21st Century Chemistry: Challenges and Career Opportunities

                   As Chemistry is the study of the nature, properties and composition of matter, and how these undergo changes, it is referred to as the Central Science. Chemistry is the science about basic structure of substances, i.e what they are made of, how they interact and what role they play in living things. Everything we hear, see, smell, taste and touch involves chemistry and chemicals (matter). Chemistry plays a great role even in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the clothes we wear or imagine anything what we use in everyday life right from early morning to late night before we go to sleep or even while sleeping one may be using mosquito repellent. Chemistry and its innovations surrounds, envelops and touches our lives in all possible forms accepting global changes creating enormous challenges relating to human health ,energy, environmental pollution and scarce natural resources so one can visualise the variety and immenseness of carrier opportunities and future prospects of studying Chemistry. There is a saying that, the better we know chemistry, the better we know our world.

                      The study of chemistry is changing its face in fast pace. In 20th century; the study of chemistry required some foundations in mathematics. But as the 21st century is unfolding, the emphasis in chemistry is shifting to biology, to nano, to computational molecular modelling, to bio-mimetic, to supra molecular or cluster chemistry and to smart materials and many more unveiling and opening new orientations and dimensions of research. In fact, the demarcation line that existed among chemical and branches of biological, material and physical sciences are slowly vanishing and now one either talks of chemical biology, biological chemistry, nano-chemistry, smart and intelligent materials or molecular modelling using computational techniques in drug design and predicting molecules and their properties even before actually preparing them in laboratories or atom economy manufacturing processes. This change over is going to have many ramifications in the study of chemistry. This shift in emphasis will have many other consequences along with opening  new job opportunities in interdisciplinary branches with industrial applications.

What is new in 21^st Century Chemistry?

Atmospheric chemistry	Cell biology	Crystallography	Marine geology and geo- physics
Materials science	Microscopy	Biotechnology	Process industries
Magnetic technology	Flavour science	Nanotechnology	Pharmaceuticals
Supramolecular Chemistry	Smart Materials	Electrochemistry	Quantum computation
Ceramics Composites	Radiocarbon	Thermodynamics	Surface science
Computational Chemistry	Liquid crystals	Microbiology	Particle technology
Oceanic sciences	Biomimetics	Organic electro-chemistry	Optics and photonics
Photonic band gap materials	Enzyme Chemistry	Petroleum and geo-systems	Tribology                                  And many more…………………

Let us discuss a few fields with possible innovations, opportunities and challenges for Chemists, Chemical Technologists and prospective students having bent and passion towards chemistry or matter transformations techniques.

1.         Synthesis and Manufacturing: This will involve creating and exploiting New Substances and New Transformations which are listed as follows:

     I.    Develop methods that will enable synthesis of all important molecules in reasonable yields using compact synthetic schemes, so that no useful compound is inaccessible to practical synthesis.

    II.     Develop novel transformations that perform with the selectivities typical of enzymatic reactions, so that geometric factors are more important than the intrinsic reactivity of a molecule.

  III.    Use computer methods to design important target molecules and design efficient ways to make them.

  IV.    Exploit combinatorial methods to discover important properties in synthetic materials.

   V.    Design synthetic procedures that can be varied systematically for the purpose of optimizing specific properties of the reaction products.

  VI.    Develop versatile and reliable synthetic methodologies for hard matter (microstructured materials such as nanoparticles and porous solids) that are as effective as those for synthesis of soft matter (complex organic and bio-molecules).

2. Chemical and Physical Transformations of Matter: This practice of chemistry will give rise to some challenges to the chemists. They can be listed as follows:

   I.  They have to perfect the tools to study reaction mechanisms of chemical and biochemical reactions, so the processes can be observed directly and more efficient syntheses can be designed rationally.

  II.  They have to develop reliable computer methods to predict the detailed pathways and rates of unknown chemical reactions, avoiding the need for creating and measuring them to determine their practicality.

