6. Enviornmental Impact of some medications

1) Low level waste (LLW) 2) Intermediate level waste (ILW) 3) High level waste (HLW) HLW gives off large amounts of ionising radiation for a long period of time (long half-life) LLW gives off small amounts of ionising radiation for a short period of time (short half life) Most of the radioactive waste being produced by the medical industry is ILW & LLW

Example: Gowns, protective clothing, shoe covers, tissues, needles, mops Stored in shielded containers until the isotopes have decayed then disposed of as non-radioactive waste (through incineration or in a landfill)

Example: Cancer treatments (Radioactive sources (Co-60, Cs-137)) Stored in shielded containers in underground repositories.

YOU DO NOT USE HIGH LEVEL WASTE, BAD, BAD, GRR BAD FOR THE ENVIORNMENT BECAUSE LOOOOONG HALF LIFE

1) Antibiotics in agricultural waste (animal disease prevention) Manure from livestock and water run-off can carry antibiotics into the soil and groundwater. 2) Improper disposal of antibiotic medicines by hospitals and households Enters the sewage system at low concentrations 3)Antibiotics excreted by humans in urine Sewage treatment plans do not remove antibiotics from the waste water, and so they can end up in the drinking water supply.

Chemical synthesis of drugs require multiple steps. Solvents are used as reaction media and in product recovery and purification. Solvents must be disposed of carefully to avoid causing harm to the environment.

Water Propan-1-ol Ethyl Ethanoate Methanol Ethanol

Cyclohexane Octane Ethanenitrile Ethanoic Acid Methyl Benzene

Pentane Dichloromethane Dichloroethane Trichloromethane Carbon Tetrachloride Most of the undesirable solvents are known as volatile organic compounds (VOC)

VOCs are used as solvents due to their high volatility It is easy to evaporate the solvent to have whats left In enviornment VOCS cause 1) nose discomfort 2) throat discomfort 3) nausea and fatigue 4) the formation of low level ozone 5) smog

1) Prevent Waste 2) Maximise atom economy 3) Design less hazardous chemical synthesis 4) Design safer chemicals and products 5) Use safer solvents and reaction conditions 6) Increase energy efficiency 7) Use renewable feedstocks 8) Avoid chemical derivatives 9) Use catalysts, not stoichiometric reagents 10) Design chemicals & products to degrade after use 11) Analyse in real time to prevent pollution 12) Minimise the potential for accidents

Oseltamivir prevents influenza virus Synthesis of Oseltamivir requires Shikimic acid Shikimic acid is extracted from the pods of star anise

Star anise has a limited supply in the entire world 2005 shortage (oseltamivir) 2009 shortage (swine-flu) = PRICE DRASTIC INCREASE Complex 10 step reaction 6-8 months to synthesise 30kg of star anise only equated to 1kg of the shikimic acid Green chemistry comes to save the day and fixing the disastrous bad synthesis Started providing the shikimic acid from genetically engineered bacteria Extracted shikimic acid from pine needles