The Anthroposphere, Material Flow Analysis, and Chemical Education

• Autores: Craig J. Donahue
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 92, Nº 4, 2015, págs. 598-600
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • We are about to enter, or already have entered the Anthropocene Epoch. To appreciate how we reached this milestone event and the extent to which human activities have changed the chemistry of Planet Earth, this author encourages chemical educators to introduce the concept of the anthroposphere and to summarize the recent results obtained by material flow analysis (MFA) studies. These studies have generated global maps of metal (e.g., aluminum) flows, demonstrating a significant movement of metal from the lithosphere into the anthroposphere. They also reveal the amount of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the transformation of metal ore and recycled scrap into metal products. In the case of aluminum, the data obtained from MFA studies are easily folded into a discussion of primary aluminum production (the conversion of bauxite into liquid aluminum), the acid–base chemistry associated with the Bayer process, the redox chemistry associated with the Hall–Héroult process, and the environmental challenges associated with the byproducts red mud and perfluorocarbons. MFA studies offer a big picture view of some important industrial chemical processes and allow us as chemical educators to address more meaningfully the issue of sustainable practices in light of the magnitude to which humans have changed Earth, leading us into the Anthropocene Epoch.