III.  They need to understand the chemistry and properties of large molecules, including biopolymers, to the level that small-molecule chemistry is understood.

IV.  They have to understand the behaviour of molecules and substances in unusual environments: at extreme temperatures or pressures, absorbed on solid surfaces, or under shear flow.

 V.  They have to learn the chemistry of molecules and substances in their excited states, or at or near their critical points, and at the nanoscale level in which surface characteristics can dominate bulk properties.

3.   Isolating, Identifying, Imaging, and Measuring Substances and Structures The tools have to be improved for imaging and determining structure so that detailed chemical structures can be determined with tiny amounts of non-crystalline material.

   I.  The ability of instruments to detect and quantify very low concentrations of important substances, even in very small volumes has to be achieved.

  II.  Effective methods for detecting dangerous materials, even when they are hidden have to be formulated.

III.  Understand the chemistry that occurs in interplanetary and interstellar space, for which spectroscopy is the primary tool available.

IV.  Develop instruments for on-line process control that bring the power of modern analytical and structure-determination methods to chemical manufacturing technology

4.   Chemical Theory and Computer Modelling: From Computational Chemistry to Process Systems Engineering

   I.  Develop computer methods that will accurately predict the properties of unknown compounds.

  II.  Develop reliable computer methods to calculate the detailed pathways by which reactions occur in both ground states and excited states, taking full account of molecular dynamics as well as quantum and statistical mechanics.

III.  Develop reliable force fields for molecular mechanics calculations on complex systems, including those with metallic elements.

IV.  Invent computer methods to predict the three-dimensional folded structure of a protein - and the pathway by which folding occurs - from its amino acid sequence, so information from the human genome can be translated into the encoded protein structures.

 V.  Devise experimental tests to establish the reliability of new theoretical treatments.

5.           The Interface with Biology and Medicine

 I.    Understand fully the chemistry of life, including the chemistry of the brain and memory.

II.    Invent and learn to manufacture effective antiviral agents and antibiotics to fight all serious diseases, including those caused by drug-resistant pathogens.

III.    Invent medicines that go beyond treatment to provide cure or prevention of life-limiting conditions and diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, mental illness, and diabetes.

IV.    Invent better ways to deliver drugs to their targets, including devices that can function as artificial organs.

V.    Learn how genetic variation among individuals will affect their responses to particular medicines.

VI.    Invent biocompatible materials for organ replacements and for artificial bones and teeth.

6.           Materials by Design

 I.  Invent improved structural materials that are stable at high temperatures and easily machined.

II.  Invent materials with useful electrical and optical properties, including high temperature superconductivity.

III.  Invent materials that are lighter, stronger, and more easily recycled.

IV.  Invent materials for surface protection (paints and coatings) that are truly long-lasting and rugged.

V.  Understand and utilize the properties of nanoscale materials and materials that are not homogeneous.

VI.  Build materials with the kind of actuating response found in physiological systems such as muscle.

VII.  Develop and process materials in which complex structural assembly occurs spontaneously or with minimal guidance and in useful timescales to produce durable systems with diverse utility.

VIII.  Create nanomaterials technology from nanoscale chemical science.

7.             Atmospheric and Environmental Chemistry:

I.    Elucidate the entire complex interactive chemistry of our biosphere - the atmosphere, the earth, and its lakes, rivers, and oceans - and provide the scientific basis for policies that preserve our environment

II.    Ensure that chemical manufacturing and chemical products are environmentally and biologically benign, never harmful.

III.    Learn how to make products that are stable over their necessary life but then undergo degradation so they do not persist in the environment or in living creatures

IV.    Invent agricultural chemicals that do not harm unintended targets in any way and are not overly persistent.

V.    Develop selective catalysts that enable the manufacture of useful products without producing unwanted waste products and without using excessive energy

VI.    Invent processes for the generation and distribution of energy that do not release greenhouse gases or toxic contaminants into the atmosphere.

