Molecular Recycling: Application of the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry in the Diversion of Post-consumer Poly(lactic acid) Waste

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Jennifer N. Boice¹, Christina M. King¹, Carol Higginbotham² and Richard W. Gurney¹¹Department of Chemistry, Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115-5895, USA
^*(Tel) +01.617.521.2729 (Fax) +01.617.521.3086

²Central Oregon Community College, Bend, OR 97701, USA

ABSTRACT
An increase in worldwide environmental consciousness has led to a movement to pursue methods of synthesis and reclamation that are environmentally friendly, or “green.” Biodegradable, single-use, polylactic acid (PLA) cups, containers and utensils produced by Natureworks LLC from corn derived lactic acid are produced while generating water as the only byproduct. These plastic consumables, already a product of benign design, can be hydrolyzed into lactic acid (LA) using an acidic or basic hydrolysis procedure. The initial design and commercial manufacture of these PLA consumables currently provides an opportunity to discuss the Twelve Principles of Green Engineering in many educational settings. As described herein, the reclamation of lactic acid from these consumables provides a unique opportunity to involve students in the application of the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry in theory and in practice. The procedures described herein can be applied to several laboratory based courses: General Organic Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Introduction to Organic Chemistry for Allied Health Majors and a two-semester Organic Chemistry Course. An extension of this pedagogy to open-inquiry based laboratories or research experiences for the production of ethyl lactate will also be described.

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