Green chemistry may get the Midas touch Scientists hope gold
nanoparticles may help in the search for a more environmentally-
friendly way of producing cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The
manufacture of many industrial and consumer products relies on
oxidation reactions that create chemicals called epoxides. But,
says Hearn, epoxide production often involves toxic catalysts
and chlorinated solvents. He says the chemical industry globally
has prioritised finding more environmentally-friendly ways of
producing expoxides. Peroxides from thin air? Golovko and
colleagues have found a way of making epoxides using oxygen gas
from air. While gold is normally very chemically stable, Golovko
and colleagues found that when it is reduced to particles made
of just 55 atoms it can catalyse the combination of oxygen and
petrochemical styrene to form an epoxide. At just 1.4 to 2
nanometres across, Golovko says the gold particles are probably
reactive due to quantum effects. He says the particles only
remain active if they are