VII.    Help humans control their population growth by inventing birth control methods that are safe and effective, inexpensive, and widely available and accepted.

8. Energy: Providing for the Future:

I.    Develop more stable and less expensive materials and methods for the capture of solar energy and its conversion to energy or to useful products.

II.    Design inexpensive, high-energy-density, and quickly rechargeable storage batteries that make electric vehicles truly practical.

III.    Develop practical, less expensive, more stable fuel cells with improved membranes, catalysts, electrodes, and electrolytes.

IV.    Develop materials, processes, and infrastructure for hydrogen generation, distribution, storage, and delivery of energy for vehicles.

V.    Develop photo-catalytic systems with efficiencies great enough to use for chemical processing on a significant scale.

VI.    Learn how to concentrate and securely deal with the radioactive waste products from nuclear energy plants.

VII.    Develop practical superconducting materials for energy distribution over long distances. The eight subdivisions are in no way exhaustive but they have been chosen because of familiarity and directions in these topics can be formulated with certain degree of certainty.

9.   Green and Sustainable Chemistry: Green chemistry is the utilization of a set of principles that reduces or eliminates the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture and application of chemical products .There is a need for a new ethics that will better enable our civilization to deal with the power over the ecosphere that it has acquired through science and technology. The greatly increasing pressure of technology-based human activity on the ecosphere has given rise to the uncertainty and the insecurity captured in the concept of sustainability. Since much of the technological power underlying the sustainability dilemma has been devised by chemists, it is reasonable for chemists to ask how chemistry might be advanced to contribute to the sustainability of our civilization. Green chemistry is arising as a field representing the practical expression of the willingness of chemists to turn technology towards sustainability" The generally accepted principles of Green Chemistry are:

I.    It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it is formed.

II.    Synthetic methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the process to the final product

III.    Whenever practicable, synthetic methodologies should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment.

IV.    Chemical methods should be designed to preserve efficacy of function while reducing toxicity.

V.    The use of auxiliary substances (e.g. solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary whenever possible and, innocuous when used.

VI.    Energy requirements should be recognized for their environmental and economic impacts and should be minimized. Synthetic methods should be conducted at ambient temperature and pressure.

VII.    A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting wherever technically and economically practicable.

VIII.    Unnecessary derivatization (blocking group, protection/deprotection, and temporary modification of physical/chemical processes) should be avoided whenever possible.

IX.    Catalytic reagents (as selective as possible) are superior to stoichiometric reagents.

X.    Chemical products should be designed so that at the end of their function they do not persist in the environment and break down into innocuous degradation products.

XI.    Analytical methods needed to be further developed to allow for real time, in process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances.

XII.    Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen so as to minimize the potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires.

10.The imperatives of Nano-technology: Nanotechnology is an enabling technology that will impact electronics and computing, materials and manufacturing, energy, transportation and so on. The field is interdisciplinary but everything starts with material science. Challenges include:

I.  Novel synthesis techniques

II.  Characterization of nanoscale properties

III.  Large scale production of materials

IV.  Application development

Opportunities and rewards are great and hence, tremendous worldwide interest .Integration of this emerging field into engineering and science curriculum is important to prepare the future generation of scientists and engineers.

Let us discuss a few fields and possible carrier opportunities for prospective students in chemistry.

A.   Analytical Chemist: Analytical chemists use a diverse range of methods to investigate the chemical nature of substances. The aim is to identify and understand the substance and how it behaves in different conditions. Work may be carried out in areas as diverse as:

·         Drug Formulation And Development;

·         Chemical Or Forensic Analysis;

·         Process Development;

·         Product Validation;

·         Quality Control;

·         Toxicology.

