Role of Emerging Technologies in Advancing Sustainability

Chemical industry is facing various challenges related to environmental pollution, waste management, and sustainable practices. Chemical industry needs to adopt responsible and sustainable approaches to minimize negative impacts while maximizing economic contribution. Emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Machine Learning (ML), Data Analytics, and Digitalization are powerful tools for enabling sustainability within the chemical industry. A collaborative digital ecosystem can promote sustainable development by enabling the improved management of natural resources, supporting waste monitoring and management, optimizing the supply chain, improving safety measures, reducing energy consumption, and accelerating innovation.

To give an example, the use of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture has resulted in (a) Reduced usage of pesticides resulting in less pollution of the environment (b) Accurate identification of soil health and nutrient deficiency (c)  Intelligent spraying of crop protection chemicals to reduce wastage (d) ) Prediction of Toxicity of pesticides (e) Discovery research. All these are contributing to achieving Sustainable Development Goals and will have a significant impact in the coming years.

Artificial Intelligence has emerged as an important tool in diverse areas including Sustainability. If utilized properly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) along with Machine Learning and Data Analytics can make a major impact on Sustainable Operations. We already have many examples where AI is contributing positively to sustainability. Here, we will discuss a few cases from the agriculture sector. Similar examples can be found in many other sectors.

We know that pesticides are important for crop protection, but, at the same time, these chemicals are also  major source of pollution. Normally, pesticides are sprayed in the entire field, following a spray schedule. Only a small part of the pesticide sprayed is used up by the plant. The remaining part is left on the soil, which is ultimately carried to water bodies like ponds, rivers, etc through irrigation and rainwater. It then enters the food chain and affects human health. This practice is not sustainable in the long run and significant improvement is required.

Artificial intelligence has proved its capability in improving the situation. Drones with high-resolution cameras are used to survey the entire field, With the use of Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, it is now possible to detect at an early stage the exact location where the crop is affected due to pests, disease, and fungus, the extent to which it is affected and the nature of the damage. This data is now used by Artificial Intelligence based tools to spray right time, right spot, right quantity, and right product. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the use of harmful pesticides and an improvement in crop yield.

Research activity to discover a new molecule, whether in pharmaceutical or agrochemical or any other sector is time-consuming, expensive, and requires synthesis of a large number of compounds. It also involves toxicity testing involving a large number of animals that are subsequently sacrificed.

It has been estimated that it requires about $300 million to bring a new agrochemical to the market after approximately 11 years of R&D and related activities. The situation is now going to change with the help of artificial intelligence. In recent times, many chemical and pharmaceutical companies have made collaborations with  AI specialists to unleash the power of AI in discovery research which will enhance sustainability. To give few examples of such collaboration:

Bayer has set up a collaboration with Ketobix which is a spin-out from Harvard University. Ketobix has done significant work on the application of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Robotics in discovery research. This collaboration is expected to deliver faster innovative solutions. The AI tools of Ketobix will help in discovering paths for higher yields, which means fewer by-products and sustainable operation. Ketobix has developed a self-driving lab for new product discovery using Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

Another example is of Syngenta, which has collaborated with “Insilico Medicines”, which is a global leader in the application of AI and Deep Learning in the discovery of new active ingredients. The collaboration aims to speed up new, highly effective, sustainable products and technologies while protecting the environment. It is also expected that the use of AI and deep learning tools will reduce the time in the research phase by 20% and will lead to the discovery of a diverse range of molecules with new chemistries.

With traditional research methods, it is expensive and time-consuming to discover a new effective molecule. It is expected that Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics will dramatically change the discovery process in the near future. The process will take much less time, use of laboratory experiments will drastically come down thereby reducing chemical usage and pollution,  leading to sustainable operation.

It is interesting to note that a new herbicide Benquitione  for weed control in sorghum has been discovered using Artificial Intelligence (W.C. Yang, G.F. Yang et al).

In a similar way, a new fungicide Flubenteram has been discovered (G.F. Yang et al). This new fungicide is effective against many fungal diseases in crops including rust, sheath blight, mulberry powdery mildew, etc.

An organic compound can be synthesized through multiple routes. The yield, cost and environmental impact will be different by different methods. Using Artificial Intelligence, it is now possible to design a large number of routes within a short time. Not only that, AI will be helpful to guide which process will be sustainable both from environmental and economic points of view.

Blockchain is a technology that uses cryptographic principles and acts as a distributed repository. It is a database, managed in a decentralized way, and can store any information, including transactions, records, events, and even scripts in a distributed fashion. Data is recorded in individual blocks of the blockchain. By using a compliance algorithm, each block will capture new data and transactions and be added to the blockchain so that it grows with each transaction.

Blockchain technology has the potential to transform the chemical industry by enhancing transparency, traceability, efficiency, security, and waste management, and contribute to sustainability in various processes. Here are some of the areas where we can implement blockchain technology that can impact the chemical industry:

1. Supply Chain Management: By adopting blockchain technology, chemical industries can become more transparent. It can record and keep track of transactions, shipments, and quality control measures at each stage of the supply chain. This will help the organization in identifying inefficiencies, waste, and unsustainable practices within supply chain management. Based on the report generated by the blockchain, companies can take decisions to optimize processes and reduce environmental impact.

