistry is a fast emerging discipline aiming at the understanding the fate of pollutants in ecosystems and at designing novel processes that are safe for ecosystems. Past pollution should be cleaned, and future pollution should be predicted and avoided (Lichtfouse et al. 2005a). Such advices are still not applied by humans as demonstrated by the Fukushima nuclear event and global warming. Human errors are repeatable. We therefore suggest a possible solution, which involves bridging chemistry and society by integrating social sciences in chemical research. In particular, citizen discourse analysis should be useful to design chemicals that are both innovative and accepted by society. Then, we present the recent success of environmental chemistry through the foundation of the Association of Chemistry and the Environment; the increase in the impact factor of Environmental Chemistry Letters from 0.814 in 2006 to 2.109 in 2009; and over 35,000 chapter downloads of the book Environmental Chemistry. Lastly, we highlight major topics of the new book series Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World (Lichtfouse et al. 2011a, b). The two first volumes are entitled Nanotechnology and Health Risk, and Remediation of Air and Water Pollution.

Heterogeneous photocatalysis in a water solution is recognised as a method of totally eliminating most recalcitrant organic pollutants found in such solutions. Our current work has tried to show that the heterogeneous photocatalysis process can also be a selective elimination method in the case of the mixture: 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBz) and benzamide (Bz) at semi-pilot plant scale (190 dm 3 ) under conditions of solar irradiation. The photocatalysis experi

Environmental chemistry is a fast developing science aimed at deciphering fundamental mechanisms ruling the behaviour of pollutants in ecosystems. Applying this knowledge to current environmental issues leads to the remediation of environmental media, and to new, low energy, low emission, sustainable processes. The topics that would be covered in this series, but not limited to, are major achievements of environmental chemistry for sustainable development such as nanotech applications; biofuels, solar and alternative energies; pollutants in air, water, soil and food; greenhouse gases; radioactive pollutants; endocrine disruptors and other pharmaceuticals; pollutant archives; ecotoxicology and health risk; pollutant remediation; geoengineering; green chemistry; contributions bridging unexpectedly far disciplines such as environmental chemistry and social sciences; and participatory research with end-users. The books series will encompass all scientific aspects of environmental chemistry through a multidisciplinary approach: Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology, Waste Management/Waste Technology, Pollution, general, Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution, Analytical Chemistry. Other disciplines include: Agriculture, Building Types and Functions, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Ecotoxicology, Geochemistry, Nanochemistry, Nanotechnology and Microengineering, Social Sciences.