Responsibilities: Techniques or activities vary depending on the employer or specialist area, but may include:

·         Analysing samples from various sources to provide information on compounds or quantities of compounds present;

·         Using analytical techniques and instrumentation, such as gas and high performance liquid chromatography (hplc), ion chromatography, electrochromatography and spectroscopy (infrared and ultraviolet, amongst others);

·         Interpreting data and meeting strict guidelines on documentation when recording data;

·         Reporting scientific results;

·         Developing techniques for the analysis of drug products and chemicals;

·         Working collaboratively in cross-functional teams;

·         Liaising with customers, staff and suppliers;

·         Being aware of, and keeping up to date with, health and safety issues;

·         validating methods and equipment.

B.   Research Scientist: As a research scientist in the physical sciences, you'll study non-living systems to increase the understanding of how the physical world works. Scientific research involves designing and conducting experiments to collect physical evidence of natural phenomena. This information is analysed to develop practical applications in the creation of new materials and devices. Theoretical researchers use thought experiments to increase knowledge of their subject.

Academic research is increasingly collaborative across all scientific fields and the nature of scientific research means that much of the work involves spending a significant amount of time on joint projects. Disciplines include:

·         Astronomy;

·         Chemistry;

·         Geosciences;

·         Materials Science;

·         Mathematics;

·         Meteorology;

·         Physics.

Responsibilities: The exact nature of the work depends on whether you are employed in industry or in an academic research setting, but in either case, the work is usually laboratory based. You'll need to:

·         Plan and conduct experiments to investigate and analyse scientific phenomena;

·         Operate complex instrumentation;

·         Extrapolate data to develop theories to explain phenomena;

·         Arrange the testing of products or materials to ensure that they meet quality standards;

·         Develop new products and ways of applying new methodology;

·         Develop innovative methods to improve existing products;

·         Write up results in reports and/or scientific papers or books;

·         Maintain accurate records of results;

·         In industry, ensure that the manufacture of new products and materials can be carried out without problems regardless of scale;

·         Manage a research team, (which may include technicians and support staff) or a group of research students in an academic department;

·         Collaborate with other scientists, sometimes including scientists from other disciplines;

·         Carry out fieldwork (collecting samples and monitoring environment);

·         Develop specialist skills and expertise;

·         Work within health and safety regulations;

·         Teach or lecture students.

C. Healthcare Scientist: As a healthcare scientist working in clinical biochemistry you'll analyse samples taken from patients' blood, urine or other bodily fluids to help with the diagnosis, management and treatment of diseases. Often based in a hospital laboratory, you'll interpret and validate the results of these samples and advise clinical staff on the correct use of tests and any necessary follow up investigation

Responsibilities: To be successful in your role you'll need to:

·         Plan and organise work in clinical biochemistry laboratories, much of which is automated and computer assisted;

·         Carry out analyses on specimens of body fluids and tissues;

·         Perform clinical validation by checking abnormal results and deciding if further tests are necessary;

·         Audit the use and diagnostic performance of tests;

·         Identify and resolve any poor analytical performance problems;

·         Develop new, as well as existing, tests, which can involve significant manual expertise;

·         Devise and conduct basic or applied research;

·         Write reports;

·         Liaise with clinical and healthcare staff, and have some contact with patients;

·         Apply your clinical biochemistry skills to prevent disease and keep patients healthy.

D.  Forensic Scientist: As a forensic scientist you'll provide impartial scientific evidence for use in courts of law to support the prosecution or defence in criminal and civil investigations.

You'll be primarily concerned with searching for and examining contact trace material associated with crimes. This material can include:

·         Blood and other body fluids

·         Hairs

·         Fibres from clothing

·         Paint and glass fragments

·         Tyre marks

·         Flammable substances used to start fires.

·         Although evidence is usually presented in writing as a formal statement of evidence or report, you may have to attend court to give your evidence in person.