2. Traceability and Authentication: With the help of blockchain, each chemical product can be assigned a unique digital code that includes information about its composition, origin, and manufacturing process. This will help to trace the product throughout its lifecycle and also help in verifying the authenticity of chemicals, preventing fake products from entering the market, and ensuring compliance with quality standards.

3. Waste management and recycling: Chemical industry can benefit from using blockchain to improve waste management and recycling. By recording the disposal and treatment of hazardous waste on the blockchain, industries can assure correct handling and reduce environmental hazards. Blockchain-based systems can also reward recycling efforts and keep track of them by generating certificates for every recycling accomplishment.

4. Carbon Footprint Tracking: Chemical industries are significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Blockchain technology can help in tracking carbon emissions throughout the process that is from raw materials to finished goods and supply chain. By recording emission data on the blockchain,  companies can establish a transparent and auditable system for carbon accounting. This will help the organization in identifying emission hotspots, setting reduction targets, and supporting carbon offset initiatives.

5. Intellectual Property Protection: Blockchain technology can help in protecting intellectual property (IP) rights in the chemical industry. By keeping detailed records of the research, innovations, and patents on the blockchain, companies can establish a time stamped and immutable record of their creations. This can serve as evidence in case of disputes or infringement claims, safeguarding the rights and innovations of chemical companies.

6. Energy management: Blockchain technology can play a vital role in improving energy consumption and promoting renewable energy sources within the chemical industry. This can be done by integrating smart meters, sensors, and energy management systems with blockchain. On real-time basis,  industry can trace the records of energy usage data, which will help in identifying energy-saving opportunities and adopting renewable energy.

Chemical industries are increasingly implementing digitalization to achieve business growth and sustainability goals. Digitalization has become the second most important prominent investment in the chemical industry. According to one of the reports, chemical companies are going to invest 5% of their annual revenue on an average in digital operations solutions over the next five years. By 2026 most chemical companies will implement advanced digitalization. It has been observed that chemical industries are ahead of manufacturing industries in a digital maturity profile.

Adoption and integration of digitalization across an organization’s operation can help chemical companies to meet the world’s chemical needs now and in the future. Here are some specific applications of digitalization in the chemical industry:

1. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): It refers to interconnected sensors, instruments, and other devices networked together with computers’ industrial applications, including manufacturing and energy management. It uses smart sensors, actuators, real-time analytics, and smart machines to enhance manufacturing and industrial processes. IIoT will collect data from sensors, instruments, and equipment throughout the production process. This will enable real-time monitoring of various parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow rates, and chemical composition. The collected data is stored in the centralized system for further analysis. The data can be analyzed to optimize processes, detect glitches, and enable Predictive maintenance (PdM), field service, energy management, and asset tracking.

2. Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning (ML): Chemical industry generates a huge amount of data from different resources on daily basis, which includes data from laboratory tests, production processes, supply chain logistics, etc. By analyzing a large set of data, the manufacturer can identify areas for improvement in production processing, and product quality,  help in reducing wastage, and opportunities for new products in the market. Big Data Analytics will also help in making data-driven decisions, which will improve efficiency, reduce costs and drive innovations. Machine Learning is applied in the chemical industry for various purposes such as developing predictive models for process optimization, quality control, and demand forecasting. It also helps in the discovery of drugs, catalyst design, and material and research development.

3. Supply Chain Management: Digitalization in the chemical industry can enable end-to-end visibility and coordination across the chemical supply chain. Industries can monitor the movement of their raw material, intermediate products, and finished goods by using digital tools like sensors, RFID, and other connected devices. By obtaining real-time data, they can improve inventory management, forecast demand, and optimize logistics which can lead to cost savings and improve customer service.

Chemists are moving towards sustainable chemistry which includes sustainable organic synthesis, sustainable analytical methodology, new sustainable advanced materials, etc. It is expected that Artificial Intelligence will play an important role in Sustainable Chemistry in the coming years. Technologies for effective utilization of alternative raw materials such as Biomass and Carbon Dioxide are very important for sustainability. Artificial intelligence and Data Analytics will be extensively used in these areas and also in catalysis research. It will also be used in finding sustainable reaction pathways and optimization of reaction conditions. Another area is the prediction of chemical toxicity based on structure. It will save a lot of time and resources during the development of a new drug or agrochemical if toxicity is predicted well in advance. In short, Artificial Intelligence will find extensive application in various disciplines of Chemistry. It is necessary that undergraduate and postgraduate chemistry curricula are modified to take into consideration the application of Artificial Intelligence in Sustainable Chemistry.

The future of the application of blockchain technology and digitalization in the chemical industry holds great promise towards sustainability. These technologies can address key challenges like supply chain management,  carbon footprint, automation, energy management system etc. By taking advantage of blockchain technology and digitalization, chemical industries can increase their efficiency, reduce waste, enhance resource management, and promote sustainable practices. The integration of blockchain technology and digitalization into the chemical industry can contribute significantly to sustainability goals by collaboration of Industry stakeholders, government departments and technology providers.