Transitioning to greener chemistry and more sustainable manufacturing processes are among the pharmaceutical industry’s biggest challenges. With the global population expected to exceed nine billion by 2050 – increasing demand for finite resources– it’s vital that manufacturers boost sustainability and reduce the environmental impact of their processes.Another challenge to the pharmaceutical industry is the increasing size of the elderly population. A World Health Organization report on global health and ageing projects a growth in the number of people aged 65 and over from the estimated 524 million in 2010 to nearly 1.5 billion in 2050. To accommodate this expanding and ageing population and meetlower, or net zero, carbon goals, the pharmaceutical industry needs cleaner, less wasteful technologies. That approach is vital to meeting the environmental, economic and social demands of future medication. In 2008 Johnson Matthey acquired Argillon, a business specialising in catalysts, for €214 million. [13]

Current lithium-ion battery materials typically include larger quantities of cobalt. This element is in limited supply and thus rising demand has caused the price to quadruple in recent years. However, cobalt is currently a critical component for ensuring lithium-ion battery stability and lifetime. To accelerate the enzyme optimisation process, JM scientists leveraged the company’s expertise in computational modelling, catalysis development and manufacturing to devise cutting-edge enzyme engineering technologies. Over the past decade, many pharmaceutical companies have opted for green chemistry practices for drug discovery, development and manufacturing. This shift is being driven by the realisation that greener processes not only offer an environmental advantage but can be cheaper with less waste – providing a competitive edge. a b c Reece, Damian (25 March 2012). "Spark-plug maker Johnson Matthey is a breath of fresh air for all of us". Telegraph.co.uk . Retrieved 3 March 2019. In 2014, the company was shortlisted for Business in the Community's Responsible Business of the Year Award for its Sustainability 2017 programme. [17]

Sustainable supply of metals

In 2009, Johnson Matthey opened a catalyst manufacturing plant in North Macedonia. [21] It was expanded in 2012 [22] and went on to become the largest exporter in North Macedonia. [23] Environmental performance edit Johnson Matthey is organised into four main businesses: Clean Air, Catalyst Technologies, Hydrogen Technologies, and Platinum Group Metals Services. [19] Factories in Europe edit JM has widespread expertise in this field, with around one in every three vehicles globally containing a JM autocatalyst. JM’s catalytic converter innovations first began in the late 1960s with the two-way catalyst, which used platinum and rhodium. This was later improved in the three-way catalyst, which added palladium to the catalyst bed. Effectively, these catalysts combine oxidising and reducing capabilities. The platinum and palladium metals oxidise toxic carbon monoxide to less immediately harmful carbon dioxide and unburnt hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide and water, while the rhodium reduces NOx compounds into nitrogen. In recent years, the drug discovery process has shifted towards increasingly complex active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). These compounds often require multiple synthetic steps, greatly lowering the atom economy of their associated processes. Additionally, these processes are carried out in organic solvents, with large quantities of chemical reagents in the form of oxidants, reductants, and acids and bases. Using these chemicals means high waste levels and costly waste treatment processes. These factors have led to an increased desire for alternative technologies that can deliver effective, safe and cost-effective drug development and manufacture. Consequently, nature’s approach to chemical innovation sparked the pharmaceutical industry’s interest. You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many user’s needs. Compare Standard and Premium Digital here.

PGMs and metallurgical research are also essential components for developing solutions for cleaner air by reducing harmful emissions from vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. These vehicles produce various chemical contaminants that are known to be hazardous to human health. Improving air quality is about understanding how to convert pollutants – such as carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide compounds (NOx) – into innocuous emissions.Limonene is a relatable example of the dramatic effect chirality can have on a molecule. A naturally occurring hydrocarbon found in citrus, limonene’s structure has a chiral centre. Like many other flavour and fragrance molecules it is found in nature as two enantiomers, ( R)- and ( S)-limonene. Although these molecules hold identical physical properties, the difference in chirality can lead to different biological properties. In this case, ( R)-Limonene is the isomer that contributes to the smell of oranges, whereas ( S)-limonene has an aroma similar to turpentine or lemon. For drug manufacturers, the ability to consistently and reliably produce one enantiomer is crucial. This is because often only one of a drug’s enantiomers is responsible for the desired physiological and therapeutic effects – while the other enantiomer is less active, inactive or even harmful. Enzymes provide manufacturers with an effective technology to produce optically pure drugs. Tomorrow’s biocatalysts today