Responsibilities: As a forensic scientist, you'll need to:

·         Analyse samples, such as hair, body fluids, glass, paint and drugs, in the laboratory

·         Apply techniques such as gas and high performance liquid chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and genetic fingerprinting

·         Sift and sort evidence, often held in miniscule quantities

·         Record findings and collect trace evidence from scenes of crimes or accidents

·         Attend and examine scenes of crimes

·         Liaise with team members and coordinate with outside agencies such as the police

·         Analyse and interpret results and computer data

E.     Toxicologist: As a toxicologist, you'll look at the impact of toxic materials and radiation on the environment and human and animal health. You'll plan and carry out laboratory and field studies that help to identify, monitor and evaluate this impact and will also consider the use of future technology. You may work in different areas of toxicology, which include:

·         Academic/University;

·         Clinical;

·         Eco-toxicology;

·         Forensic;

·         Industrial;

·         Occupational;

·         Pharmaceutical;

·         Regulatory.

Responsibilities: The tasks you carry out will vary depending on your specific area of work but in general, you'll be:

·         Isolating, identifying and measuring toxic substances or radiation and any harmful effect they have on humans, animals, plants or ecosystems;

·         Planning and carrying out a range of experiments in the field or laboratories, looking at the biological systems of plants and animals;

·         Analysing and evaluating statistical data and researching scientific literature;

·         Writing reports and scientific papers, presenting findings and, in the case of forensic work, giving evidence in court;

·         Advising on the safe handling of toxic substances and radiation, in production or in the event of an accident;

·         Specifically studying the effects of harmful chemicals, biological agents and drug overdose on people and advising on the treatment of affected patients;

·         Liaising with regulatory authorities to make sure you're complying with local, national and if you work in the pharmaceutical industry, one of your most important tasks will be making sure any potential new drugs are safe to test on humans. This will involve:

·         Carrying out risk assessments;

·         Doing various tests using specialised techniques, including in vivo and in vitro tests;

·         Using experimental data to assess a drug's toxicity and create a safety profile;

·         Balancing potential benefits against any risks.

·         International regulations.

F. Chemical Engineer: A Chemical engineer designs and develops the processes that make a diverse range of products. Their work focuses on changing the chemical, biochemical and physical state of a substance to turn it into something else, for example making plastic from oil.

·         They understand how to alter raw materials into required products while taking into consideration health and safety and cost issues.

·         They work in a variety of industries including:

·         Oil and gas;

·         Pharmaceuticals;

·         Energy;

·         Water treatment;

·         Food and drink;

·         Plastics;

·         Toiletries.

·         Modern chemical engineering is also concerned with pioneering valuable new materials and techniques, such as nanotechnology, fuel cells and biomedical engineering.

Responsibilities: Day-to-day responsibilities are extremely diverse and depend on the role and the sector in which you work. In general, tasks may include:

·         Working closely with process chemists and control engineers to ensure the process plant is set up to provide maximum output levels and efficient running of the production facility;

·         Designing plant and equipment configuration so that they can be readily adapted to suit the product range and the process technologies involved, taking environmental and economic aspects into account;

·         Setting up scale-up and scale-down processes including appropriate changes to equipment design and configuration;

·         Assessing options for plant expansion or reconfiguration by developing and testing process simulation models;

·         Designing, installing and commissioning new production plants, including monitoring developments and troubleshooting;

·         Optimising production by analysing processes and compiling de-bottleneck studies;

·         Applying new technologies;

·         Researching new products from trial through to commercialisation and improving product lines;

·         Ensuring that potential safety issues related to the project operator, the environment, the process and the product are considered at all stages.

·         Examples of work activities in specific sectors include:

·         Undertaking small and intermediate-scale manufacturing and packaging activities in pharmaceutical product development for clinical trial purposes;

·         Developing new methods of safe nuclear energy production, including projects such as conceptual design, simulation and construction of test rigs, and detailed design and operations support.

  And Many more……what one may dream and realise...... ………………..

                

 By

 Anil Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, A.S.College, Deoghar